Goals. Just what are they anyways? We are asked frequently what our goals are for business, family, life, etc. without a real explanation of what goals are. Do I have good goals? How do I know I’m on the right path to achieving my goals?
Although we are told to have goals, we aren’t taught how to set them. At least not in a way that will achieve maximum results. So today that is what we are going to learn: A process to setting achievable goals.
Before we begin, let’s define the word. While there are many acceptable answers, a good definition of the word goal is simply your desired result, the chief aim of your ambition. In even simpler terms, what you want to have or achieve most in a specific area of your life.
Now that we have defined the word, let’s talk about the right way to set goals: writing them down. As simple and silly as that sounds, there is a lot of evidence behind the power of writing down your goals. In his book: “NO MORE EXCUSES!” Brian Tracy discusses a study done on people that set new years resolutions. Half of the focus group simply wrote their goals down, while the other half just said what they wanted to accomplish. An astonishing 93% of the people that wrote their goals down accomplished what they set out to do, while a measly 6% accomplished their goal from the group that did not write their goals. Your brain becomes rewired when you put pen to paper, so taking the little bit of time to write your goals down will increase your likelihood of success by a tremendous margin.
Now that we have discussed the importance of writing your goals, let’s talk about the process of achieving them. These 7 steps will change your life if you take them seriously, starting with:
#1. Decide EXACTLY what you want.
Deciding your chief aim is of vital importance. As the great Napolean Hill wrote in his book “Think and Grow Rich,” Success in anything is achieved by definiteness of purpose and sustained thought, so deciding definitely what you want is key.
#2. Write it down.
Bet you didn’t see this one coming! Use the superpower of your brain by taking pen to paper.
#3. Set a Time Period for Your Goal.
A goal is not a goal if there is not a deadline to achieve it. A goal without a deadline is a wish, and a wish has no driving force behind it. Set sub goals if the goal you have is too big to achieve right away. Remember that there are no unrealistic goals, only unrealistic deadlines.
#4. Make a list of every possible thing you can do to achieve your goal.
Define as much as you can before you start. The further out you can think the more prepared you can be in the long run. Make lists of the obstacles you’ll face, the knowledge you’ll need, the people you will need to help you, the equipment you’ll need, and anything else you can think of. It doesn’t need to be perfect.
#5. Organize the list by sequence and priority.
Once you’ve collected all your pieces, now you put your puzzle together. Put things in order of priority and sequence, this will make the gameplan much easier to follow since you will already have an action list to take.
#6. Take action on your plan immediately, don’t stop.
Winners take action with no fear of failure. Understand that this is your life, no one can build it for you. It is up to you to pursue and accomplish your goals and dreams, and the world needs you to do it. Be relentless in your pursuit.
#7. Do something to take you toward your goal every day.
Success does not care about the validity of your excuse. Each step forward makes the next one just a little bit easier. There is a great book called “The Compound Effect” By Darren Hardy that talks about the importance of doing something every day. Each day you take action is a multiplier, and each day momentum will build until it comes to the point where you have so much momentum that nothing can stop you.