Starting a 30 Day Do It Group is easy. We provide you with the agenda, a script, checklist, email templates, and documents. All you really have to do is send out a few email invitations and clean your house. That’s not asking much in exchange for the most amazing year of your life. Each of the 12 meetings is only 90 minutes long, so over the course of a year, you’ll spend less than 24 hours (> 12 x 1.5 hours = 18) in your group meetings.
Register a new 30 Day Do It group
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Table of Contents
Download & Print (Click here to download)
- The FULL Good Excuse Goals 30 Day Groups Starter Kit (18 pages)
- Good Excuse Goals Planning Worksheet (print page 3 only)
- Good Excuse Goals Evaluation Worksheet (print page 4 only)
- Host Check List (print page 5 only)
- Monthly Sign-In Sheet (print page 6 only)
- Group Dashboard (print page 7 only)
- Meeting Script (print pages 9-14)
- Pre-Planned 30 Day Do It Programs (print page 16 only)
Host Check List
Invitations
[] Send out the invitation email at least two weeks in advance. You can also use Evite.com.
[] Invite one or two other people to co-host the 30 Day Do It Group with you
Space
[] Clean your home and organize seating in a circular arrangement or find a cafe/restaurant
[] Buy snacks and drinks (especially one bottle of sparkling apple cider to celebrate)
Print & Copy
[] Print new GXG 30 Day Do It Group Starter Kit or get it from the previous host
[] Make copies of the GXG planning and evaluation sheets front to back for everyone in the group. Print extras.
During the Group
[] Have everyone sign the sign-in sheet and update the status of their goals
[] Have everyone enter their new GXG into the sign in sheet
[] Update the Group Dashboard
After the Group
[] Send a recap email with everyone’s goals within 48 hours of the meeting
Invitation Email Template
Edit and send the invitation below to about 1-10 people depending on how comfortable you feel. If you want to start off small, just invite a couple friends. If you want to challenge yourself even more, invite 10 people with the expectation that only half of the people will accept the invitation. You can either send it as is using your regular email account, or try a service such as Evite.com, Pingg.com, and Facebook Events. And don’t forget to invite me at jullien@goodexcusegoals.com.
SUBJECT: Goal Setting Party At My House, Wed. 7-8:30pm
BODY: Hello Friends,
It doesn’t have to be New Year’s Eve to think about your goals—they should be on our mind all of the time. If you’ve been procrastinating but have some personal or professional goals that you want to get done, then join us at my house on Wednesday night from 7-8:30pm.
We’re going to start at 7pm sharp. Bring your New Year’s resolutions or any other goal written down. I will provide the goal setting materials and some food, but feel free to bring something if you would like.
Please RSVP so that I can get a head count.
Cheers!
Your Name
Your Address
Your Phone Number
Meeting Script
Below is a script for the monthly 30 Day Do It group meeting. You can deviate from the script, as long as you DO NOT skip steps. Make sure that all worksheets are completed in their entirety. Be yourself and add your personality to the group.
WELCOME (1 MIN)
Welcome to the 30 Day Do It. The 30 Day Do It is a nationwide movement of people just like us setting goals in groups every 30 days to hold us accountable to remind us schedule our priorities instead of prioritizing our schedule. It is based on the book Good Excuse Goals.. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend that you do. It will explain the WHY behind everything we do in the group. This meeting usually last anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes
Can I please get a volunteer to help me keep time, distribute, and manage documentation? Thank you.
INTRODUCTIONS (9 MIN)
We’re going to go around and say our names, how many 30 Day Do Its we’ve achieved, and one word to describe how you feel right now.
At this time, we would also like to welcome any new goal setters to the group, by allowing them to share who they are, who brought them, and why they’re here.
[ALLOW EVERYONE TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES]
We welcome the new goal setters to the group. Thank you for making this commitment to yourselves. We hope that each our individuals commitments and our collective commitment as a group will help us all move from goal setters to goal achievers.
I’m going to pass around THE MONTHLY SIGN-IN SHEET. Just put your name and email address for now.
GXG EVALUATION WORKSHEET (30 MIN)
With that, I would like to transition into evaluation of last month goals by setting aside 5 minutes for everyone to complete THE GOOD EXCUSE GOAL EVALUATION WORKSHEET.
[DISTRIBUTE WORKSHEETS]
The purpose of this THE GOOD EXCUSE GOAL EVALUATION WORKSHEET is to evaluate your successful and unsuccessful patterns so that you can get a better understanding of what needs to be in place for you to increase your likelihood of success with any goal you set in the future.
I’m going to walk through the worksheet step by step. In this process, it is important not to skip steps. Every step has a purpose. When everyone is done, we will go around and each person will quickly share two things they learned about themselves in pursuit of this goal.
Partner with the person next to you to make sure that this worksheet gets done in its entirety. Your partner will verify your goal achievement or payments once you’re done.
If you know how to complete the sheet, go ahead. If you’re new and don’t have a goal to evaluate, look on with someone who does so that you can learn the process.
STEP 1: DID YOU SUCCEED?
A. Simply mark yes, no, or sort of—in unexpected ways based on this month’s results.
STEP 2: SUCCESSFUL & UNSUCCESSFUL PATTERNS
If you marked YES for step #1, complete the first column in full and any questions in column 2 that apply.
If you marked NO for step #1, complete the second column in full and any questions in column 1 that apply.
If you marked SORT OF for step #1, complete any questions that apply in first or second column
A. In pursuit of this goal, I learning that I:
Good examples are: I need to define complete better or I still waited until the last minute or I need to motivate my team better and earlier
B. One thing I would do differently next time is:
Good examples are: Start earlier or Set a more challenging goal
C. I was motivated most by:
Good examples are: How much I hate doing what I would have to do if I didn’t finish or Who the goal would positively impact
D. Supportive people included:
Good examples are: My wife or My best friend
E. What worked for me:
Good examples are: Starting right away or Creating space in my schedule for the goal like it was a class
F. Unexpected outcomes included:
Good examples are: I got further than I expected or New business came out of my authentic pursuit
G. My bad excuses include:
Good examples are: Things got busy or I ran out of time or I can’t do it
H. Next time, I can prevent my excuses by:
Good examples are: Planning properly or Increasing my payment for not achieving my goal or Finding a partner
I. I was demotivated most by:
Good examples are: The goal not really being mine or People around me not being in support of my goal
J. Unsupportive people included:
Good examples are: My parents or My boss
K. What didn’t work for me:
Good examples are: Waiting until the last minute or not Budgeting for the things I needed to achieve my goal
L. Unexpected obstacles included:
Good examples are: Having to travel more than I thought or A car accident
STEP 3: CELEBRATION
Now each person is going to get 3 minutes to show proof that they achieved their goal or show proof of payment as well as share one or two things that they learned about themselves in the pursuit of their goal. As the host, I will go first and then we’ll just go clockwise.
[YOU PRESENT]
[PERSON #2 PRESENTS]
[PERSON #3 PRESENTS]
[PERSON #4 PRESENTS]
[PERSON #5 PRESENTS]
[PERSON #6 PRESENTS]
[PERSON #7 PRESENTS]
A. Finally, put today’s date at and your signature at the bottom of your EVALUATION WORKSHEET and get the person to your partner to sign off on your proof or payment.
I’m passing around THE GROUP DASHBOARD. Add your name if it’s not there and mark your result for this month. We get 1 point for completed goals, half-a-point for “sort ofs” and new goal setters, 0 points of incompletes, and -1 point for absences.
[TALLY UP GOALS]
Last month we scored ____ and this month we scored _____. That’s a ___ increase/decrease.
Lets pour a toast to this month’s GOAL ACHIEVERS! Please stand so that we can acknowledge you.
GXG PLANNING WORKSHEET (30 MIN)
Now on to setting new goals for the upcoming month. Simply flip the EVALUATION SHEET over and you will find THE GOOD EXCUSE GOAL PLANNING SHEET. Again, I’m going to walk through it step by step and it is important not to skip steps because every part of the process has a purpose.
STEP 1: CHOOSE A GOAL
A. Declare your Good Excuse Goal. Take your time, we have 3-5 minute to figure it out and you can call on the group for help. Keep in mind the distinction between your goal and your 30 Day Do It. Your goal is the end result and the 30 Day Do It is the action you commit to taking to achieve or move toward that end result.
Your goal can be brand new or it can cause movement on an existing project or multi-month goal. However, your goal should not be something that is going to naturally happen regardless of your 30 Day Do It. For instance, If you were already planning on hosting a reunion of your college friends to build a stronger community, that wouldn’t count. You are only cheating yourself. However, you can build on that goal by doing something at the event that will push you beyond your comfort zone like learning to cook a few dishes that you’ve never made before instead of getting catering. If you can’t think of a creative way to enhance what you’re already planning to do, you should choose a different goal.
[GIVE PEOPLE TIME TO THINK OF THEIR GOALS. LOOK FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY NEED HELP AND OFFER SUPPORT]
Does anyone need help thinking through a personally challenging goal for the month? The group is here to help.
If you are still short of ideas, here is a list of pre-planned 30 Day Do Its created by community members nationwide that you can choose from. If you choose an pre-planned program, you can find all of the steps online at www.goodexcusegoals.com or http://www.tinyurl.com/30daydoit. You can also create a 30 Day Do It program to help others across the world if you think your 30 Day Do It was worth it. If you’re interested, I have a CREATE MY OWN 30 DAY DO IT sheet that you can complete, scan, and email to info@goodexcusegoals.com.
B. Once you have declared your goal, estimate the amount of time you need to create in your life to accomplish it
C. Finally, define how you will know when you have succeeded.
STEP 2: CLARIFY YOUR WHY (Truly EVALUATE)
Complete the 8 Cylinders of Successful Goal Setting as thoroughly as possible. The more innovative you get about how the goal ties into your purpose and passions, the stronger your commitment and greater the likelihood of you completing the goal. I’m going to walk through each of the 8 Cylinders of Successful Goal Setting one-by-one to give you examples.
A. This aligns with my belief/principle that:
Good answers explain how this goal will help you achieve more happiness, success, or alignment with your purpose. Good examples include Physical health is important to happiness or Constant career advancement is important for success
B. I’m integrating my passions into this goal by:
Good answers explain how you weave your passion into the pursuit of the goal or the incentive you give yourself. For example, I will be using my passion for cooking or If I achieve the goal, I will reward myself with that cooking class I wanted to take.
C. I’m addressing the/my problem of/with:
Good answers explain the personal problem this goal addresses for you or the larger problem it will address at work or in your community. Good examples include unhealthy eating habits, stagnation at work
D. My success affect the following people
Good answers explain who will be impacted by your success i.e. your partner, parents, family, colleagues, mentee.
E. My goal positions me to be the best:
Good answers explain what skill or subject achieving this goal helps you get better at. For example, your answer could be “The best parent you can be” or “The best human being you can be” or “The best account manager at work you can be.”
F. Pioneers who I’ve see do this before include:
Good answers remind you of courageous people who have done the goal before you or just made a similar courageous step on their path. Examples include “The CEO of my company”, “My mentor”, or “My mom.”
G. I picture myself:
Good answers explain what will have to change in your life in pursuit of this goal. For example, you may have to wake up an hour earlier, you may picture yourself having more energy, or you may see yourself meeting new people because of your goal.
H. Finally, success makes it possible for me to:
Good answers distinguish what new doors make be open to you as a result of achieving this goal that weren’t open to you before. For example, you may feel more prepare for a promotion or you may feel like you can run a marathon now. Our goals should open up new possibilities for us in some way.
STEP 3: SET IT IN MOTION (Plan to CELEBRATE & Self-MOTIVATE)
One of the key principles of Good Excuse Goals is setting your goal in motion immediately after you set it. Most people do this in the 30 Day Do It by making phone calls, sending emails or text messages.
A. If your celebration is going to be at our next 30 Day Do It, then we should all agree on a date now and write that down.
Does the second Thursday of next month, February 12th work for a majority of people?
At what time?
Who wants to host?
What’s your address?
B. If your celebration involves other people outside of the group, you should send a “save the date” email or text message to them now.
C. Everyone should write down how you will demonstrate success to the group. You can show documentation (i.e. pictures or receipts) or do a short presentation among other things. Be as creative as you would like.
D. Check off the box at the bottom when you you’ve set your event in motion.
E. Now it’s time to tip the balance. The purpose of tipping the balance is to avoid inaction and ending up right back where you are today. Write down something you commit to doing if you don’t achieve your goal. It should be a little embarrassing but bearable that will improve another area of your life or it should be something that you do for the group here. Good commitments include doing something for the group like bringing food to the next group, cleaning up afterwards, giving everyone $5 or a gift card somewhere. Again, be creative.
Again, if you need help, the group is here to help. We are never short of things you can do for us 🙂
F. Finally, sign your name in the bottom right as a form of commitment to your goal.
I’m going to pass the sign in sheet back around. In 2-4 words put your goal and the cost of not achieving it. While that’s happening, everyone will share their goal, their 30 Day Do It, and their way of tipping the balance. If the group thinks your goal is too easy or your cost is too low, we’re going to push you. If you love something you should push it, if it comes back to you, then it’s yours. We’re here to push each other to our highest potential and highest selves.
[EVERYONE SHARES]
If everyone achieves their goal this month, we will beat our score of 6 points from this month.
Does anyone need additional support or accountability throughout the month?
Does anyone have any new member in mind?
Okay, so our goal for this month is 9 points…7 goal achieved and 2 new members.
CONCLUSION (5 MIN)
We’re almost done. This is a space for any special announcement, networking, and partnering on similar goals.
Does anyone have anything to say or share?
Great!
So we will meet at John’s House at 1000 Blue Mountain Road, New York, NY at 7pm on Thursday, February 12th. Feel free to bring a new member if you would like and a snack or drink if you can.
I will send out a recap email with everyone’s goals and the location of the next 30 Day Do It tonight.
Thank you!
Meeting Recap Email Template
SUBJECT: Last Night’s 30 Day Do It Recap
BODY: Hello Goal Setters,
Last night was amazing! I’m so inspired by each of you and your goals. Thank you for blessing my home.
Our 30-Day Good Excuse Goals are as follows:
Mike: Read us the first chapter of his book to create momentum toward his first book
Michelle: Try to make at least $1 a day online and report back to free herself financially
John: Lose 10 pounds and squeeze into his old jeans so that he can be a better father to his athletic kids
Jamie: Clean her garage so that she can create a home office and show us before and after pictures
The next 30 Day Do It will be at Mike’s house on October 11th at 7pm. Bring a new member and snack if you can.
Sincerely,
Your Name