While most people think of setting and reaching goals as determining what to do next, it’s also important to remember what not to do. Horwath suggests creating a Not-To-Do list to remind us that part of achieving goals is identifying areas and opportunities for improvement. This list should remind us of the things in which we should no longer invest our time, talent, or money.

By not investing in these areas, we can free up a new reservoir of energy to use in moving forward in new directions. You will have more resources to focus on a few directions to be more effective. Looking for ideas for your newest refrigerator list? Horwath provides a sample list of activities that will probably resonate with more than a few readers. What shouldn’t you do?

The GOST Framework

Reaching your destiny requires a strong plan. Know and understand these key terms:

Goal—A goal is a target, describing what you are trying to achieve in general terms. Goals can be work-related, but can also include improving relationships, losing weight, or other changes to improve your life.

Objective—An objective describes what you are trying to achieve in specific terms. Use the acronym SMART to flesh out an objective. It should be Smart, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-found. For example, if your goal is to lose weight, your objective could be to lose a specific amount of weight in a defined time period.

Strategy—After goals and objectives have been identified, a strategy is determined to achieve them. Strategy, the bridge to achieving goals, is the general resource plan. In the example of weight loss, the strategy would be to eliminate the behaviors that cause you to gain weight and create behaviors that cause you to lose it.

Tactics—The tactics are what is used to specifically or tangibly achieve the goal. For a weight-loss goal, the tactics would spell out specifics about diet and exercise.

As you move through life and your goals evolve, so too must your strategies. New bridges will be built for new challenges. Each day, too many of us strive for a life of mediocrity and unfulfilled potential—at least, that’s what our behavior indicates. We do the same things in the same ways as everyone else, and then we wonder why we haven’t found success and happiness. We conform to standards at work, at school, in the neighborhood, and within society as a whole. instead of seeking out ways to positively differentiate ourselves, we see our social activities, entertainment preferences, and PowerPoint presentations at work looking more and more similar to those of the people around us. if familiarity breeds contempt, similarity breeds apathy.

From an early age, we’re expected to conform, blend in, and behave like others. instead of a fertile environment within which we can cultivate our style, we experience wave after wave of signals that it’s safer to follow the pack—even if that pack is headed over a cliff. but the people who have reached the pinnacles of success in their field, like the visionary bridge builders mentioned here, have been very different from those around them.

Deviate from the norm. if you want to be original, you have to accept the uncertainty, even when it’s uncomfortable, and have the capability to recover when your organization takes a big risk and fails.

To realize our full potential, we must embrace the style that makes us unique—whatever it might be. Excellence, by its very definition, is a deviation from the norm. Effective strategy is just as much about what you choose not to do as it is about what you choose to do.