STEPS FOR SETTING GOALS
There is an ancient anonymous quote which captures some of the idea of goal setting: "Luck is the residue of design."
People tend to make comments about how lucky a person was to accomplish a certain dream, reach something that others thought might be unattainable. However the quote above reflects that luck is the residue of design, meaning good planning. Perhaps more importantly good goal setting.
Goal setting is far more than seeing the big picture or even planning the individual steps or objective and methods of obtaining your goals. It is also a realistic analysis of what is reasonable and attainable. This article will look at several key examples of realistic goal writing in order to help everyone attain their dreams.
First and foremost one must look at if the goal is concrete. Can you measure it? How specific is your goal? Is it something like I will increase my sales, without saying by how much or how many or how much money might be linked to the amount of sales increase? Just like saying that you will lose weight, and failing to set a number of pounds. Be specific. Be realistic. You may want to establish a short term goal of losing 5-7 pounds per week, which is the average amount of weight lost to water weight and should be attainable realistically the first week. Saying even ten pounds per week might be setting the goal too high. You might set a long term goal of losing 100 pounds, but your goal has to have other aspects built in or the 100 pounds will seem overwhelming and you will have more problems in reaching your goal. One of the issues of an unrealistic goal is also motivation.
Each individual must ask themselves if their goal motivates them and if so how does help them get started. In the example already listed, losing 100 pounds is a good goal, but to break it down into more realistic objectives measured week by week is far more motivational. If you set your initial goal at 5-7 pounds and reach that goal you will be far more motivated for the next week. Since we know this is a standard weight loss measurement from the first week of dieting and exercise, through water weight, then indeed this is building in some motivational success.
Men tend to lose more weight than women the first week and that also goes for the differential. A man is more likely to lose the 7 and the woman more likely to lose 5. Allow yourself some cushion, or leeway in your estimates and goals. They must be motivational and concrete.
Realistic goal setting includes the idea of whether or not the goal can be attained. Do you have to ability to attain that goal or is it outside your ability. Do other forces, events, or outside individuals control the situation so that by setting yourself an unattainable goal you are setting yourself up for failure. Make sure you have control over the outcome.
In order for the goal to inspire you, and be important motivationally, it must also be applicable or relevant to your life. Does the goal have meaning for you? Shape the goal so that it is worded and has an impact, make it have meaning for you. If it is weight loss then indeed make it meaningful with ideas of new clothes and many other relevant dreams and thoughts that can help spur you on to the goal. Do not set goals for things you really don’t want to do. In this sense, if your spouse says they want you to quit smoking and you do not and will not, why bother setting goals. Not to say that smoking is healthy. Just that IF this is not something you want to accomplish or is relevant to your life you are unlikely to succeed.
Finally we must look at how you track your goal, can you use a timeline to help you accomplish you goal within a time standard. Is there a deadline? You have to set those objectives of losing five pounds per week, and then arrive at twenty weeks later with hopefully the long term weight loss goal of 100 pounds. You might want to figure in a few extra weeks for mistakes, holidays, or anticipated problems or backsliding. But you should establish signposts and small goal dates leading up to a final goal date. Don't let the whole project overwhelm you. It may seem to be an insurmountable mountain if you look at it that way. Instead of taking it one small part at a time.
In conclusion you are most likely to succeed in obtaining your dreams if you start with realistic goal setting and solid planning. Looking at the key elements of how concrete and measurable your goal is, are you motivated, can it be realistically attained, is it relevant to your life and is there a deadline or timeline? All these questions and planning are more than luck. They are a design, a plan that will leave other people amazed at your success. By setting goals and solving problems.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Friday, July 13, 2007
Goal Settings
GOAL SETTING;
Goal Setting involves setting specific, measurable and time based activities, Its a continous process which involves a lot of pre-planning, possible, realistic plans.
STEPS FOR SETTING AND ACHIEVING GOALS
Whether you're a Professional, astudent, a mother, a businessman, or career person, you have your own set of goals you want to achieve. However, there are times that you might feel overwhelmed by obstacles or become preoccupied with other things that you tend to give up on doing things leading towards your goals. You become unsuccessful and don't achieve your goals simply because you have lost focus on them. Ask yourself these five questions and turn them into your personal focus steps. You'll soon get right back on track to achieving your goals and ultimately, success!
Ask yourself the following when you are setting the goals;
1. goals achievable?
By achievable, we mean realistic and attainable. You might unconsciously have set a goal that anyone will really have a hard time achieving, even if they had the means and the time to do so.
One thing you can do is break down your goals into small, realistic goals, set against reasonable timeframes. Oftentimes, you'll be able to achieve your bigger goals if you work on achieving the smaller goals leading to those. The important thing is to make your goals as realistic and as achievable as you can.
2. believe in your abilities
It is true that the only person whom your success hugely depends on is yourself. So, do you believe enough in yourself and in what you can do to achieve your goals? Self-doubt is your biggest adversity and the biggest obstacle you will come across on your way to your success. Could it be that you have lost focus of your goals because you unconsciously set aside having to deal with your self-doubts?
3. Have feasible plan on to achieve your goals?
Yes, you know what you want, but do you know how you can get what you want? Would you be needing a special kind of technical or artistic training to achieve your goals? Or maybe further educational studies? Do you have a set plan of action that will lead to the achievement of your goals? What things, both tangible and intangible, do you need that will aid you in reaching your goals?
Take a moment to sit down and list the things you would need and make your plan of action. This is a good time to break them down into small, realistic goals and then take them one day at a time!
4. Are you spreading yourself too thinly?
Sometimes, it's better to work on one goal at a time, rather than doing and shooting for so many goals all at the same time. For one, doing so will hinder you from achieving each goal faster, and for another thing, you will not be able to focus your full energy on one goal. You will constantly be running and trying to achieve one goal after another and this usually results to you not being able to achieve any one of those. Prioritize your goals and then start with either your top priority or the most realistic goal. You'll discover for yourself that you are able to do more and achieve more using this approach.
5. Do you easily give up?
Along with asking if you believe in your ability to achieve your goals, this is the second most important question you should ask yourself. Yes, you do the steps necessary to achieving your goals, but after one or two failures, do you give up and not try again? Persistence and patience are the keys to achieving your goals and eventual success. Always remember that it is very rare that a person achieves total success or attains his goals in his first try. If people did, there would be no need to build self-confidence, patience and persistence in oneself.
Now that you've asked yourself these five questions, start your way to attaining your goals today!
Goal Setting involves setting specific, measurable and time based activities, Its a continous process which involves a lot of pre-planning, possible, realistic plans.
STEPS FOR SETTING AND ACHIEVING GOALS
Whether you're a Professional, astudent, a mother, a businessman, or career person, you have your own set of goals you want to achieve. However, there are times that you might feel overwhelmed by obstacles or become preoccupied with other things that you tend to give up on doing things leading towards your goals. You become unsuccessful and don't achieve your goals simply because you have lost focus on them. Ask yourself these five questions and turn them into your personal focus steps. You'll soon get right back on track to achieving your goals and ultimately, success!
Ask yourself the following when you are setting the goals;
1. goals achievable?
By achievable, we mean realistic and attainable. You might unconsciously have set a goal that anyone will really have a hard time achieving, even if they had the means and the time to do so.
One thing you can do is break down your goals into small, realistic goals, set against reasonable timeframes. Oftentimes, you'll be able to achieve your bigger goals if you work on achieving the smaller goals leading to those. The important thing is to make your goals as realistic and as achievable as you can.
2. believe in your abilities
It is true that the only person whom your success hugely depends on is yourself. So, do you believe enough in yourself and in what you can do to achieve your goals? Self-doubt is your biggest adversity and the biggest obstacle you will come across on your way to your success. Could it be that you have lost focus of your goals because you unconsciously set aside having to deal with your self-doubts?
3. Have feasible plan on to achieve your goals?
Yes, you know what you want, but do you know how you can get what you want? Would you be needing a special kind of technical or artistic training to achieve your goals? Or maybe further educational studies? Do you have a set plan of action that will lead to the achievement of your goals? What things, both tangible and intangible, do you need that will aid you in reaching your goals?
Take a moment to sit down and list the things you would need and make your plan of action. This is a good time to break them down into small, realistic goals and then take them one day at a time!
4. Are you spreading yourself too thinly?
Sometimes, it's better to work on one goal at a time, rather than doing and shooting for so many goals all at the same time. For one, doing so will hinder you from achieving each goal faster, and for another thing, you will not be able to focus your full energy on one goal. You will constantly be running and trying to achieve one goal after another and this usually results to you not being able to achieve any one of those. Prioritize your goals and then start with either your top priority or the most realistic goal. You'll discover for yourself that you are able to do more and achieve more using this approach.
5. Do you easily give up?
Along with asking if you believe in your ability to achieve your goals, this is the second most important question you should ask yourself. Yes, you do the steps necessary to achieving your goals, but after one or two failures, do you give up and not try again? Persistence and patience are the keys to achieving your goals and eventual success. Always remember that it is very rare that a person achieves total success or attains his goals in his first try. If people did, there would be no need to build self-confidence, patience and persistence in oneself.
Now that you've asked yourself these five questions, start your way to attaining your goals today!
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