How to Set Effective Goals
Effective goal setting lies at the core of any successful venture! Look into the characteristics of good goals and learn how to create a game plan to accomplish your dreams.
We all know that success does not normally happen in one big leap, but is usually a result of completing several smaller steps on the way — our goals. Setting goals means taking responsibility for the situation we are in, instead of just drifting downstream and letting other people decide for us. Goals provide mental clarity and focus our energy. In addition, they build our character, because to achieve a goal we need to be disciplined and consistent. One of the greatest benefits of goal setting is not even in their accomplishment, but in the kind of person one becomes in the process.
The first step to take before setting goals is probably getting clear on our values and purpose in life, because these are the things that will define our goals and drive them. I like to think of goals as a roadmap: breaking down our life vision into smaller, more achievable, practical steps that will eventually lead to accomplishing a big dream. So, let’s take a closer look into the anatomy of goals.
First of all, there are several types of goals, and the way to approach them will differ. There are lifetime goals, long term goals and short term goals. For instance, if you are a writer, your life time goal may be to produce a series of best selling books or receive a Nobel Prize, while your long term goal may be to write your first book, and your short term goal could be to submit a book proposal (or your first draft) to your publisher.
And while I absolutely love big lifetime goals that align with our vision, unfortunately it’s easy to lose sight of that big end goal when the period is too long and our everyday life interferes with it. It’s much better to focus on shorter term goals — tangible, attainable projects that serve as stepping stones on the way to building your ideal future.
The best part is that these steps can be incorporated into everyday life — and they will help us get to that ideal future through everyday actions. Sometimes five years, three years, or even one year might sound too long. And it’s harder to plan for such a long period of time. So, focusing instead on a shorter period of 3 to 6 months is more practical and produces better results.
Another important point is that our goals should meet certain criteria. In particular, they should be SMART goals: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic or relevant, and time-bound.
Being specific means that we have a very good understanding of what we want and are clear on the details such as dates and numbers: when will it happen? Where? What exactly are you aiming to achieve? Write down as many details as possible. Scheduling the steps and putting deadlines on them means that you can celebrate when you achieve them, which also adds to your motivation.
We should also make it measurable by deciding how we can measure and track our progress. Using a Habit Tracker could be a great idea to create consistency and monitor our success.
Setting achievable goals is important in order not to lose motivation. Choosing something too difficult to reach in a short time can be discouraging. Always consider how the goal can be accomplished — write down all the steps and tasks that will take you closer to the desired result.
Choosing realistic goals is taking into consideration the time frame and the resources we have and being honest whether the goal is actually achievable, or if we need more time, or some extra help. For instance, we might all want to be able to lose those naughty 5 kilos overnight, but we all understand that this is not how weight loss works. So be realistic about your situation as well as the obstacles you might encounter.
We should also remember to keep both the goal and the process relevant to our life and our situation. We often look at other people and think that if something worked for them, it will work for us too, but it’s not always the case, as our resources, personalities and circumstances are different. Do not compare yourself with others: we should measure our progress taking into consideration our own circumstances, not other people’s.
Finally, deciding how much time we will need, and setting deadlines so we can celebrate and reward our successes can add to our motivation and keep us more organized. In the words of Tony Robbins,
“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.”
Set your goals, plan your week for maximum productivity and track your progress. And I hope that reflecting on all the points we discussed today will help you set the best goals and have them accomplished in no time!