One of the great tools which emerged from NLP modelling of people who consistently achieved their personal goals, was the notion of Well Formed Outcomes. Unsurprisingly this overlaps with the concept of SMART goals with which you may be familiar. My (slightly expanded) version of SMART goals is:
Specific, Simple
Measurable, Meaningful to you
Achievable, As-if, All areas of life
Realistic, Responsible/Ecological
Timed, Toward
The secret of getting to SMART, and setting yourself up to succeed, is in the questions that either you or your coach ask. These are the questions that will ensure that your goals are well formed and that your desired outcomes are achievable.
i) State goal in the positive.
• What specifically do you want?
ii) Specify present situation.
• Where are you now in relation to the outcome?
iii) Specify outcome.
• What will you see, hear, feel etc, when you’ve achieved this?
iv) Specify evidence procedure.
• How will you know when you’ve achieved this?
v) Is it congruently desirable?
• What will this outcome get for you or allow you to do?
vi) Is it self-initiated and self-maintained?
• Is it only for you?
vii) Is it appropriately contextualised?
• Where, when, how and with whom do you want to achieve this?
viii) What resources are needed?
• What do you have now, and what do you need to get your outcome?
• Have you ever had or done this before?
• Do you know anyone who has?
• Can you act as if you’ve already achieved this?
ix) Is it ecological?
• For what purpose do you want this?
• What will you gain or lose if you have it?
• What will happen when you get it?
• What won’t happen when you get it?
• What will happen if you don’t get it?
• What won’t happen if you don’t get it?
When I coach goals, I always ask these questions. If you can’t answer these with conviction, then your goal is doomed to failure. If you can, then you will almost certainly succeed (with appropriate ACTION of course).
Martin
Hi Martin,
indeed that was an excellent post about how to set S.M.A.R.T goals for success so we can move towards the life we want to love.
Happy Dating and Relationships,
April Braswell
Single Boomer Dating Expert
This is an excellent post on a topic that I find most difficult to reduce to meaningful steps.
I would like to get more of your ideas on this topic.
Martin O’Connor
http://www.smallbusinessdesigncenter.com
On a second read I learned more of your approach and like more the more I read.
Martin O’Connor
http://www.smallbusinessdesigncenter.com
What a smart way to succeed. Asking questions tends to make a person either really think about were they are going or avoid it and stay in the comfort zone.
Vicki http://www.bridal-threads.com
It is so interesting to see a different school of NLP. I was taught the SPECIFY model which contains all the elements needed to facilitate successful change processes.
Keri Eagan
AlternativeHealing*Insight
Hi Keri
SMART goals and the coaching questions are more directed at making sure you have clear and congruent goals rather than instigating change.
For resolving issues, there’s also the SCORE model, courtesy of Judith DeLozier and Robert Dilts:
SYMPTOMS – What you notice and what you would like to change about the present problem or problem state
CAUSES – The root of the problem, where it came from
OUTCOMES – Your goal, what you want
RESOURCES – What is required to resolve the situation, eg skills, tools, beliefs
EFFECTS – What you will do differently in the future, the longer-term effect of reaching the outcome
Then there is always the “Meta Pattern of all NLP Patterns” … but that’s for another day!
Martin
You’re well organised and the selected photos are great to deliver your message.
John Ho
Numerology Expert Helps Understanding Personality for Better Influence & Persuasion
Your posts are vary instructional and well laid out. Thanks!
Marty
Martin,
That was excellent. I answered these questions mentally as I was reading the post. Now I’m going to jot my answers down. Very useful blog post!
Health, Fitness for Working People — Darryl Pace
Setting goals using the SMART principles is the only way to set them effectively. Thanks for the reminder.
Steve Chambers