Grow Your Own Carrot: Motivate Yourself to Success! (Help Yourself)

GROW YOUR OWN CARROT Motivate Yourself To Success! Author: Bob Griffiths and Chris Kaday Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton Date of Publication: 2004 ISBN : 0 340 86285 8 No. of Pages: 224 pages

About the Authors Bob Griffiths Bob Griffiths was introduced to coaching through the Inner Game Techniques of Timothy Gallway, which he went on to adapt for use in business coaching. As of the date of publication of this summary, Bob been actively coaching for 20 years. His work as a life coach has been featured in the Sunday Times and Management Today and he makes regular appearances on radio and TV to talk about coaching. He has also developed Coach Master software. This is an online coaching model based on the GROW model which enables groups and individuals to connect and collaboratively solve problems over the internet.

Wisdom in a Nutshell Have you ever had a goal but were never able to follow it? Grow Your Own Carrot shows how to become more efficient at self-motivation, accomplishing your goals by growing the very carrot dangling before your own nose by making use of the GROW method used successfully by consultants and counselors for over twenty years. GROW stands for Goal, Reality, Obstacles, Options, and Way Forward. As hundreds of people will testify, following this process will help you achieve your goals and bring remarkable changes in your life.

Before he was introduced to coaching, Bob did troubleshooting for companies that had run into financial difficulties. For more information on Bob, Grow Your Own Carrot, and the GROW method, visit his website at: http://www.bobgriffiths.com/

Chris Kaday Chris Kaday is a success coach, business mentor and meditation teacher. Using a rare combination of commercial experience and holistic skills he also inspires people to achieve their goals through groundbreaking transformation workshops.

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GROW YOUR OWN CARROT By Bob Griffiths and Chris Kaday

Preparing Yourself Preparing yourself is important in the GROW process. You need to consider the following things in order to help you achieve your goal: available resources, positive environment, support group, and a journal. First, know your available resources. Resources can refer to your finances, skills, knowledge, or time. This will help you lay the groundwork for what you need in order to go through the GROW process. Second, develop a positive environment. This will help you focus on your goals, and give you the best possible start. Third, form a strong support group. A support group will help you tremendously to stay motivated to accomplish your goal. It can consist of your friends, family, or even mentors who can cheer you on and contribute to your progress. In addition, it is also recommended to have a buddy throughout the whole process, to whom you can report to regarding your development. Finally, keep a journal to help you keep track of your progress. It allows you to document your whole journey, and lets you to write down your insights and learning along the way. Keeping documentation such as this will help you in pursuing future goals. Remember that preparing yourself involves a lot of struggle. Too much thinking and voices from our past will initially get in the way of setting your goal. Questions such as “What will my friends think if I give up?” or “What will happen to me in the future?” will definitely arise. When embarking on a new journey, and the GROW process is indeed a journey, doubts and internal conflicts will assail you. This is normal. The key is to deal with them from the beginning, so that when you encounter them in one of the stages, you will know how to handle them. At every stage, there are Key Questions to guide you through the process. Be sure to refer to them as you go along.

Setting Your Goal The first step in this process is setting your goal. You have to decide which area in your life you want to change, and what results you want to see. Setting

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your goal is very crucial, because you have to commit yourself to it. If you are unclear as to what goal to set, here are the different types of goals people choose: Practical Goals - Examples: To lose weight, get a new job, or organize all your hobby supplies. Material Goals - Examples: To buy a new house, a new car, or a new power tool. Decision Goals - Examples: Ending a relationship, immigrating to another country, choosing a college to go to. Being Goals - Examples: To have a calm and stress free life, or to become the leading expert in a certain field.

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A clear goal statement should be specific, measurable, and positive. It should also have a time limit.

After setting your goal, create a clear goal statement. Make sure it indicates a time limit and is specific, measurable, and positive. Without these four things, your goal becomes vague, and it's much harder for you to commit to it. One example of a clear goal statement is, “I want to display my hand made serving spoons in 10 leading Belgian stores within 8 weeks.” This goal is very specific, and contains all the elements of an effective goal statement. If you happen to choose a goal that will take you a long time to accomplish, you can divide it into subgoals, and make these sub-goals the subject of your GROW process. This will help you keep your focus, and make it easier for you to become motivated. In addition to creating a clear goal statement, you also have to visualize what your deciding moment should be. Deciding moments are moments that let you know when you have achieved your goal. For example, if your goal is to leave your job, your deciding moment is handing in your resignation to your boss. Visualizing it is a good exercise to keep you motivated and engaged in your goal.

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GROW YOUR OWN CARROT By Bob Griffiths and Chris Kaday Key Question For Setting Your Goal: What would I like to have in my life right now?

change depending on what stage you are in. Key Question For Establishing Reality: What steps have I taken to complete my goal, and what else do I need to complete?

Establishing Your Reality The second step in the process is establishing your reality. Your reality states where you are right now in terms of your goal. In establishing your reality, you first have to distinguish all the steps in the process to complete your goal. It should indicate where you are right now in your pursuit of your goal. One example in the book states: “To take an advanced salsa class in a venue where people celebrate life.” The following are the goal-setter's reality statements: 1. I'm not that excited about the people I meet at the salsa class. 2. I often feel tired, and as a result, I end up not going to class. 3. Whenever I feel like it, I go to a class for beginners every now and then on Friday nights. Based on your reality statements, you can predict your future obstacles. Reality statements should not be confused with obstacles, opinions, or personal criticisms, because your reality should be based on facts. It should be a record of skills, capabilities, or feelings. Examples of such is the fact that you learn languages easily or that your weight is a source of embarrassment for you. These statements are based on your knowledge of your skills, and your emotional reality about your weight.

Identifying Your Obstacles The third step in this process is identifying your obstacles. Obstacles are the things that hinder you from attaining your goal. Failing to identify your obstacles will prevent you from working towards your goal. How do you know if something is an obstacle? There are three questions which you can ask yourself: first,ask yourself if it's a general statement. Second, you need to ask your self if there is any way around the problem, and third, if it's a real obstacle. If all of your answers are negative, then these are not obstacles, but rather excuses. There are two kinds of obstacles external. The internal obstacles are the following: ·

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Athletes need a certain amount of tension in order to be able to perform, but if they’re too tense, they won’t be able to perform well at all.

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Fear of doing - This begins with the thought that your goal may be out of reach. It starts to creep in, paralyzing you and preventing you from starting towards your goal. Fear of the results - This comes from a sense that achieving your goal will have an adverse effect on you that will require you to make further changes which you are not ready for. Inner beliefs - This comes from your inner critic continously reminding you of your limitations, leading you to become trapped in doubts.

The external obstacles are the following: ·

· Establishing your reality is not always easy. There are the dangers of being stuck, having a reality unrelated to your goal, and listing your opinions rather than the actual reality. In order to avoid this, always refer back to your goal for guidance. Remember that reality statements constantly

internal and

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Obstacles presented by other people People obstruct you in various ways. They can be difficult, and refuse to cooperate with you. This can lead you to feel overwhelmed and helpless. Obstacles in your environment These are all the physical things that hinder you from your goal. These can be distracting neighbors, a difficult commute, or a barrage of emails and calls. Lack of resources - This can refer to lack of

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GROW YOUR OWN CARROT By Bob Griffiths and Chris Kaday financial resources to implement your goal, the lack of time to pursue your goal, and/or the lack of anything else that is needed in the pursuit of your goal.

Third, you can also create your options by changing your attitude about your obstacles. Adopting a positive attitude helps keep you motivated, and focused on your goal.

After identifying all of your obstacles, it is important to list them down. Being upfront and open about your obstacles will help you deal with them. It is not about being pessimistic. Instead, it is about making it easier for you to know what is stopping you from achieving your goals.

Fourth, simply believing that you can accomplish your goal is already another way to create your option. By being confident in yourself, you can begin to see the best way for you to carry out your goal.

You can involve your support group or buddy in this process in order for them to help you in this stage. Remember to be specific, and make sure you prioritize the hardest obstacle. Key Question For Identifying Obstacles: What are the things stopping me from achieving my goal?

Aim to have three major options at most, in order for you to still keep your focus and not get confused as to what to do. Creating Your Options The fourth step in this process is choosing your options. Options are how you undertake your obstacles in a way that can motivate and inspire you. Creating your options is an important step towards accomplishing your goal, and there are various ways to do this. First, you can ask yourself some questions as to what you can do. For example, “What should be my first step?” or “How can I create what I need?” You can even ask your support group or buddy to help you with this, as they can give a different perspective on things, or you can even make them do the questioning. Second, you can take a 180-degree turn by thinking outside the box, because sometimes the conventional approach to your obstacle may not always prove to be effective. This kind of thinking can actually lead you to discover new and more exciting options.

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Finally, know your different “selves”. This is actually a fun, creative way of creating your options. Different selves come into play everyday in our lives. For example, you use your “efficient self” while you are at work, while you use your “caring self” when at home with your family. In discovering your various “selves,” you can begin to know what available options there are for you. One example is if you need to organize your administrative systems efficiently, you can call upon your “resourceful self” to come into play. As for choosing options, there are three ways to help you choose your options. First, you can create a set of criteria for your option. Ask yourself: which options are practical? Are they easy to follow? Are they fun to do? This process will allow you to pick the options you would actually follow. Second, if creating a set of criteria is not for you, you can always try the random method. All you have to do is list down all of your options, and randomly choose which options to take. This particular method, though, will require a lot of faith on your part. Third, you can choose an option you would not normally choose. Pick an option that is out of the box and is challenging for you. You never know, it might just work for your obstacle. After all, this is also an opportunity to know more about what you can do. Whatever option you may choose, remember to create as many options as you can for each obstacle that you have. Aim to have three major options at most, though, in order for you to still keep your focus and not get confused as to what to do. Once you have picked out your options, it is easier to take the steps towards your goal. Key Question For Creating Options: What is the best way to overcome my obstacles?

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GROW YOUR OWN CARROT By Bob Griffiths and Chris Kaday

Making Your Way Forward

Staying Motivated

The fifth and final step in this process is making your way forward. Your way forward is defined by the action steps you need to take in order to move towards your goal.

Knowing the GROW process is not enough. You need to stay motivated throughout the whole process, because the lack of motivation is usually what defeats you. A lack of motivation usually occurs when your mind starts to feel threatened and confused. You begin to have a sense of being stuck somewhere in the GROW process, and it becomes difficult for you to move forward. Feeling a lack of motivation is normal. What is more important is watching out for the telltale signs that you are experiencing it.

In this stage, you have to create action steps based on the options you have chosen. First, list down the options you have chosen. For each option, write around eight steps you think needs to be taken for that option. By this time, you may have written down a lot of action steps. It may start to become confusing, but remember to write down all of your ideas. Remember that your action steps should be clear, short-term, and have a time limit. Second, review those eight steps, and then rank them from 1 to 8, with 1 being the most feasible step for you to take, and 8 the least feasible. Do the same with all of your options. To determine which is the most feasible, you can ask yourself the following questions: which step is easy to implement? Is it fun to do? Which would be the most challenging? Which would have the most impact? You can then choose a set of action steps to take in order to reach your goal, based on the feasibility of such options. To keep track of your progress, create a visual reminder of your action steps. This will remind you on what you have done, and what else you need to do. Write it down on paper or tick it off from a checklist, and keep the reminder in a place where you will see it several times a day. To keep your momentum and dedication to your goals, share your journey with your support group. In order to organize and check your Way Forward stage, here are the following factors you need to see: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Signs that you lack motivation include losing the energy and excitement for your goal, becoming more self-critical, having a hard time concentrating, and failing to work on your action steps. Usually, the reasons for these come up unexpectedly during the course of the GROW process.

Knowing the GROW Process is not enough. You need to stay motivated throughout the whole process, because the lack of motivation is usually what defeats you. One reason for a lack of motivation is finding out that you lack the resources you need. In the middle of creating your options, or making your action steps, you may discover that you lack the necessary skills or knowledge to complete a step. One example is, “I want to hire new people, but I don't know how to interview them.”

Action involved Completeness of the action Support required to take the action Possible results of the action Commitment you give to the action Completion schedule of the action

Another reason may be that your hidden fears are resurfacing. Subconsciously, your fears are paralyzing you into inaction, because your insecurities and fears constantly assail you. One example is, “I want to be more creative, but I'm afraid that I'll discover I'm not any good at it.”

Key Question For Making Your Way Forward: Which actions steps should I follow in order to carry out my options?

You could also be subconsciously expecting an unrealistic result for pursuing the goal. Initially, when you set your goal, you already know what you want

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GROW YOUR OWN CARROT By Bob Griffiths and Chris Kaday the outcome to be. But sometimes, the outcome you want may not happen. One example is, “I want to purchase a house in order to make my family happy.”

satisfaction? Were you able to meet important milestones, but never fully accomplished the goal? Or were there things that stopped you from achieving your goal?

Finally, you could be subconsciously thinking of the “but” factor. This can hinder you from implementing your action steps because something inside you is constantly stopping you from taking that step forward. One example is, “I want a promotion, but I know my boss won't endorse me.”

In answering all these questions, you will know whether the GROW process worked for you or not, and if you need to learn more about following each stage of the process. Whatever the results may be, learn from the experience. When you do successfully reach your goal, share it with others. Others, too, may learn from your experience.

Make sure that you recognize the root cause of your lack of motivation, because if left unidentified, you will just find yourself confused as to what to do. If the source of your lack of motivation is rooted in the subconscious, it helps to make it explicit and as real as possible. To do this, write it down. This way, you become fully aware of what your hidden thoughts are, and it makes it easier to deal with them the same way you deal with your obstacles.

Finally, celebrate at the end of your GROW journey. There is nothing better than giving your self a pat on the back for work well done.

Here are various ways you can overcome your lack of motivation: · · · · · · · · · · · · ·

Cheering on your different “selves” Looking for a fun way to get you going Delegating the details that slow you down Acknowledging the progress you have already made Opening about your situation to your support group or buddy Building momentum Getting positive support Remembering the benefits you want Resolving questions you want to ask Documenting your ups and downs Forgiving yourself and moving on Allowing yourself to indulge in your current state Being nicer to yourself

Key Question For Staying Motivated: What makes me feel inspired to implement my action steps?

GROWing Further After going through the GROW process, it is important to evaluate what you have accomplished. Were you able to achieve your goal to your Copyright 2006

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