The Big Kahuna (Goal Setting for the Win)

Hi, everyone. I'm Amber McHugh. So glad to see you again, or for the first time. I am sitting outside recording today because it has been gorgeous here in Maryland, and I absolutely am trying to take as much advantage of this awesome weather as possible. I hope that you're able to enjoy some great weather wherever you are, across the country as well. And if not, I hope it's coming soon. Our first video was about deciding, making the decision to play, basically, bigger step it up, regardless of what you're doing, making the decision to go after it, to go after it in a big way, and to really step up your game in 2012. Today's video, we're going to dig a little bit deeper, get a little bit more specific, and really step away with some very actionable things that you can implement to start stepping into your bliss and start working towards your goals. But I'm not talking about goals in the traditional sense. I'm not talking about the, you know, the five pounds that you want to lose for your New Year's resolution, although that could be a part of this. But it's not the big Kahuna, as I like to call it. It's not the big one. All right, here we go. So we've talked about this already, but I think it's so important to restate. The first step is to make the decision. And I think what's amazing is that nobody, we need not wait. And I think this quote is so cool from Anne Frank, considering the time period this statement was made and how much more impact we can make in the through social media now, how fast and how quickly things move from one person to the next in terms of positive change and the impact that you can have on people when you're stepping up and living your bliss. So I'm really excited that you've made the decision to change, to step it up, to play bigger, to push outside your comfort zone. And that's the first step. So once you've done that, it's a big stride, because 98% of people can't even get past deciding and making the decision to step into a place that they have purposefully decided to move to. Because we just fall into our lives, we get out of college, we're going, we're moving. So it's exciting. The next step, we're going to get specific. What is it that you want to change? It doesn't have to be something big. It could just be building your confidence to do something different. But what's important is that you are pushing beyond Your comfort zone. So like I said in the intro, this is not going to be traditional goal setting. This is done a little bit different. I like to think of it in three ways. My coach and Bob Proctor sort of outlines three types of goals. This is an adaption of that. But the first being those goals that you know you can accomplish. Second level is those you think you can. You've got the skills, you've got transferable skills. You're pretty sure you're going to be able to make this work. And the third type that the least number of people are able to step into and push through. So taking that percentage even down more are those say what, what you want me to do. What sort of goals? That's what we're talking about on the say what levels? Those that make you feel uncomfortable to give you butterflies again, I know I can't. This is where most people spend their time. It's your comfort zone. Sort of easy street, but I think I can. You might stretch yourself a little bit here. You might feel some discomfort, but you think you skills that you can transfer to apply to the goal that you're trying to reach. And then the third, that's the sweet spot. The say what goals? It's where the magic happens. It's where you do what you feel like it's impossible. You may feel some butterflies in your stomach as you're moving through this space, but it ultimately takes you into your zone of genius. That's where what I call you live, your gorgeous truth. You bring what you believe and what you know want to be and what you feel you want to be in the world. And you align that with your actions and the truth that you live every day. This definitely aligns with your values, but also your dreams, your wants, your desires, sort of all those things that we push aside as life gets busy and gets going. But again, this is where the magic happens. So you're saying what goals? What I'm going to ask you to do is be specific here. What feels like you're pushing boundaries. Even if it sounds as simple as increasing your confidence, even if it's as simple as deciding what your big goal is. Right. So it could be layered here. I'm going to ask that you tie it to a specific outcome as well. How will you know that you reached that goal? And I'll give you an example of that in a minute here. It's also helpful sometimes if you're having trouble of thinking of something that's truly for yourself. But if you think about how it's going to impact others in the world. For example, if you take up your confidence levels and that's the only goal that you have to achieve right now, that pushes you, that you can think of, that pushes you outside your comfort zone. That is going to be of amazing service to your children. Right. So those, the children that you're mentoring and growing and that look to you as a role model. So thinking about it in a service oriented perspective sometimes helps as well. Once you've identified what that is that you want, it's going to push you a little bit to go a little bit bigger. What does that look like? What does it feel like? How do you feel inside when you, when you've actually achieved that goal? How much better does it feel? What will you say to people? Like how will you act differently and speak differently in front of people? And what will you do in your life that's different as a result of meeting this goal? And this sort of gets to the visualization piece of it. It's such a happiness psychology, positive psychology, sports, it's a big thing. When you visualize the goal, you actually step into it in your mind and when you experience it, you are ready, you're prepared for things and the chances of you achieving them just become greater and greater. So number three, you've got to live it. And I've got a tip here that is going to help you increase your chance of success by more than 300%. That's huge. So stick with me. First of all, live it. We're talking about the big goal. But those I know I can goals and those I think think I can goals, you still want those. You're still going to have those day to day things that you're doing that help you live out your say what goal that makes sense. So you've got a goal that's a little bit out of reach, that pushes you, that pushes you past your comfort zone. But you're going to use the skills that you have and the strengths that you have that you know you can execute on to accomplish that. So it's going to make it much easier, much more doable. First up, I want you to write it. We're going to write that big goal, your big kahuna. For example, you may want to build a photography business where you capture life's silly moments. Great. The measurable piece of it is that you're going to have a base of clients in place before the end of the year and just generally start to create some extra income for your family. Write that on the front of a note card. Very simple, very simple action item that's going to move you one step closer. On the back of the note card you're going to write those things that you know you can and you think you can do that are going to help you accomplish that goal, for example. And they're going to put them in three categories. For example, knowledge you might need Photoshop knowledge you might want to master a new camera. You might want to learn some marketing skills, even basics, right where you just start to connect and network differently to get the word out there about you taking, taking on this accomplishment and this goal, your action items associated that would be to do a little self study in Photoshop every night, master a new camera. You can take a picture every day, just one by one. Day by day you're going to start building the skills that are going to get you to where you need to be and marketing potentially find a class to take. It could be online as it says in the support section. Could be an online network that you find mastering the new camera. You've got a. You could find a photo prompt site where they email you something every day that gives you an idea of what you should take a picture about. And you could also engage your family so that they know that you've got this goal to take a picture every day for the next three months or the next, you know, through the end of the year so that they're supporting you as well. As for the Photoshop, you could just get a book. It could be as simple as getting a book and sort of going through that, editing your picture from the day or the picture from the day before, just playing with that as well. So you're going to increase your I think I cans and your know I cans by building your knowledge, taking action critical to accomplishing your goals and building some support also critical to achieving any goals, especially the big ones. Next tip. Do not celebrate too early. This is a mistake I personally fall into. For example, I wanted to put some new pictures on my wall. So I got the frames. I have the frames up, the pictures are not in it yet and I feel like I have made some big accomplishment and you know, I have but I tend to celebrate and get very excited about that accomplishment. I look at those frames, I feel good. Be careful not to celebrate too early. We need to celebrate when those pict are actually in the frames, when the end, when the big kahuna is reached as well as the little milestones. And what happens when we celebrate too early is we start to diversify our Focus and our efforts again, we think I've met this goal, I can start to strike balance and put my time and energy into something else as well. And then you lose the focus from what really matters, which is going after the big kahuna next. Be perfect, persistent. You have to keep at it. That's why in those action items it was every night I'm going to do a little bit of Photoshop. Every day I'm going to take a picture that's going to help you sort of move, stay in action and move towards the big goal. And over time you are not even going to realize. But at the end of that, if you're posting those pictures on Facebook, if you are talking to people about what you're doing and people see that you have your camera around because you have this goal to take a picture every day, it's going to come out in different places in life as you're out exploring and taking these pictures, people are going to notice, they're going to ask and that's going to start to spread. So your persistence over time is just going to result in naturally meeting this goal. And then this is the big one, this is the money maker, the if then philosophy that will help you increase your goal, increase your chance of meeting your goals by 300%. Here's how it works. You have an if. If it's 5 o', clock, so if something is happening, then I will go weigh myself. So this example applies. If you're trying to lose weight and you sort of want to track and you want to keep ahead, but you resist looking at the scale because you're not sure, you're not confident that you're meeting those goals. So a simple thing to do is if it's 5pm then I will weigh myself. And what happens here is that your brain becomes programmed because our psyche is so set on building contingency plans that as a part of our survival mechanisms that automatically our body, well behind the scenes our brain will start working on this programming to shift and make sure that we have contingencies built up to make sure that, okay, if it's five o', clock, I will weigh myself. Let's make sure that happens. And it's just going to follow and flow much more naturally. Another example, Audrey is my 12 month old. If Audrey takes a nap, then I will write, or when Audrey takes her nap, then I will write. So that programming starts to happen. You plan this in advance. So Audrey's taking a nap. I'm not at that time thinking, okay, now what do I do. What am I going to do next? It's already happening. I already have the plan in place, the contingency plan, and my brain is working to make sure that I am ready, that my being is ready. When Audrey takes that nap, I will write. So we went through three specific things. One, making the decision. You are there, even if it's a small goal that really feels and pushes you outside of your comfort zone. Big Kahuna score. That's what you want to be focused on. Two, you've got to get specific. What is it that you want to do? And how are you going to know that you've accomplished it? Three, live it. You're going to write it down. Don't celebrate too early to be persistent. And the final live it tip is to employ the if then principle, which again, increases your chances of success by more than 300%. Easy to do, easy to do. So if your big Kahuna is losing the weight, you'd apply the if then on components of those. I think I cans. I know I cans. That will help you meet the goal.

And all the frowns. I'm gonna bless all the sneezes in town. Cause, baby, we're all trying definitely respond.

With you and engage. These are topics I'm really excited about. I'm really passionate about you achieving your goals and achieving your dreams. I know it's possible and we definitely need you to do that. Because when you step up and play bigger, it's gonna infuse and it's gonna impact the people around you. And generally, it's just gonna create a cycle and it's going to spread and it's going to have a very positive impact beyond you.

Baby, we just want to feel okay.