New Year, New Patterns

I've been reading a book called Succeed * How we reach our goals, by Heidi Grant Halvorson, in preparation for a new business year. And interestingly, there is a piece about her in the latest edition of the Costco Connection (yes, I do read that magazine, lol!).

I liked the interview questions as well as her answers, and thought I'd relay them here, for you.

This piece was about the secrets to setting and achieving your goals;
'What are your Patterns?'

Understanding how you look at things can be a big part of accomplishing your goals, and allows you to modify how you approach the type of challenge you're facing. In her book Succeed, Heidi explores these questions.

How do you think about the things your do?
~Concise thinkers view their behavior in terms of what they are doing, the
'nitty-gritty of getting from point A to point B"; abstract thinkers (think) in terms of why they are doing something. The different approaches work better for different types of goals.

Are you as smart as you're ever going to be?
~Some people believe that 'smartness' is something you are more or less born with, is largely genetic and stays pretty much constant throughout adulthood. Others believe that smartness develops over time through experience and learning, and that anyone can get more of it if they apply themselves. If you believe the latter, challenges aren't threatening, they'e opportunities. Mistakes don't mean you're stupid, they help you learn.

What motivates you: being good at something or getting better?
~The desire to be good, to show that you are smart, talented or capable or to outperform others, is known as performance orientation. For example, you'd want to get an A on a test.
~The desire to get better, to develop or enhance your skills and abilities, is mastery goal. You look at goals in terms of the progress you're making. Getting better is almost always preferable to being good when it comes to goal setting.

Are you promotion-or prevention-focused in terms of goals?
~Promotion-focused goals are about achievement and accomplishment. Prevention-focused goals can be thought about in terms of safety and avoiding danger-something you feel you ought to do. Promotion goals are about maximizing gains; prevention goals are about minimizing loss. You can choose the right strategies to approach your goal when you understand your focus.