Friday, January 23, 2009

How to Effectively Set Goals and Reach Them

How many times have you set a goal for yourself and not followed through with it? There are some simple steps to take to prevent this from happening again.

Most people know that setting goals is important when they want to achieve something. Unfortunately, not many people know how to effectively do this. How many people can you think of who set a New Year's resolution with an attitude of giving it 110 percent, only to give up on their resolution less than two months later? Some people do not even make it that long. Why is that?

When setting a goal, make sure that you are realistic. You can pick a goal that is challenging, but do not pick one that is impossible. If you pick a goal that is impossible or nearly impossible, you are more likely to just give up on the goal.

Next, determine how long you have to reach the goal. Do you want to reach it within a month, six months, or a year or more? Give yourself enough time to reach the goal, but not so much time that you don't have to "work at it."

Once you have determined whether your goal is short or long-term, take the time to plan how you are going to reach your goal. List the steps that you can take to obtain the goal. Be as specific as you can. This is a very important step. If you do not plan out how you are going to achieve your goal, then you are setting yourself up for failure!

Another important factor in setting a goal is to list any problems that may come up that will prevent you from reaching it. This list should include ANYTHING that you think can stand in your way of reaching your goal. Include small things like your car breaking down, to illness, and big things, such as a death in the family. Remember, anything is possible. If you expect something may happen, then it won't crush your chances of reaching your goal if it does.

Now you need to ask yourself what you would do to overcome each of the obstacles. By doing this you are "planning ahead," and you will be in a better position to deal with any of these obstacles, should they arise.

Okay, by this point you have decided what your goal is. You have outlined the steps that you need to take to get there and you have figured out ways of dealing with any obstacles that come your way. Now all you have to do is start taking the steps one by one to complete your goal.

Planning all these things out prepares you mentally to achieve your goal. You will not be as likely to give up or just "forget" your goal. Read over your goal often. Add any new obstacles and solutions you come up with over time.

Seeing your goal in written format will motivate you to work harder to reach your goal. Planning your goal out in this way is the biggest part of accomplishing your goal. Congratulations, you are well on your way to achieving your goals!

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1 comment:

Leon1234 said...

Great post! I'm going to use this to my advantage. Thank you!