Written by Heather L. Cole, January 6th, 2022

Happy New Year.  With the new year we have the opportunity to recharge and reset so we can accomplish amazing things personally and professionally.  At Lodestar Solutions we encourage all our team members and clients to have written goals or outcomes they want to achieve.  So, what are you going to accomplish this year? 

I thought I would share secrets I have learned to accomplishing big bodacious goals. 

1. You Must Write Down Your Goals

Studies have proven that when you write down your goals and view them daily you are more likely to accomplish them.  One study done by Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at Dominican University of California found you are 42% more likely to achieve your goals and dreams, simply by writing them down on a daily basis.  See blog, This Is the Way You Need to Write Down Your Goals for Faster Success.  

2. Organize Your Goals

I am a big fan of using sticky notes that I put on boards by month, so I focus on when I want to accomplish the goal by.  I also use different colored sticky notes depending on if it’s related to health, charity, personal or business.

When you write down the goals include a reason why.  This helps inspire you and motivate you.  If your WHY is not big enough you probably will not accomplish your goals.

3. Tell People Your Goals!

Yes, as scary as it can be, share your goals.  But remember if people laugh or mock you, they are jealous you have the courage to think and act boldly.

Last year I decided I wanted to own a small beach condo to escape and relax.  I put it on my board and told people I knew that owned beach condos.  Three months after putting the sticky on my board, a friend texted that there was a condo in her building about to go up for sale.  I contacted the seller and we agreed without involving real estate agents, in one of the hottest markets I avoided a bidding war.  

4. Time Blocking

Block out time on your calendar every day to take one action that gets your closer to your goal.  Just one.  The action can be as simple as researching on the internet.  But make it part of your daily routine.

Maybe it would help if I provided an example.  Here’s some common goals I am seeing in our clients.

Goals: 

•  To get a raise so you can save more money for your kid’s college and your retirement.
• To work remotely 3 days a week so you can coach your kid’s soccer team.
• To get more support for your Analytics projects within the company so your work gets noticed and your ideas get heard.

Visualize Your Result

Let’s take a minute to break these down.  Your big WHY appears to be your family.  So, every day with your first cup of coffee visualize yourself and your family when you accomplish your goals.  What will you do?  How will you feel?    

I know it sounds a little crazy, but I often start my day poolside visualizing accomplishing my goal and it inspires me to take at least one step daily toward my goal.

Daily Steps

Daily deliberate action is where the magic happens!  In the book Peak:  Secrets from the New Science of Expertise, Anders Ericsson and Robert Pool share their research on how all of us can apply the performance principles practiced by the world’s top performers.  One of the key take aways I received from the book is that we must engage in daily deliberate practice.  Here’s a link to a short video explaining the concept in this book. 

 How you show up and play daily is a key differentiator in people that accomplish their goals and those that say, “One Day I will…”.  

Steps don’t have to be massive, although massive action will get you there faster. Let’s take the goals above.

Getting a Raise

If you want a raise here’s a few steps you can take.  You just need to complete one a day.

•  Start by creating a list of your accomplishments in the last year.  Where did you add more value than your peers?  What ideas did you implement…?
• Research the current salary for your role in other companies on www.glassdoor.com or other sites.
• Schedule a meeting with your boss to ask what it would take to get to the next level
• Research approaches for asking for a raise
• Write down a list of why your firm might say no, and a response to the reason.

Working Remotely 

If you want to continue to work remotely and your firm is moving people back to the office, you will need to influence your company to allow you to work remotely.

•  Create a list of the projects or accomplishments you have had while working remote during Covid.
• Research other firms in your industry that are allowing their people to continue to work remote.
• Talk to HR to understand the reasons or motivation for requiring people to come in daily.
• Research your organizations values and initiatives.  Are they trying to reduce global warming?  See if the organization’s initiatives can help support your request to work remote.
• Read a blog or book or watch a video on persuasion. CAlididi.
• Write down a list of why your firm might say no, and a response to the reason.
• Schedule a meeting with your boss to ask to work remotely.

Goal of Increasing the Support of your Analytics Projects

•  Create a list of areas you think could benefit from better Analytics.  These areas must either make or save the company more money!
• Research what other companies in your industry are doing with analytics.
• Read the companies 10K and ask what the strategic goals are of the organization.
• Read a blog or book or watch a video on persuasion.  CAlididi.
• Identify a single area, dashboard, reports, or project you would like to get support and funding for.
• Create a list of the benefits to the company if they did the project.
• Create a list of costs in resources, time, and tools needed.
• Create a Return-on-Investment analysis.
• Write down a list of why your firm might say no, and a response to the reason.
• Schedule a meeting with your boss to get their support.

Just one a day!  That’s the secret.

Similar Steps Different Goals

Did you notice anything?  Yes, the steps for getting what you want at work, are all similar.  2022 can be the most amazing year of your life.  But you must take ACTION!  Start with a list.  “What are you going to accomplish this year?  ‘’

If you need help or have questions, put a comment on this blog, or reach out to us at services@lodestarsolutions.com.  You might also want to check out our video on the power of expectation setting.  

At Lodestar Solutions, our goal is not just successful analytics projects, we want you, our client to be personally successful too!

Happy New Year!

Heather and the Lodestar Team.