We kick off season 8 with guest, Rich Perry, an author, podcaster and entrepreneur who shares how to create smart goals that you can stick to. More at www.bemovingforward.com.
Moving Forward is also available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher Radio, Google Play, Spotify, and now Amazon Music.
Skip the New Year's resolutions because it's already too late
I'm writing this a bit later than usual. It's Tuesday, February 8th, and episode 322 debuted almost two weeks ago. I was excited to have Rich on the show to kick off season 8 because I knew he could provide great insight into creating and sticking with your 2021 goals.
As an entrepreneur, podcaster, author and coach, Rich makes it his business to help people set goals and build the right framework to make sure they follow through on them.
So, naturally, I wanted to ask how he feels about New Year's resolutions. It may (or may not) surprise you to learn that Rich isn't a fan of them for one simple reason.
They generally don't work.
By the time we got to the airing of the episode in mid-January most New Year's resolutions were already starting to fade. Now that it's February, it's a safe bet that many of them are resting in the garage alongside your favorite holiday decorations.
Rich flips the question by asking why not start in February, April, or July. He isn't being flippant either. Rather, Rich approaches goals and goal setting as a year-round practice with many starts and finishes.
Be S.M.A.R.T. with an empty jar and some slips of paper
If New Year's resolutions aren't the way to go, how do you stay focused and more importantly, on track to complete those big goals?
First, start S.M.A.R.T. If you work for a company or with a coach, you may have heard this acronym before. As Rich explains, how you set your goals is as important as how you go about sticking with them.
S.M.A.R.T. goals are defined as:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Time based, towards what you want
For more on this, check out Rich's LinkedIn article that details how you can set S.M.A.R.T. goals in 5 minutes.
Once you use the S.M.A.R.T. framework, it becomes that much easier to set accountability measures to stick to those goals, no matter when you actually start.
Today, there are lots of great tools to help you with this. We live in age of mobile apps, alarms, and reminder alerts that we carry around in our hip pockets. In addition to your smartphone, Rich shares one old school tool that is simple, cheap, and user-friendly.
First, write down your goals on slips of paper.
Second, find an empty glass jar.
Third, as you accomplish your goals, drop those slips into the jar.
Over time, you'll see the jar filling up, which will give you a visual "odometer" of your progress. You'll see how much you've accomplished while getting that boost of inspiration to start and finish your next goal.
Rich also reminds us that it's important to celebrate your wins. Do something to acknowledge and reward yourself. Each step you take is an important chapter in your big book of goals.
The gift of podcasting
Speaking of goals, one of Rich's is to constantly create and share his wisdom and expertise. Podcasting is one of several media that Rich uses to accomplish this and though his 10-Minute Mentor podcast, Rich can deliver mini-coaching and training sessions to a busy audience, worldwide.
This year, Rich is using his podcast to talk about specific topics, which he plans to spin off into books. As Rich explains, 10 episodes can easily translate into 10 chapters of a book, which can yield greater value to his audience and increased return-on-investment (ROI) for his efforts.
Top communication tip for 2021
To that end, Rich's number one tip for this year is to share your message by creating content and letting your voice be heard. Last year, we spent so much time indoors and as we continue to work from home in 2021, now is the time to channel your energy and ideas into media that can benefit others.
Whether it's a podcast, blog, or vlog, the media becomes the ultimate "glass jar." Each episode or article is a "slip of paper," an accomplishment that will you keep you moving forward.
For more on Rich's extraordinary story and achieving your big goals, check out MF 322.
How to Create a Podcast & Build an Audience (Level Up with Winnie Sun and Rich Perry)
3 Tips for For Giving a Successful Podcast Interview by Rich Perry
10-Minute Mentor episode with John Lim
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