Great Starts for 2008 - Be a little Unreasonable!

I attended a business planning workshop recently and one of my “take-aways” was the idea of challenging myself to be “unreasonable” this year. This is done by setting and pursuing goals without thinking about failing - that getting “out of the box” thought process, if you will. This should allow me to break away from the conventional thinking that’s so easy to follow and enable me to do extraordinary things in 2008.

Sounds good, really good. Now just how to go about being unreasonable with our goals this month? Here’s a book aptly named Be Unreasonable: The Unconventional Way to Extraordinary Business Results by Paul Lemberg. He says that unreasonable strategies can bring unprecedented success. These include:

· Be Uncompromising by sticking to your goals no matter what.
· Be Demanding by expecting more, not less, from everybody.
· Be Critical by changing old systems that just don’t work.
· Be Prepared for real success on your terms.

He also says “Being unreasonable is about assessing the situation and leaping into the unknown-not foolishly, but courageously. Only by going against the norm, and perhaps ruffling feathers, can you be competitive, innovative, and successful.”

While Lemberg is a leading business growth consultant, his ideas can easily apply to us individually in both our careers and personal lives. Stretching ourselves just a little further than normal when setting a goal can be considered unreasonable enough for some. And so what if it really sounds unattainable and against the grain at first? As I’ve mentioned here many times before, our subconscious mind will work night and day to find a way to make it happen if we really want it.

Here’s your challenge this month: Look at those goals you’ve set for 2008 so far. Pick one and stretch it out some until you feel uncomfortable. Commit to it and expect success. Then let your mind do its magic and start figuring out ways to reach it. Push yourself, get out of the comfort zone, and watch those extraordinary things happen this year. Good luck!