Effective Goal Setting

Effective goal setting helps you achieve what you want in life in a successful, focused, and decisive manner by taking the right actions in less time. 

Who doesn't want to achieve more in less time? Yet, many of us abandon our goals before we accomplish them.

Why is that? 

Some reasons include lack of confidence, needing a workable plan for achieving them, being unrealistic by expecting too much too soon, fearing failure, and putting too much pressure on ourselves to accomplish them. Luckily, there are strategies and behaviors we can adopt for successfully setting and achieving goals.

How do you start?

➜ Know that you deserve success and achievement. Before setting goals, know that you deserve success and that it is achievable for anyone who puts their mind to it. You must believe you can do what you set out to do and possess the talents and abilities to do it. You must begin with this crucial premise to ensure your efforts are successful and you will stay within reach of accomplishing what you want.  

➜ Determine what you want. One of the biggest problems people have in effectively setting goals is knowing what they want. Lacking a clear concept of what you want in life makes it difficult to proceed. The one thing all successful people have in common is that they are highly focused and intensely goal-oriented. They know what they want and understand what it takes to set goals to achieve them. 

An excellent way to begin the process is to write down the goals most meaningful to you and then list what you would need to accomplish them. To figure this out, you can look at the 'big picture' of your life. Start a journal or workbook and write down for yourself the answers to some of these critical questions: 

• Do I want to be healthy, and what will it take to get there?

• What do I want to achieve in my career?

• What kind of family life do I want?

• What kind of lifestyle do I want today and in the future?

• How do I see myself in 5, 10, or 20 years from now?

For example, to maintain good health, you can jot down: exercise 3-4 times a week, eat a balanced diet of protein, fruits, and vegetables, get 7-8 hours of sleep, etc.

For where you want to be in 5 years, you might include:

• Finish college degree.

• Be earning an income of x amount of dollars.

• Have a serious relationship (or avoid having a serious relationship until your career is established). 

➜ Plan, organize, and prioritize your goals in smaller, manageable chunks. If you look at everything you want to achieve all at once, you might find it daunting and overwhelming, so it's best to organize and prioritize your goals. Instead, devise a workable plan for each item you want to accomplish. 

You know that your health goals need to be ongoing, so establish a daily routine or agenda that you can keep up regularly. 

Categorize career goals in monthly, quarterly, or yearly chunks. List points or plan the actions required to attain a particular point in your career. This action may include taking the odd supplemental course, doing extra reading, or volunteering in the community for exposure and experience. Since careers take time and effort to build, planning and organizing your moves makes good sense. 

➜ Review, update, and revise. Review and update your goals regularly to ensure they are still relevant to you. Doing so keeps you on track and taking the appropriate steps and actions. 

If some of your strategies aren't working, fine-tune them or devise new ones. Likewise, figure out which obstacles and distractions are getting in your way and determine what you need to do to overcome them. 

We all know there will be setbacks and bumps to achieve our goals, but we need not let them hinder or take us off course. Revise and adjust the game plan where and when you need to.

➜ Stay focused and motivated. Staying focused and motivated is one of the hardest things to do when setting goals. It is expected to fall off the wagon periodically. However, getting back on track as soon as possible is essential.

An excellent tool for keeping you focused is the journal or workbook you've been maintaining. Review it regularly as a reference point and remind yourself what you want to accomplish. Set up routines or habits that will ensure you stay on track. For example, exercise at the same time each day and drink your protein shake first thing in the morning.

Other helpful techniques for staying motivated include using relevant affirmations and visualization. Many successful people, especially athletes, swear by both. It's important to 'see' yourself accomplishing a goal before you do. Positive affirmations sow positive thoughts into your subconscious, which, in turn, prompt you to take the right actions to achieve your goals.

The Benefits of Setting Goals

• Give you the 'big picture' direction you want your life to take 

• Help keep you organized and focused

• Build self-confidence and a sense of accomplishment

• Help you achieve success more efficiently and in less time

• Make the small day-to-day tasks more meaningful and purposeful

Goal setting, and undoubtedly effective goal setting, has been a tried and true method for achieving success and accomplishment. Without it, we would drift aimlessly and waste valuable time and effort in pursuits that lead nowhere. So start now! Decide which goals are most meaningful to you and devise a plan for achieving them.