New BHAG

So here it is … My BHAG…img6-full

In August 2016 (the month I turn 40), I will participate in my areas Century Ride, which is a 100 Mile (160 km) bicycle tour to 3 Ports along Lake Erie. 

First off, I’m sure if you are reading this, and unfamiliar with Verne Harnish (the Growth Guy), you have are probably wondering what BHAG means.  Well it is simply stands for a BIG HAIRY A$$ GOAL.  He states that if you are not growing you are dying, and by not setting crazy goals to stride for, their is nothing pushing you to achieve what you want. Don’t get me wrong, he is not saying go out and have BHAG be the end all and be all, but there are a series of smaller more measurable means to get there.  It is a proven fact about human nature that once you succeed at something, you are more likely to keep doing it.  The same is true in the Newton’s Laws of Motion:

  • Law #1 – an object at rest tends to stay at rest, and an object in motion tends to stay in motion
  • Law#2 – the more force applied to an object the greater the acceleration 
  • Law#3 – for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction

Who knew goal setting could be a physics lesson??

If we tweak a few of the words in the above laws of physics, you can apply them to human nature.

  • Law #1 – a PERSON at rest tends to stay at rest, and an PERSON in motion tends to stay in motion
  • Law#2 – the more force applied to an object the greater the ACCOUNTABILITY
  • Law#3 – for every action there is an equal and opposite CONSEQUENCE

Long explanation short.  Once you start it is hard to stop, as you are being held accountable by your network, or face the consequence of not achieving the goal.  Simple right?

By reading this, I am setting the laws of Physics into motion, and you are now apart of my BHAG…What’s yours?

Accountability

According to the on-line Merriam Webster Dictionary accountability is defined as this…ACCOUNTABILITY – the quality or state of being accountable; especially, an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one’s actions.  So what do they say is accountable … ACCOUNTABLE – required to explain actions or decisions to someone,  required to be responsible for something.

Seems easy enough!  Yeah Right!

So  with all that said, How does one actually become more accountable to what ever it is they are wanting to be more accountable to?  I have no idea… so to the internet I go…

Here’s what WikiHow had to say on the subject.

Being accountable can be a scary, yet essential thing, especially if you are on the front lines, in business, in ministry, or in any aspect of life. Allowing other people to be involved in your life, “letting others in”, so to speak, can help you be a better leader and person, and help implement a more productive, happy life. There are several things you can do to be accountable:

8 Steps on how to become more accountable….

  1. Think of someone you know who you admire and you believe will speak truth into your life. ~
  2. Communicate with that person via phone, internet, or in person, and set up a time to talk. ~
  3. Bounce your ideas off the other person, honestly telling them what is on your heart. ~
  4. Humbly share any weaknesses or faults you may have that have or could hinder progress.~
  5. Listen to anything they have to say, even if it is constructive criticism, and decide what part of their advice you will follow. ~
  6. Meet with them in a week or two to follow-up on what was discussed. ~
  7. Evaluate whether any improvements have been made, any advice was taken, or what could be done differently. ~
  8. Own out loud with another person your five personal strengths and five growing edge behaviors, Then commit with that same person to practice at least two behaviors that will lead to change(s).

Sounds simple enough… It sounds like a term I’ve heard of many times “Peer Coach”.  I have had the pleasure of listening to Verne Harnish speak on a few occasions.  His insights and belief of the importance of having a peer Coach has helped not only himself, but business’s grow.  Here’s some information to check out his take on the importance of Peer Coaching.

Who will be YOUR peer coach, and help YOU become more accountable??

“Accountability separates the wishers in life from the action-takers that care enough about their future to account for their daily actions.”  – John Di Lemme

 

Obliviously Obvious

Have you ever had a moment where everything comes  together as one.  You can see Everything so much more clearer then ever before.  You often wonder WHY you were never able to see it before.  It really doesn’t matter what problem was.  It could be as simple as what to have for dinner?, or it could be seeing something for the first time to solve the ways of tomorrow.  It all seems so simple and obvious once the clarity kicks in.  That is what happened for me this weekend while attending a great conference in Edmonton Alberta.  Everything that seemed so mountainous and vast became more tangible and doable.  I have nicknamed this phenomenon as the Obliviously Obvious.  The answers all not so complicated…the  are obvious to the nearest person, and you have thought about it a thousand times and it was always too easy, so it could not be the correct answer…Could it?

 

The next time there is something that is puzzling, or feels to big to tackle, do yourself a favour and listen to the first thing that pops into your head.  Don’t think to hard about it, and just give it a try.  One of the speakers at the conference (Marshall Sylver) was great at throwing things back at you in the simplest form…”want to lose weight?…Eat less Move more”.  Pretty darn simple.  Common sense wins 99% of the time.  If it seems to simple maybe it is because the answer really is that simple.

I’ll end with one of my favourite quotes, from one of my favourite Authors…(I know it has been posted before…but it is always worth repeating).

“Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.”

 Dr. Seuss