Odds are that if you were in charge of grading 2020 or 2021 and even though its only July 2022, you wouldn’t be eager to give the year as a whole top marks.  The goals that you intend to achieve and accomplish, may have been impinged by all-of-the-things. Rather than abandoning your intentions, this simple strategy can help you to still get top marks for your personal goals. Despite all the interruptions that have shown up on the path so far.

If your attention has been averted from the things that you had set as being personally important at the start of this year, you can still reclaim and redirect your focus back to what you intended for your experience.

Things have changed since I was in the classroom, and it has been a long while since I had a paper or exam graded. Nevertheless, it doesn’t take much to recall what it feels like to anticipate or receive the coveted “A” grade for your work.

In the book “The Art of Possibility“, co-author Benjamin Zander shares how he would start each term by giving his students a blank piece of paper to write themselves a letter about how they successfully received an “A”, in his class. This strategy is backed up with stories about his student’s positive experience how impactful that simple exercise was in their actual success.

What Makes An “A” Student?

As an adult, out of school, nobody is handing out reports on December 31st, about how I or you participated in the school of life. Yet, if July is half term, what would you think your report card would tell you about your progression so far?

We all have preconceived ideas and notions about what makes an “A” student.

Undoubtedly, we would have our own unique thoughts, ideas and perspectives on:

• how “A” students act,
• the way they spend their time,
• their approach to a subject,
• what their mindset might be,
• and their overall preparedness for the class.

The criteria being relative to what our own beliefs are about the people getting top marks.  And the same applies to the students in Zander’s class.

How Does It Work?

As with any goal, there is more power, connection and motivation attached when we write it out in our own words.  There is ample evidence that those who write their goals down, have an exponentially higher success rate-as in 42% higher!

While 60 percent of people abandon their resolutions within six months, 25 percent of people abandon them within a mere 7 days. ~Peter Economy, Inc.com

Like those students, who wrote their letter from a place of being an “A” student at the end of the course, on day one of the class, they positively influenced their success.

How to Work It.

If there is a goal you wish to accomplish my go-to invitation to people is to write it out as if it has already happened.

Essentially we are scripting the outcome, by seeing ourselves achieving our goal and harnessing all of our senses to describe the experience.

Using your imagination put yourself into the moment you succeeded:

• What did it feel like the moment it happened,
• Who was there with you,
• Describe who and how you shared your great news,
• Where were you when it came to fruition,
• What were you wearing,
• How were you feeling
• Detail how you celebrated and so on.

This is valuable information to fuel your course correction and get back on track.

Steps to get top marks for your goals

1. Review Your Goals:

Things have changed since the start of the year, and now is the time to review, revamp and recommit to what you want in 2020. There are many things out of our direct control, but we always have the ability to choose where we focus our attention.

2. See Yourself Succeeding:

Tap into your imagination and dive into what achievement looks and feels for you. Be as descriptive as possible as if it is happening in the moment. Soak up all the goodness!

3. Be Your Version of an “A” Student

If you knew that getting the “A” was a sure thing, would you coast to the finish line?  Or would you show up as an “A” student?

• How will you spend your time?
• Do you need to change your approach?
• What preparations do you need to make?
• Any mindset shifts required?

4. Give Yourself Top Marks For Your Goals

Finally, give yourself an “A” for your 2020 goals now. Write how you succeeded in bringing your intentions to life, in spite of how challenging 2020 started out.

Notice how your perception of this first half of the first year in the decade can shift, by looking at it with fresh eyes.

Reallocating our focus to having our intended experience, can change how we show up and navigate unplanned roadblocks.