If you want to make a real change, set a goal, create a plan and measure, measure, measure. Over the next month, I’ll post specifics on each of these topics but here’s an overview.

1) Set a goal – When setting goals, make sure you understand why it’s important to you. That understanding will be one of the things that motivates you to achieve your goal. When I set my 2010 goals, one of them was to lose weight. While looking healthy was important, the real driver for me was ensuring I was giving myself the best chance to live a long life and enjoy my children. Also, make sure your goal is specific so it can be measured.

2) Create a plan – Just setting a goal doesn’t make it happen. You need to ensure you understand the steps you must follow to achieve your goals. Your plan should be broken into smaller components that are also measurable but show your progress on your path to the goal. My cycling goal for 2010 included weekly training plans, interim rides to keep me motivated and some fun days of riding with the girls.

3) Measure, Measure, Measure – Create a personal tracking sheet that displays your progress and allows you to measure your goals (a sample of my personal tracking sheet can be found here: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_rxuHPywM94s/TKyYRPRi3SI/AAAAAAAAAHw/bUfW1hKfOo0/s1600/August2010.JPG)

I’ve found that measuring your goals increases your likelihood of success by more than 50%.

Once you’ve created your plan and have a measurement system in place, send your goals to friends and family and ask them to hold you accountable. It’s amazing what that will do for your motivation.

Thanks to all of you for your support over the past year – I’ve had great success in achieving my 2010 goals in part because of each of you! I’ll publish my final tracking sheet right after the first of the year.

By early February, I’ll be able to tell the goal setters from the resolution makers by who is still showing up at the gym!

Happy New Year!

AmK

Are you living life like a rock star?  When was the last time you slowed down to reflect on your purpose, journey or goals? Technology makes it easy for us to do more things at once and move very fast to keep up with everything going on around us. If you feel overwhelmed or out of balance, it may be because you haven’t made time for yourself.  In all aspects of live, mental and physical well being are just as important as your knowledge and skill set.

If you’re feeling out of balance or not delivering results like a rock star, slow down – even for a few minutes a day.  Use that time to exercise or reflect or pray; how ever you want to spend it.  In fact, block off time on your calendar and title it, “Life Unplugged”. It will remind you why it’s there…. for you to enjoy life a bit more and for your fans (family, friends, co-workers) to continually see the results they’ve come to expect from you!

Make today a great day!
AmK

And while it’s the upsets that helped CBS coin the phrase ‘March Madness,’ I am proposing we stop calling the NCAA tournament ‘March Madness’ and start referring to it as basketball’s Passion Play.  Passion is everywhere!  You can see it from the players, coaches, media, pep bands, fans, and non-fans (office pools).

In fact, every year Gray Christmas Inc., a global outplacement consulting firm, estimates the cost of lost productivity during the NCAA tournament.  This year they estimate that number to be $1.8 billion during the first week alone.

Imagine what would happen if everyone took that passion and focused on performing the work they love…..

Imagine working on a team at work where everyone is engaged and supports each other…

People wouldn’t mind spending time building a career or putting in extra effort on a project and that $1.8 billion in lost productivity would turn into billions of gained productivity. Great companies are led by people passionate for their product or service.  Great teams are led by coaches with a passion for their sport and a passion for helping people succeed!

If you don’t share the same passion for your job as the teams you root for, it’s time to take create your own Passion Play and start moving towards the work you love.

Make today a great day!

AmK

• You have two ears and one mouth so you can listen more than you speak
• Don’t hit people
• Say you’re sorry when you hurt someone
• Have fun every day
• When facing the world, look both ways, hold hands, and stick together

Over the past few years as we’ve read Dr. Seuss to our daughters, I’ve discovered many gems to help you succeed in life and in your chosen profession. What I like about these quotes is that they are simple to apply.  Theories are important to understand  but I like lessons that are action oriented, too.  I’ve enclosed several of my favorites below.

• “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.’ – I can read with my eyes shut
• “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” – Oh The Places You’ll Go
• “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” – The Lorax
• “I’m sorry to say so, but sadly it’s true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you!” – Oh the Places You’ll Go
• “Don’t give up I believe in you all! A person’s a person no matter how small.” – Horton Hears a Who
  
• “And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed. (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed) KID, YOU’LL MOVE MOUNTAINS! – Oh The Places You’ll Go




Remember, to be successful, you don’t have to use complicated jargon and ideas!  Utilize your God-given talents and strengths and treat others like you’d want them to treat you.

Make today a great day!
AmK

It’s not that two successful months isn’t having an impact because I feel great about the success I’ve had. In fact, the encouragement from friends, family and readers has been an incredible source of inspiration for me.

I also did a quick calibration to see if my goals weren’t tough enough; however, I think they are aggressive and I know I’ll have to overcome obstacles each month. I’ll continue to evaluate the goals over the next weeks/months and keep everyone posted.

Thanks again for helping keep me motivated and focused through this transformation!

Here’s a link to my first post if you want a reminder of my goals and the reasons for each: http://www.elevation-coaching.com/why-a-blog/.

Up Next: Sources of Inspiration!

Make today a great day!
AmK

Having led and participated on many successful teams I’ve noticed they all have five common attributes:

1. Shared Values
2. Shared Goals/Vision
3. Shared Plans/Strategies
4. Leading by Example
5. Continuous Evaluation

Here at home, we call ourselves Team Krieman (real original, I know) and we are successful accomplishing our goals because we have all the ingredients of a successful team. We have shared values as a family including integrity, giving back and doing our best. We have shared goals in many areas including financial, spiritual, social and physical. The Athlete and I share our plans and strategies for execution. We also do our best to lead by example (seems to be easier for the Athlete than me). Finally, we continuously evaluate ourselves against our goals and strategies and have made adjustments along the way. As I’ve said before, we’re not perfect and we’ve found ourselves lacking in some of these areas. It’s not until we get back to these basics that we feel like we’re moving along as a TEAM again. One of my favorite quotes about teamwork comes from Henry Ford:

“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.”

Up Next: February Results

Make today a great day!
AmK

Ask The Athlete or my family and friends – they will tell you that there are few people on this planet more competitive than me. However, people tend to take losses more seriously and try to determine the reason(s) for their loss. You can learn a lot from winning but you can learn just as much – if not more – when you lose.

As you know one of my goals is to lose weight and as part of my strategy to achieve that goal, I signed up for a racquetball league at the Y. It’s a sport I love and played for more than 10 years in my teens and twenties. I haven’t played much lately but I knew it would be a good way to have some fun and insure I get some much needed exercise.

Earlier this week I lost my first racquetball match of the season after winning the first few. I was pissed off and frustrated with myself during all three games (each was close). However I walked off the court thinking about what I could have done differently. My thoughts came in many shapes and sizes, some with words that would make a sailor blush. It was good for me because it allowed me look inward and dissect the problem. This is something people, myself included, rarely do after a win.

It’s true in all aspects of life – sports, business, goal setting, etc. – people tend to reflect much more after a loss. I guarantee that Toyota has looked inward more over the past two months than over the past two decades.

I still don’t like to lose (and probably never will) but I’ll make sure I understand why I lost and make the necessary adjustments to put myself in the position to win next time.

Here are some common things to assess whether you win or lose…

1. Preparation – Did I practice enough? Did I practice the right things? Am I measuring the right things as part of my preparation?
2. Strategy – Did I deploy the right strategy while competing? Which part of the strategy worked? What didn’t? Was I prepared and able to switch my strategy on the fly?
3. Execution – Did I execute the strategy?
4. Communication – Whether you lead a team or are a participant, effective communication can be the reason for winning and poor communication can cause a loss.
5. Self Evaluation – Am I being honest with myself when I evaluate my own strengths or weaknesses? This is key when creating a strategy and preparing for the event.

Don’t be ashamed the next time you lose – learn from it and prepare for your next victory celebration!

Make today a great day!
AmK

“5 goals? You must be crazy!!!”

“Sounds like a lot of work to me!!!”

“You over achiever…”

These are just some of the comments I’ve received since making my goals public last month. First and foremost – thanks to everyone for their feedback, comments, support, ribbing and interest! You are all helping keep me focused on my goals.

Secondly, thanks for making this easy for me. I love connecting with people! I love listening to peoples’ stories and sharing mine. Therefore, every comment, note and encouraging email makes the effort I’m putting in to transforming my life seem less like work and more like fun!

Combine your support with the fact that I’ve had some success on my goals and I am starting to enjoy the work part.. Putting together financial plans, working out, packing work out clothes for business trips, developing an auction strategy for the JDRF gala, and networking my tail off are FUN! Don’t get me wrong, there are some days when I sneak some chocolate or shorten a work out – I’m still not perfect! However, they are less and less and the knowledge that you are waiting for me to post my February scorecard gives me all the incentive I need.

I’ve recently come into contact with many people who don’t think of their jobs / careers as work. They are thrilled they get to do something they love every day and make a living from it. Forty plus days into 2010 and I’m amazed that transforming my life this year requires a lot of effort; but doesn’t feel like work at all!

Make today a great day!
AmK