Being PRESENT With My Goal

PRESENT Goal and Accounted For

This PRESENT method I wrote about here is a great way to decide what goals to set - something you're really excited about, how to gain greater commitment from yourself, and ultimately how to create creative tension that will pull you into action.

P - Positively Positive Goal. This is 10 out of 10 important.
R - Responsibility. Own it 100%
E - Environment. What does goal achievement look like? Where, what, with who?
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S - Sensory attunement. Visualize with all 5 senses your goal achieving moment.
E - Ecology. Connect that success with those closest to you. How are they affected?
N - Navigate. Use the Present-Future Timeline to Envision the How Progress, including obstacles and overcoming them.
T - Talents. Recruit all of your current and possible resources to meet this goal in your mind.

To review this process, read the Are you PRESENT with your Goals? article again.

In that article, I used a real-life example to illustrate that I was working on in the moment! I set a goal to apply and be granted a full scholarship for an elite coaching certification program. The invitation to apply stated that both full and half scholarships were available, but I decided that I would only accept 100% funded access. And I can hardly believe it; within 24 hours I had achieve my goal, one I thought would take at least a week if not two.

I had left a miserable position of employment less than 3 months ago and I am not ashamed to admit; I am not in a position to pay (nor put on credit) $5000 to participate in this coaching coursework. So, I set the goal... a 10/10 goal. And I decided that if I didn't get the scholarship, I would own my response - one, I would accept only 100%, or decline, two, I wouldn't go quietly or in other words, I'd reapply or plead my case, and three, if I ultimately had to decline, it would be for a reason, AND a learning experience.

Here's what actually happened, and within 24 hours.

An Opportunity Presents Itself as a Goal

Friday 8:oopm I received a newsletter update with the scholarship offer. I knew that plenty of people would respond to this limited offer, but I did not want to act in haste. The deadline was stated as Jan 8, but also said, "the sooner the better."

It was late and I wasn't going to be applying that night, but I did take time to PRESENT my goal in my mind. I could feel how positive it would be to achieve this goal. (I had been studying my NLP manual on PRESENT Goals, and writing this post, so I thought "let's do this!"

I was 100% committed, as I stated above, to the outcome of 100%. I envisioned the environment, sensing fully the achievement of this goal, while also seeing my "ecology," how it would affect me and those around me.

I navigated the process in my mind, seeing potential obstacles, however vaguely. I knew I had the talents and persistence to move the needle on this one, but only time and action would tell.

Focus Forward Action

Saturday 11:00am Despite a migraine, I began to study the program website with accompanying documents and videos. Committed, headache or no headache!

I was also taking "the sooner the better" very seriously.

Saturday 12:30pm I began to document my responses for the scholarship application. I used Word on my computer to plan and write my answers to the application questions.

Saturday 2:00pm I also used some of my writing to create, edit, download and upload audio files with podcasting software to present my answers aloud. (I was going to submit video as the application instructions encouraged multiple modalities and creativity, but given my migraine decided against it.)

Saturday 3:48pm I submitted my application via google docs along with audio, image, and video files (I was able to submit a video introducing my business I had filmed only last week). I had to use both my phone and the computer to submit due to tech issues where information wouldn't save. Thank goodness I could pull up the same google document on both devices.

Time to wait. Tick tock. The newsletter said Awardees will be notified by January 15, almost 2 weeks away.

I continued to visualize success in my mind, just as I had when I set the goal Friday night. And then I let it go. Focusing on the "what ifs" wouldn't help the selection process, and would only exacerbate my headache.

FEEDBACK

Sunday 11:39am In less than 24 hours I had a response!! I had been awarded a 50% scholarship!! But, true to my word, I would have to decline unless awarded 100%.

This wasn't failure. This was feedback. I missed something in my submission. Not prepared yet to decline their generous offer, it was time to regroup and get persistent.

Sunday 12:42pm I responded with my counter, respectfully thanking them for the honor and their generosity. $2500 is no small amount to any business owner these days. I asked thoughtful questions, again explaining briefly my financial situation, and politely restated my request for a full scholarship, promising my 100% commitment to the program. (NEW GOAL ALERT!) Fingers crossed.

At this point, I was prepared to ramp up my persistence and check back every few days, or at least once again on the deadline date 1/8, and once again before 1/15, since that was slated for final notification.

I had also researched email addresses and found a more direct email address for the head person in charge, thinking that maybe the info@ email that had been used thus far might not go to someone who could make a different decision on my behalf. I was pulling out all the stops. My response was in reply to the original email address but copied to this other one.

Sunday 3:48pm 24 hours from the time I submitted the application, to the minute, and on a Sunday no less, I received a reply stating briefly:

"I really appreciate your honesty and the situation you're in. Full scholarship granted!"
and "More details to follow."

It was signed by the head person in charge, although it did come from the info@ email address... Who knows if I needed the official email address at all, but it certainly didn't hurt.

Magic?

This seems magical, but it isn't magic per se. It's a combination of things: belief, vision, commitment, purposeful action, and a dogged determination. Not every goal will be achieved this way, but I will tell you - more of them will than won't if you approach your goals in the PRESENT!

What positive goals have you achieved with 100% visionary commitment?

♥ Michele Jennae
Embrace your Every Day Genius. Transformation happens at the EDG!