WTF?
Before you start worrying about a CHRO who begins his article that way, let me explain: My clean — HR-friendly — version of this otherwise inappropriate acronym stands for “want, think and focus.” When used correctly, this overused texting acronym can help you achieve the most important things you want to get out of life, both professionally and personally. Let's explore the WTF model for goal-setting and, more importantly, the goal-achieving process.
My acronym more fully translates into: “Want it with a passion. Think about it often. Focus on the actions needed to make it happen.” By changing your behaviors and habits, you can dramatically increase the odds of achieving the most important things you want out of life. In the NeuroLeadership Institute's (NLI) guide to culture change, which I used as a guide of my own in developing this model, it's explained that true change can happen by first adopting a growth mindset, and then by focusing on priorities, habits and the system. Priorities outline the desired changes. New habits create change. Systems help cement the new habits.
The WTF model starts with a bucket list and a vision board. I really buy into the old adage that if you don’t write it down, it will never happen. I still get surprised by how many people don’t have specific, documented goals either professionally or personally. Take the time to set some audacious professional and personal goals. Make sure they are in your face every day so that you are thinking about them often and then focusing on a set of documented actions to ensure you achieve them.
Want it with a passion.
Having a passion for something is half of the battle. You don’t have to be the smartest person in the room to be highly successful or achieve the goals you want, but you will need to care more than most about what you are doing, work harder than most, do things that are outside of your comfort zone, be the most prepared and have a little luck on your side. However, luck doesn’t help if you don’t do the rest.
Think about it often.
They say your energy goes where attention flows. It is important to think about your goals every day. A quote that I love by Mark Victor Hansen goes, “You control your future, your destiny. What you think about comes about. By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be.”
This is where the vision board and bucket list come into play. One great way to ensure that you are thinking about your goal often is to put it on a vision board. If that goal is at the forefront of your mind, the odds of you spending enough time on it dramatically increase. For example, if one of your audacious goals is to speak at a leadership event, create a mockup of yourself on the stage, and put it on your vision board. It will be in your face every day, making sure you don’t lose track of what you want.
Focus on the actions needed to make it happen.
The next step is to focus on the actions that will help you achieve your desired goal. I call this the “plus one” approach to change. What is the one thing I can do differently today that gets me a little closer to my goal?
In a small study, Dominican University psychology professor Dr. Gail Matthews found that participants were significantly more likely to achieve goals and dreams when they wrote them down regularly. Revisiting the earlier goal example of speaking at a leadership event, you can’t just mock it up on the vision board and hope it happens. You have to have a specific plan in place that will lead you to achieve this goal one day. I use a bucket list for this.
Create a bucket list of specific “plus one” plans to inch your way toward the goal. Items could be “volunteer to speak at many events to get the experience I need,” “continue to build my speaking skills via continuous training and coaching,” or “do the work to be viewed as a subject matter expert and thought leader on the subjects I want to speak to.” You have to be very specific in your action plans to ensure you are doing everything it takes to put you in a position to achieve that goal.
In the six years that I have been using this process, I have been able to accomplish many of my audacious goals, both professionally and personally. The concept is pretty simple, but it can be fun and very effective if committed to. All you need to do is WTF your goals. Take the time and give the effort to prioritize your goals and want them with a passion. Ensure the goals are in a visual format and in your face so you think about them every day. And focus on the “plus one” actions needed to make them happen.
