HOW TO DEVELOP THE SKILLS TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS
Want to do achieve something awesome? Lose weight, run a marathon, become better at your career, or improve your relationship? You can do it… but you have to develop the necessary skills first.
At Precision Nutrition Coaching, we’ve found that goal achievement only happens — reliably — when you do two things:
• First, you break down your goal into specific skills.
• Second, you build those skills through strategic daily practices.
If you do these two things, you can accomplish your goals more quickly, with less effort, and maintain your results.
Skill development, 101
Before you get started, know these basics…
WHAT IS A SKILL?
A skill is the ability to do something that will allow you to achieve a bigger goal. Remember, information is not a skill. Just because you know some stuff (e.g. say you read
nutrition and fitness blogs) does not mean you have the skills to achieve weight loss.
Skills take time and practice to develop. That’s why we break down skills into practices:
manageable activities you can work on to build competence
WHAT MAKES A GOOD PRACTICE?
A practice is a daily behavior or action that helps with skill development. PN coaching
devotes two weeks to any given practice — that’s the time required to get comfortable
with any practice. But as the word implies, practices require just that… practice.
A good practice should follow the ‘Five S formula’. Each practice should be:
Simple Non-intimidating and easily done in the context of your real life.
Segmental Part of a larger process that works together with other manageable steps.
Sequential Introduced at the right time, in the right order.
Strategic Addresses the biggest thing that’s preventing your progress right now.
Supported Accompanied by support, mentorship, and accountability.
BUILD YOUR SKILL & PRACTICE PLAN
Here’s how to use this worksheet:
- Pick a goal — any goal — that you want to work on. Using the flow chart below, write
your goal at the top of the page in the “goal” box. Note: you can print off the flow
chart, or type directly into the pdf. - Now brainstorm what skills may be needed to achieve your goal. They don’t have to
be perfect— just get your brain working. Write your ideas in the “skills” boxes. - Think up some practices that may help you build those skills. Again, perfection not
required. Write your ideas in the “practices” boxes. - Once your worksheet is complete, review the plan. Do you have the expertise to
know whether it’s right for you? If so, consider the right time to get started. If not, is
there someone who can help review the plan and help you revise it? - When you’re confident with the plan, consider what you’ll do for support and accountability. Who will you check in with? How frequently? What can they help with?
- Get started. Begin with your first 2-week practice and continue your curriculum of
practices from left to right on your worksheet.
And don’t forget to have fun!
