Successful goal pursuit is determined by what happens immediately after you set your goal. Amplify your success by delaying action and instead promoting your goals to well-formed outcomes.

1. Page 1 of 3
+44 (0) 7976 751 095 dan@danbeverly.com http://danbeverly.com
Why Launching Into Action Too
Soon is Limiting Your Success 17 March 2016
Successful goal pursuit is determined by what happens immediately after you set your goal. Amplify
your success by delaying action and instead promoting your goals to well-formed outcomes.
When execution
isn't everything
You've connected with the vision. You've set a meaningful
and inspiring goal. You're feeling hugely motivated. But
it's what happens next that determines the success (or
otherwise!) of your goal pursuit.
We might instinctively say that action is the next, crucial,
success-defining step. And yes, to some extent: "execution is
everything". But a headlong rush into immediate action
can have negative consequences too.
To improve your goal pursuit, there is an intermediate
step.
Goals vs. Outcomes
One of the great benefits of working with a professional
coach is the offer of a positive counterbalance to that
desire to launch into immediate action; and instead,
challenge the thinking thus far to develop the goal into a
yet-more complete and well-formed outcome.
The difference between a goal and an outcome may not
be obvious at first - but it is significant. A goal is what we
want, whereas an outcome is what we get. And whilst
our outcomes are always the result of our actions, they are
not always what we desire.
So armed with (the beginnings of!) your goal, spend some
thinking time fashioning a well-formed outcome with the
following thoughts – and then into action!
Establish your baseline
criteria
Of course, there are some baseline criteria to establish. I'm
sure you have these, but here's a quick check.
 State your outcome in positive terms. We want to
move towards something positive, not away from
something negative. (The unconscious mind cannot
process negatives.)
 Be as specific as possible. Make your outcome as
vivid as you can. Make it "real", right from the start.
And if it's a larger outcome, break it down into
smaller parts that are, at once, manageable but still
stretching.

2. Page 2 of 3
+44 (0) 7976 751 095 dan@danbeverly.com http://danbeverly.com
 Have access to resources. A realistic assessment of
whether you have, or can get, the resources you
need: both internal and external.
 Ensure the outcome is within your control. State
your goal in a way that means you can get it
yourself, no matter what other people may do.
Introduce sensory-based
language
Enrich your vision and make your outcome more "real" by
introducing sensory-based language to your goal. Ask
yourself:
 What will you see/hear/feel when you achieve this?
Have your success criteria include a sensory-based check.
Spare a thought for
the status quo
Very often, there are hidden benefits to the status quo.
And when we find ourselves not achieving our goals, it
might be the lure of the current benefits. After all: all
behaviour has a positive intention. Ask yourself:
 What will I gain when I achieve this outcome?
 What will I lose when I achieve this outcome?
Look for the hidden benefits of leaving things as they are.
And then enhance your new outcome by looking for
ways to maintain those current benefits.
Check the ecology
of your outcome
"Ecology" is about taking into account the effect of any
change on the system of which it is a part. And every
change has a ripple effect, no matter how small. Your
thinking job is to consider the extent and cost of these
effects. And whether your outcome fits with your sense of
who you are and what's important to you. Ask yourself:
 What will happen if you achieve this outcome?
 What won't happen if you achieve this outcome?
 What will happen if you don't achieve this?
 What won't happen if you don't achieve this?
Think deeply about the advantages and disadvantages of
following a course of action. And ask of your outcome: if I
had it, would I want it?
Outcome sequitur
(or more simply: what
happens next?)
After you achieve your outcome:
 What will you do next?
 What will this lead to?
 What will it do for you?
Our goals are usually steps along the way to more long-
term effects. Exploring the follow-on consequences of
actually having achieved our outcome can helps us be
sure this is what we really want.
Take 100% responsibility
It's tempting not to take 100% responsibility for our goals.
That way: if it doesn't work out, we can always blame
someone else. But of course, goals take commitment. And
when we accept 100% responsibility for our results, we
move ourselves into possibility, potential and achievement.
So write down your goal. Date it. And sign it. And now
tell someone who doesn't already know about your goal.

3. Page 3 of 3
+44 (0) 7976 751 095 dan@danbeverly.com http://danbeverly.com
Define the first step
The final part of developing a well-formed outcome is to
define that first step - but now armed with a well-formed
outcome, not an ill-formed goal. Once again, be specific:
 What precisely will you do?
 When, precisely, will you do it?
Make Action #1 something meaningful, but not (quote,
unquote) "big". This is about setting the momentum more
than anything else.
Putting well-formed
goal pursuit into action
Well-formed outcomes are a significant step-up from goals.
From here, you might like to take one or two of your goals
and experiment with the ideas above. Do they still apply
and in the same ways, once you've tested and tuned them
for well-formedness?
The well-formedness challenge is also a helpful way to
think about outcomes when helping others work on and
achieve their goals. How might you introduce some of this
thinking to your work with your team, clients and
colleagues?
Dan Beverly is a leadership and performance coach helping high-calibre, high-
performing professional women embrace the pivotal career moments.
His mission is to inspire possibility in others: to help us excel in careers without
compromise; and to leave us feeling energised and uplifted by a new future.
Go online to book your complimentary “Session Zero” with Dan – and start
capitalising on your pivotal career moments today.
http://danbeverly.com/session-zero