As the very polite state trooper handed me that dreaded piece of paper, he asked what had happened. I went on to tell him that it was a beautiful day, traffic was practically non-existent, the volume was turned up, and I just….

“Didn’t pay attention?” he interjected. And I had to agree. I wasn’t paying attention to my speedometer.

Our cars have lots of gauges and dials that tell us how things are running. But the thing is, we have to keep an eye on those dials or we’ll get into trouble. Duh.

I was thinking about that moment and how it applies to my intentions and goals for the year ahead. 

When it comes to goal setting, the thing I’ve come to realize is that you can’t always control outcomes. Now, if you don’t reach your goal, I’m not advocating that you blame external circumstances or see yourself as a victim of … the pandemic, the economy, the hurricane, wildfires, your cat, (although I’m not opposed to blaming cats in general), or any other circumstance that gets in your way. Nope. Not. At. All.  

You can’t always control outcomes. BUT you CAN control yourself. Your behaviors. Your actions. Your mindset. 

So I think it’s waaaay more effective to focus on who you’d have to BE to achieve those numbers. What actions would you have to take consistently to accomplish that target? If you’re taking the right actions and forming the right habits, you’ll increase your chances of actually achieving the outcome you want.

In other words, focus on setting process goals rather than outcome goals. Set goals that involve establishing a habit. Those actions or behaviors – systems or processes – become your dials.  Sort of like my speedometer. That I didn’t pay attention to.

If you’d like more details about how to do this, check out my LinkedIn or Facebook post on this subject. 

One technique that I’ve used for the past several years is to pick three words that describe how I want to feel or what I want to focus on in the coming year. Those words have been my guideposts for making decisions. Some people prefer to choose one word and some like to choose a word for each quarter. 

As women leaders, wives, moms, daughters, and in all the many roles we play, we often put everyone else’s priorities ahead of our own and then wonder why we don’t make progress. 

Regardless of the specifics of how you decide to do this, the point is to use your words like a speedometer. Check in often with your words. Write them in your journal everyday. Or your planner or your to-do list every day. (Sort of like setting your cruise control to keep you in check.) Let me know if you decide to do this – I’d love to hear the words that you chose!

I’m sharing this pretty embarrassing story with you so you don’t have to pay the vurry vurry expensive price of not paying attention. If you’d like the support of a seasoned mentor and coach and a group of smart, savvy, WISE women leaders, you may be a good fit for my Thrive Women’s Leadership Roundtable. 

I’ve got a few seats open and I’m enrolling now, so schedule your complimentary Clarity Call with me ASAP.

You might also like:

Women in Leadership: You Are Contagious

Leadership Tips to Develop Non-Negotiable “New Normal” Habits

Why Your Employees Should Stop Thinking Like Employees

Jennifer Ledet, CSP, is a leadership consultant and professional speaker (with a hint of Cajun flavor) who equips leaders from the boardroom to the mailroom to improve employee engagement, teamwork, and communication.  In her customized programs, leadership retreats, keynote presentations, and breakout sessions, she cuts through the BS and talks through the tough stuff to solve your people problems.