Goal Setting
We have all practiced the art
of goal setting at one point or another in our
lives. Some goals more realistic than others but
never the less, goals that we’d like to reach. Many
of us fail to see them through because we lack the
knowledge to get started in making them reality. In
this article we will discuss how to take action
towards getting those goals out of your head and
into the world of reality.
Goals only become a reality if
you act upon them. Below we outline step-by-step
instructions to help you create attainable goals and
the actions needed to complete them. By following
this plan, you will be more prepared to succeed at
meeting your goals in life, no matter what they may
be.
1. Write it down. Many dreams
are forgotten because we neglect to put it on paper.
One day we’ll say, “Oh, yeah, I wanted to do that
when I was young.” No one says that you have to
pursue all of the goals that are listed on the
paper, but if you do choose to work towards it,
you’ll remember what it was in the first place. One
effective way to do this is to make your list of
goals within a journal because you will be writing
other lists that pertain to these goals as you work
towards their completion.
2. Make a decision about the
goals you’ve written down. Each goal has
possibilities and difficulties. Begin a list of the
pros and cons of each goal you wrote down in step
one. This will help you narrow down your choices.
Those with too many cons may need to be omitted from
your list or at least moved to another list for now.
3. Are these goals for me? Now
that we have narrowed the list to the possible
goals, how do you feel about each one? Take the time
to list your feelings about the goals left on the
list. Be sure to list positive thoughts as well as
any misgivings you may have. Being a lawyer can be a
worthy goal, but if you have small children at home,
this may not be the right time to pursue it. Or,
there may be other ways you can help with law
enforcement besides becoming an attorney.
4. Create a plan for the
goals. This goes for every goal even if it won’t be
pursued right now. Five years down the road, you may
want to think about selling your home or moving to
another state. When it comes time to look at this
goal, you will already have a plan for achieving it.
The plan can be for a long term or short term goal.
If plans for different goals mesh together, more
than one goal can be pursued at a time. Tip: It
might be wise, especially if this is the first time
working with goal planning, to focus on one or two
goals right now and revisit the others at a later
time.
5. Divide the plan into
manageable steps. It is easy to become overwhelmed
when thinking about the completed goal. Starting a
business is a commitment both of finances and time.
Realize, everything doesn’t have to be done all at
one time. Steps or milestones, allow for smaller
goals to be achieved on the way to the bigger one.
6. Get going. The hardest part
is over. You have taken the time to put a plan in
place and pursue the dream that has lain dormant for
years. Start with step one and work your way
forward.
Taking action towards a goal
does not have to seem overwhelming if you take time
to decide which goals are worth going after,
planning the steps necessary to get to the desired
result, and simply get going with those steps.
Before any goal can get off the ground, it needs a
direction to go. Once you have the direction it’s
just a matter of checking things off your list until
they are complete. Take things one step at a time
and you’ll reach the finish line before you know it.
