Motivational speaker Jim Rohn once said, "I find it fascinating that most people plan their vacations with better care than they plan their lives. Perhaps it's because escape is easier than change."

 

Why Set Goals?

• If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.
• Your self-confidence increases as you reach milestones along the way.
• Achieving or making progress towards a goal can be hugely motivating.
• You can maintain focus. - Rather than starting many different projects and failing to accomplish any of them, goals direct you to take action in specific areas.

 

Reasons people do not set goals:

1) Most people don't realize the importance of setting goals.

2) They don't know HOW to set goals

3) No goal = no failure

4) Fear of rejection or criticism by others if they fail.

 

Reasons your goals may fail:

1) You are not serious about it or fully committed

2) Your goal is not specific enough

3) Your goal is not supported by others (or you are not accountable)

 

Tips for Goal Setting

Put it in writing! If you want to achieve any goal, what ever it is - first write it down!

Those who write down their goals are more likely to make that goal a reality. A study of Harvard graduates found that after two years, the 3% who had written goals achieved more financially than the other 97% combined!

 

Write SMART Goals:

Some people confuse goals with wishes and fantasies. Writing down "I want to get fit" without breaking it down into parts and considering the action steps it would take, is just a wish. A goal is different. It is clear, specific and measurable. You know when you have achieved it or not. A SMART goal is: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realist and Time-framed.

 

Re-wire the brain:

Next, go back and write and read your goal again. What you repeat over and over again is programmed into the subconscious mind and will then begin to take root.  This means RE-writing your goals everyday and thinking about them in positive terms. Do this every day, repeatedly until the habit is formed.

Get Serious:

Zig Ziglar once said that, "A goal casually set and lightly taken will be freely abandoned at the first obstacle."  Make the time to set REAL goals. Then take your goal setting seriously by re-writing your goals every day, thinking about them constantly, and proactively taking action.

 

Other tips for success:

• The mind and emotions react differently to a positive statement or a negative statement. Make sure your goals are positively stated.

• Public goals are often more effective than private goals. Psychologically you are more apt to achieve your goals if you know that other people are "watching." or you are accountable to someone.

 

Final Thoughts:

Even failed goals serve a purpose. It's easy to look at failed goals as a disappointment, but in most cases "failed" goals serve a purpose - to re-direct us to a better path.