After years spent creating and delivering goals I took time out to understand how I performed and what were the circumstances where I achieved a goal, when I partially achieved a goal and when I failed completely. It seems the best results come down to two very important factors. They are what I call B+B, standing for Believe + Belief and these two factors must be in place before you think about moving into the detailed planning and execution of a goal. How many times over your life have you taken on goals that are not really yours? Perhaps you semi-agreed with them or got on board because the boss wanted them done? Or you created a goal that you thought you had to do, looked good on paper but deep down you didn’t fully think you could or would deliver? I have done this as most have too. When we give into goals like this, we are setting ourselves up for failure or at least partial results instantly. 

So, what does “Believe” mean in this context? Well, I should believe in the goal completely and that includes the “Why” it's important to achieve and also the “Benefit” and results that will be delivered if the goal is completed. If you can’t reconcile with the goal and believe in it at this early stage then get it off your list quickly. Some might say you are not towing the line for your team or company but by saying nothing, accepting something that gives you little energy and you don’t fully believe in will waste more time and resources for the company down the line and does nothing for your advancement and learning.   

Next, have a look at your “Belief” and the belief that a result can be achieved from the goal. So, do you have belief in yourself to get the goal done? Do you have belief that if you put the work in that the goal is achievable and I guess realistic? Again, if you can’t say yes to this now then do not pass go, do not collect $200 or plainly, do not accept this goal or suffer the consequences. This is the hindsight; I'm giving you pearls here. If you want to look at it more simply, do you have the DESIRE to get this goal done? Is this a goal you want to spend your time going above and beyond because you really want to? Because you know you can do it and because you know in general it's achievable, all things being equal. B+B are joined at the hip; both need to be true before you move into the execution details and real work. 

I am not trying to say you need a black and white process where folks end up being risk averse and not going after the BHAG’s. We live in the shade of grey space after all so I’m definitely not saying that. We might have to and want to have a goal to achieve something that hasn’t been done before and doesn’t exist. But you can still believe in that and it's why/benefit. You can still have belief that you can get a result even if a first and second iteration might not be successful and is for learning only. If the goal is attacked with desire and you learn and move closer to the answer as you go, that is more than half the battle.

What I am trying to get across here is without B+B how will you create the innovation that doesn't exist today and is super hard to achieve? B+B invokes desire and it also implies you will FIGHT to keep the goal moving and do what most innovators have done to be successful. Even routine and hard tasks won’t succeed if B+B is not 100% so you have to have B+B for what seems impossible too. The saying “Don’t get it right, get it moving” comes to mind here but written as “Move with B+B, results will follow” 

Have a look at your yearly/quarterly goals for your job or personal life and assess if they pass the B+B test! If not, have a talk with your manager or think hard if you should continue on the same path. Perhaps if you don’t believe in a goal someone else will swap their goals with you so the team is still successful? Perhaps this ends up being a conversation about strengths and are the team's strengths being leveraged and used optimally for best results? It's better to have the B+B conversation in a constructive way early on then not at all and potentially waste time and resources.

Yours in B+B,