Set Your Goals

Excerpt from Wikipedia

Goal Setting involves setting specific, measurable and time targeted objectives. Work on the theory of goal setting suggests that it is an effective tool for making progress by ensuring that participants are clearly aware of what is expected from them, if an objective is to be achieved. On a personal level, setting goals is a process that allows people to specify then work towards their own objectives - most commonly with financial or career-based goals. Goal setting is a major component of Personal Development literature.

AND

From a study at Harvard Business School

In the book, What They Don't Teach You in the Harvard Business School, Mark McCormack tells a study conducted on students in the 1979 Harvard MBA program. In that year, the students were asked, "Have you set clear, written goals for your future and made plans to accomplish them?" Only three percent of the graduates had written goals and plans; 13 percent had goals, but they were not in writing; and a whopping 84 percent had no specific goals at all.

Ten years later, the members of the class were interviewed again, and the findings, while somewhat predictable, were nonetheless astonishing. The 13 percent of the class who had goals were earning, on average, twice as much as the 84 percent who had no goals at all. And what about the three percent who had clear, written goals? They were earning, on average, ten times as much as the other 97 percent put together.

Goal setting is a very powerful process.

The process of goal setting helps you choose what you want to do and where you want to go in life. By knowing clearly what you want to achieve, you know where you have to focus your efforts. Properly-set goals can be motivating, and as you get into the habit of setting and achieving goals, you'll find that your self-confidence builds fast.

Starting the Process.

Sometimes this can be the most challenging part. Sit down with a pen and paper and firstly write down everything that you are proud of already having accomplishing. You need to recognize that all that you have already accomplished was at one time a thought or in other words a goal to get, have or do something in your life. Pat yourself on the back well done you can set and achieve goals.

Now write down on another sheet of paper everything you want to have, do or go see in the next ten years. Put on some music you love and write to your hearts content. Let your imagination run free. Now look at the list and sorting through put a number beside each one. Number one is for within one year or short term goal, Number five is within the next five years or mid term goal and number ten is within net next ten years or long term goals.

Study the list carefully and on a fresh piece of paper write of the five most important goals from each area five each for short, mid and long term. Write them in order of importance or the one you want to accomplish first in each section. From here you need to start formulating a plan, a positive clear plan on how you are going to achieve your first goal. If your first short term goal is to start exercising then set an exact time and date you will start and go ahead and make the arrangements needed to reach your goal. Maybe you have children and need to have someone look after them.

After this short term goal is in place start the work on your most important mid term goal. This goal could be to have a holiday overseas. Look at your spending and rework your budget. Workout if you have to cut back on spending each week or maybe you could miss the daily cup of coffee purchased on the way to work. Put this allotted amount in a savings account which is not to be touched until the amount needed for your holiday is there and you can pay for your holiday.

Now move on to your long term goal, this could possibly be that you would love to shift to a new house possibly even in another state. Well what do you do the same as for the short and mid term goals look at what is happening now make a plan and work towards the successful outcome of the goal.

Now just because you have written you list and sorted through means you just sit back, no….you examine, reassess and possibly reorganize the goal list because what is important and seems like a logical goal today may not be that way in a year or to. Goal lists are living breathing things which move and expand with you as you grow and develop so do they. With all this in mind below are a few simple rules to help you with your goal getting.

If a goal you have set seems like it may be out of reach break it down into chunks that are more manageable. Just say you want to paint the house but this is a huge task, then breaking it down into smaller sections that you can tackle a piece at a time will ensure you are able to have a successful outcome.

S. M. A. R. T. Goals

Specific - A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal. For example a general goal would sound like, “I want get fit” on the other hand a specific goal would sound like this, “Tomorrow I will join a gym and start exercising four times a week”

Measurable – You will need to define a method to how you will measure your progress towards the goal you have set. If the progress to your goal is measured you will be more likely to stay on track as you see each set towards your goal being met. You can set and meet target dates and therefore experience the exhilaration of achievement. This then encourages you to keep up the effort needed to accomplish your goal.

Attainable - When you have identified the goals that are most important to you, you then can begin to figure out the ways you can make them a reality. You develop the right attitudes, abilities, skills, and financial capacity you need to reach them.

Realistic – Goals also need to be realistic and I do not mean simple. If you set unrealistic goals like, ”I want to loose 5kg (10lb) in a week” then you are setting an unrealistic goal and setting yourself up for failure. This is the number one reason why you would not see your goal through to completion. I am not saying restrict where you aim with your goal on the contrary aim high just make it a realistic high for you to achieve at this point in your life.

Timely - A goal should definitely have a time frame the need to have a done by date. This will take the goal from something that you are talking about to one that has and end date. You need to develop a sense of urgency about your goal. You want to get there. If you have no sense of urgency then getting there is not a priority, some day will not do. With no time frame tied to the goal there will not be any sense of urgency. The outcome is what this is all about not just setting the goal.

So let’s recap. You will benefit by writing your goals down. Putting them where you will see them everyday. This will be your reminder of what you want in your life. Talk about your goals with friends and family breath life into them. These special people in your life may have some small hint to help you along your way to your goal and remember it is a living list. So have a look on a regular basis and keep it going and growing.