When it comes to reaching our objectives, there are plenty of outside factors working against us. We don’t need to be our own worst enemies.
I’m tying today’s Wednesday Wisdom post to two of my favorite childhood memories, the book and film versions of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
In her travels along the Yellow Brick Road Dorothy learned many goal-setting strategies. These are tactics we can use, too. Here are just a few of them:
- Dorothy accepts the advice of Glinda, the good Witch of the North, and begins her trip to the Emerald City, where she hopes to get help from the wonderful Wizard of Oz. Along the way, she makes friends with the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Cowardly Lion.
The strategies: Team-building and networking.
Reading this means you’re out and about on the Internet, which more than likely indicates you’re aware of these tips.
Dorothy may never have heard of the concepts, but to her credit she embraces them early on, gaining more power toward achieving her goal.
- Dorothy and her new BFFs suffer trials along the way involving, among other things, evil Winged Monkeys sent by the Wicked Witch and an inviting but not-so-safe Poppy Field. Both incidents delay their progress.
The strategy: Preparing for delays and roadblocks by building time into the schedule.
I don’t know about you, but I learned that everything tends to take twice as long as I anticipate. Now, I handle that by increasing the time reserved for each step of my plan.
In this case, Dorothy and friends don’t have the luxury of much advance planning but they do the best they can—as we all do. Fortunately, they can also fall back on the previous strategies and they have Glinda on their team.
- Dorothy and company arrive in the Emerald City believing their goals are in sight. Instead, they soon learn their troubles aren’t over yet. Before he’ll grant their requests, the Great and Powerful Oz orders them to bring him the broomstick of the Wicked Witch.
The strategies: Remaining flexible and being willing to reassess.
Sometimes, we reach our target right on schedule and exactly as expected. Other times, we find our Yellow Brick Road leads to an outcome we never anticipated.
Willing or not, Dorothy and company revise their goal and head off in a new direction. And they succeed!
- When the balloon takes off without Dorothy, it’s Glinda to the rescue again. Or is it?
The strategy: One of the most important, which is setting goals that are within your power to achieve.
You might want a raise in pay at your job. An increase in salary is not guaranteed, especially these days, and currently you may not have the skills needed to move to the next level. But you can work toward qualifying so you’ll be ready for an interview when a job opens up.
All along, Dorothy has had the ruby slippers that could take her back to Kansas.
Just as we have the power to reach our goals.
