You can use Activation Triggers to reach your goals by

following these five simple steps:

Step 1: Start with a Clearly Stated Goal

It all begins with a well-formulated goal. You’re partly there if you’re following the SMART system
pioneered by GE in the 1980s. But you can improve your chances by making your goals SMARTER, as I
teach in my goal-achievement course, 5 Days to Your Best Year Ever.

The best goals are:

 Specific enough to focus and direct your energies.

 Measurable so you can keep track of your progress.

 Actionable with clear initiating verb that prompts specific activity.

 Risky enough to leverage our natural tendency to rise to challenges.

 Time-keyed so you’re prompted exactly when to act.

 Exciting enough to inspire and harness the power of your intrinsic motivation.

 Relevant within the overall context of your life.

You can learn more about the logic behind this system, why it works, and how to use it for yourself in 5
Days to Your Best Year Ever.

My exercise goal fit the sevenfold criteria, so I already had that going for me.

Step 2: Brainstorm the Best Triggers for Success

So you’ve got a goal that meets the SMARTER standard. Now you want to identify the triggers that will
work best for reaching the goal. Make sure your Activation Triggers are easier to achieve than your
actual goals. That’s the whole point. You’re leveraging the easy to do the hard.

We created this free, downloadable Activation Triggers Worksheet so you can brainstorm your triggers
and work through these steps.

After you’ve come up with a short list of possible triggers (2 or 3), select the one you think will set you
up for success. Here are a few Activation Triggers I have either used in the past or am currently using
now:

 Program the lights in my office to turn off automatically at 6:00 p.m., so I follow through on my
goal of quitting work by 6:00 p.m.
  Ask my assistant to automatically get dinner reservations for me each Friday night at 6:00 p.m.,
so I follow through on my goal of a weekly date night.

 Set up an automated macro that closes all my open programs and opens only the ones I will
need for my quiet time, so I follow through on my goal to begin the day with prayer, Bible
reading, and reflection.

 Hire a fitness trainer to work with me on strength training, so I follow through on my goal to do
strength training, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

 Throw out all processed food from my refrigerator and pantry, so that I follow through on my
goal to eat only clean, whole, organic foods.

 Have my assistant book appointments to interview authors, so I follow through on my goal to

read one book per week.

 Set up an automatic deposit to my savings account, so I follow through on my goal to save a

certain amount of money.

 Take my laptop out of the house, so I am not tempted to get back on my computer in the
evening and follow through on my goal to have more Off Stage time.

Step 3: Optimize Your Activation Triggers

A major part of the Activation Trigger process is thinking when you’re at your strongest, rather than
relying on your willpower when you’re not. With that in mind, you can optimize your triggers to further
ensure success.

Notice in my examples above how I have taken the trigger out of my control as much as possible using
elimination, automation, and delegation. For example:

 I eliminated temptations that could derail me. I threw out all the processed food in my kitchen. I
removed my laptop from the house.

 I automated my Activation Trigger using technology. I set up an automated macro to set myself
up for my quiet time. I programmed the lights in my office. I set up an auto-deposit to my
savings account.

 I delegated my Activation Trigger using my assistant. He sets up my dinner reservations and

books interviews with authors.

By taking the trigger out of your control, you’re no longer relying on yourself in the moment. You’re
identifying contingencies (such as the desire to work late or forgetting to secure a reservation) and
taking care of it in advance. When the contingency arises, you’ve already handled it.

Step 4: Anticipate Obstacles and Determine Your Response

Even with a set of Activation Triggers firmly in place, you can still get derailed unless you identify
potential obstacles and detail how you will deal with them.

You can work through your obstacles and responses with this free, downloadable Activation Triggers
Worksheet.

For example, I have a habit goal of leaving the office promptly at 6:00 p.m. But my goal can easily be
undermined by a phone call or someone dropping by at the last minute. The key is to decide in advance
how I will handle each of these contingencies. Here’s what I came up with:

 If I get a phone call after 5:45 p.m., then I’ll let it go to voicemail.

 If a colleague asks to talk on the way out, then I’ll tell him I’m happy to talk tomorrow.

 If I must attend a meeting at 5:00 p.m., then I’ll tell the organizer I must leave the meeting by
5:55 p.m.

 When important email arrives, I will answer it before 5:30 and will not check email again after
5:45 p.m.

This kind of if/then planning replaces an in-the-moment decision with a predetermined cue. “When
people have formed an implementation intention, they can act [automatically], without having to
deliberate on when and how they should act,” say goal theorists Peter M. Gollwitzer and Gabriele
Oettingen. The heavy lifting is already done.

Step 5: Experiment Until You Nail It

This is the key to success. You’re going to experience setbacks—especially if you’re normal. As I teach in
5 Days to Your Best Year Ever, when you hit a wall, it’s time to pivot. Your goal might be sacred, but your
strategy isn’t. Don’t give up on your goal, just change your approach.

When you hit a wall, it’s time to pivot. Don’t give up on your goal, just change your approach.Michael
Hyatt

 Tweet Quote

That means modifying your Activation Triggers until they’re working right for you. Sometimes all it takes
is a small tweak. For example, when I first set a habit goal to have more Off Stage time in the evening, I
thought it would be sufficient to close my laptop but leave it in the den.

That worked for the first few days, but, unfortunately, I soon started cheating by opening the lid and
checking social media. I solved the problem by removing my laptop from the house. Now it remains in
my office.

If you would like to get a jumpstart on Activation Triggers for yourself, I’ve created a free plug-and-play
downloadable template that will help you define and refine your own. It’s quick and easy to use. Just
click here and get started.
Question: What goal are you most excited about this year?

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When you hit a wall, it’s time to pivot. Don’t give up on your goal, just change your approach. - Michael
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