I was recently having a development session with one of my employees. We were reviewing her performance and upcoming goals for the quarter. I began asking her questions related to her numbers, her team and her plans for her store. These questions, she was able to answer very easily. When it came time to reviewing her development, I asked her one question about her goals that stumped her.
What do you want to accomplish most of all?
Despite the question being relatively simple, there are a lot of people who cannot quickly answer this question. To be honest, it wasn’t until recently that I was even able to truly answer it as well. Why does this question stump so many people? I am not even just referring to work but outside of work as well. It might be because you have never taken the time to truly think about it. Or maybe, you know what you want deep down but dare not say it out loud for fear of failure.
Are you able to answer this first question? I am not talking about what is on your “wish list”, or your list of “goals”. Most people start naming off a few things they want. It is great to have a list of things one wants to accomplish, but I am referring to the ONE thing that you want most of all? Aim for that ONE big thing.
If you are not able to answer immediately, then do yourself a favor and take some time to reflect on this question. You answer should be your driving force to all your other goals. It will do one of two things:
- Validate the “WHY” you are spending your time and energy on your goals and tasks.
- Help you realize that your energy spent may not be sending you in the right direction. It is not leading you to your ultimate goal. Then you need to rethink your list of goals.
For example, if the answer to the question is related to family, review your tasks, projects or goals. If none of your goals are related to family, then rethink where you are putting your efforts.
Once you have your answer, the next question you should ask yourself is, “Who do I need to become to accomplish this goal?”
It may be a set of skills that you need to acquire, or you might need to network with a group of people or a mentor that can help guide your way. You might not have the skills or knowledge needed today. That is o.k. Start making a plan to get there.
The last question is, “What is my first step”?
Depending on the answer to your first question, there may be thousands of steps. Don’t focus on that today. Focus on Step 1, then step 2 and keep focusing. Try to move the needle a little more each time. Keep your ultimate goal top of mind when you wake up each morning and ensure that every day, you are doing something positive, no matter how small, to reach your goal.
When you do a Google Search for, “The 3 Questions”, as of today, there are 2,290,000,000 results. In the top results are answers to the following questions:
The 3 Questions you Must Ask Yourself Before Trying to Close Any Prospect
The 3 Questions that helped us Grow our Company from $27K to $200 M in Revenue
The 3 Questions you Need to Ask Yourself Before you Pitch the Press
There is even a book titled, “The 3 Questions”.
My challenge to you today is to find your answers to The 3 Questions That Matter If You Want To Succeed:
What do you want to accomplish most MOST of all?
Who do I need to become to accomplish this goal?
What is my first step?
Have you taken the time recently to think about what you want to accomplish most of all?
[tweetthis]“Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe[/tweetthis]