If there was a magic vitamin out there that could help you focus, push you harder, and even cause you to feel better about yourself overall- would you take it? Heck, yeah!
Well, there IS such a vitamin and it’s out there for the taking, and yet, most people suffering from sub-par performance won’t go out and get it. Of course, the “vitamin” to which I am referring isn’t really a vitamin at all- but it does work!
Last month, I got an unexpected call from someone I worked with years ago when I was in the financial services industry.
She had recently switched careers and had become part-owner of a small company. She was completely stoked about her budding new enterprise for the first 30 days, setting goals and creating comprehensive action plans, and then suddenly, it all fell apart. She was bogged down with administrative challenges, client projects, and overwhelming deadlines, and her mental state declined from excitement to outright freak-out! Within a few months, she found herself wondering if perhaps this new venture was a huge mistake.
So, she called me for advice, and the conversation went something like this:
“Hey Chris! I was totally pumped about this new business opportunity, but now I’m losing my mind! So much sh*t is coming at me- it’s ridiculous. I had a great plan in place, but it went flying out the window as soon as I launched operations. I remember when you and I used to have our problem-solving discussions. You weren’t easy on me, but those talks were incredibly helpful, and I always ended up back on track! Can you give me some of that Vitamin A?”
So, what the heck is the “Vitamin A?” Accountability. It’s an essential nutrient!
In the case of my former colleague, she was finding it impossible to move forward effectively and productively- even though she’d taken the time to set clear goals with a comprehensive action plan. So what went wrong?
On the surface, there was a lack of prioritizing and focusing-and this was easy enough to identify. But there was another culprit at play- far more deleterious to this person’s good efforts: She’d been left to her own devices with no guidance whatsoever. Her goals were realistic, and her action plans were clear enough, but without someone to help her stay on track, to bounce ideas off of, and to give her a much-needed pat on the back every once in a while, her entire operation was in jeopardy of blowing apart after only 30 days.
That’s where the Vitamin A comes in.
We started to tackle the problem by revamping some of her goals- specifically, breaking them down into 30, 60, and 90-day increments. In doing this, her goals were now framed as “milestones”- each of which were much more doable. This also allowed for her to integrate operational challenges into her plan. We also agreed to a phone check-in, several times a week which allowed me to help keep her on track and also act as a sounding board for the inevitable challenges she was facing. We also reviewed her action plan every 30 days, and made revisions, as needed. This process helped her come up with creative solutions and helped her decide whether her 90-day goals still made sense, or if they needed modification.
Now she is lighting the world on fire, back on track…and sleeping better at night.
“Vitamin A” helped my friend out of a tight spot, but is it right for you? Think back to times in your life when you performed well. Did an external source of accountability have a hand in your success?
- Do you remember a time when you found yourself notably committed to a particular project? Had you declared that commitment to at least one other person along the way?
- Was there ever a time when you were notably-more honest with yourself because you’d allowed someone in your life to call you on your B.S. on a regular basis?
- Did you ever participate in a school play or sports event in which you felt exceptionally-pumped to perform better, knowing you had a huge fan in the audience?
- Do you remember a time when you achieved greater success because someone pushed you farther than you’d previously imagined or thought possible?
Someone who holds you accountable does all of these things for you, and yet, we often don’t enlist this type of help when we need to get out of the weeds, get back on track, or be more productive.
Do you have a current business project, fitness goal, or other personal endeavor on the horizon or in the works? Who, in your life, can potentially help you get to where you want to go? Does this person have your best interests in mind? Is s/he qualified to encourage and push you? Is s/he one of your biggest fans? If so, consider enlisting the help of a significant other, close friend, colleague, boss, trainer, or professional coach to give you a healthy dose of “Vitamin A” and blow the doors off your dreams!
