Many people struggle when setting, and then achieving, their perceived goals… Most often because they go about it the wrong way.
For a start, you have to be honest with yourself, and realize what sort of person you are. That is, are you someone who thrives and performs better with big challenges and who puts their heart and soul into a certain project… Or, like most, less confident and prefer to tackle projects one step at a time?
Either way, the point is that before you start any new endeavor, you need to know what motivates YOU!
People set their goals differently, depending on their current situation, resources available, physical ability and other factors. You can, however, follow some guidelines to make sure that your goals are credible and possible. Too many individuals set their goals too high unknowingly, only to lose interest and get disappointed for life. So here are some tips on how to set goals and actually ACHIEVE them!
You Must Be Specific!
Goals need to be specific, so that you know which part of the process you’re currently in and the particular ways on how you will achieve them. Most people have goals to get promoted, get rich, improve relationships and the like, but these are very vague and your mind can become confused about what you truly mean. General descriptions usually do not have boundaries, so you always leave room for mistakes and compromise. If you want results that you can be proud of, be specific.
To be specific, you need to include the full details. Write down something like, “I want to get $10,000 by November of this year,” or “I need to become Team Leader of the sales department by next June,” or “I want my kids, Karen and Steve, to go on the school Ski trip this year.” Include the names, the position, the amount, the date and everything else needed to train your mind to start working towards that goal.
Your Goals Must Be Measurable!
Goals need to be measurable so that you can gauge how well you have done lately. To help measure your progress, you should include measurable details. For your job, you can include details such as the number of hours you’re working, the amount you’re earning, the staff you’re handling, etc. For the goal of money, you can include details such as the amount you want to have as a whole, the number of companies or businesses you own, your contact persons, etc. For losing weight, how many lbs lost per week etc. Always have things and items to be measured so you can understand how close you are to getting your goals. If your goal is to earn $10,000 a month, then you know you’re halfway there if you’re already earning $5,000 a month.
Your Goals Must Be Realistic and Attainable!
Only set goals that can possibly be accomplished (by YOU). Some people set goals that are too high to reach, so that they are almost setting up things that are impossible. Make sure you only set objectives that you can reach within a given amount of time, provided the current resources and capabilities you have. Some examples of impossible goals are doubling your salary overnight, getting a promotion higher than your boss’s position, etc. Some goals can be achieved faster compared to others if you have some strengths and strategies to back these up. Always include a strategic plan for big objectives.
Set A Time-Scale!
Set deadlines to achieve your goals, or else you’re never going to finish anything. Stay specific when setting time-lines and schedules. For example, indicate things like “To spend an hour with my wife every day starting tomorrow (indicate exact date and year)”. Setting the exact time and date will spur you to start working on your goals (and sticking to it), instead of putting it off for another available time. Some bigger goals can take years to accomplish, so it is wiser to break these down into smaller objectives, still complete with deadlines. You can then finish everything in a planned sequence to finally reach your biggest original goal.
