A second principle used by effective negotiatiors is to come up with alternatives. Good negotiators don't walk into a negotiation with only one way they can get what they want. They think of several scenarios under which they could be satisfied. This kind of creative thinking can be very impressive in a job interview situation. For example, if you are not best match for position as they described it, presenting to interviewer a couple of other scenarios under which you could be a better fit with their organization can score you major points and possibly turn a situation that could have been a waste of time for both parties into one with a positive outcome.

When most people hear word "negotiation," they automatically think of one party being successful and other not. Typically we think of a negotiator overpowering their opponent and getting them to agree to something they didn't want. While some negotiators do use tricks, most successful negotiators do not rely on them because they do not work in long term. After all, someone can only be tricked one time, and after that they won't trust you anymore. In a good negotiation, both parties come away successful and get something they want.

Another important point to keep in mind is that you have something other person wants. They wouldn't take time to interview you if you weren't potentially valuable to them. As in any negotiating situation, you should always be prepared to walk away if an outcome that you would be satisfied with does not appear to be available.

TAKE ACTION

Writing your goals down is a good first step. Then you need to take action! The sooner you take action, better. Maybe it's enrolling in a class. Or signing up to attend first networking event. Even if action you take is small compared with all that needs to be done to achieve your goal, it will get you one step closer and psychologically make you feel more committed.

SET DEADLINES

If you simply resolve to make changes or achieve things but don't have any timeline set to your goals, you run risk of getting lazy and procrastinating. Set up a plan with deadlines to reach on a regular, perhaps monthly, basis. Then make sure to update your plan if a deadline is missed so that subsequent deadline doesn't become impossible to meet.

REWARD YOURSELF

Getting yourself to change behavior is hard - even if it's something you really want. When it comes to changing behaviors, it's helpful to think of yourself as a coach. A coach will push you hard when he knows you can do better. But if you work really hard and give 100%, he'll also reward you for a job well done. Any achievement plan should also include incentives and rewards. For example, if you hate public speaking but realize you have to improve your skills to get a better position, you might commit to treat yourself to ice cream whenever you deliver a speech for your public speaking class.