Despite the power of goal setting, it is not a very common practice, except with those who are “successful.” In fact, the process of setting goals and actualizing them is core to their success.
Why don’t we consistently set and work toward achieving our goals?
Have you ever struggled trying to find your goals? Are you uncertain if the goals you have found are really the right ones?
Or have you simply procrastinated and put off setting goals because you feel unwilling to commit or you suspect that the goals you set may be too limiting?
There are myriad reasons why we are not good at goal setting and there are steps that you can take to help you set good goals.
Step 1: Do a “Brain Dump”
The purpose of this step is to collect the raw data that is already inside you. This data will be used to refine and define what is truly important to you.
Step 2: Categorize the List
The purpose of this step is to start to evaluate the nature of your goals. In this step you will begin to sort out what is more meaningful to you. It is useful to understand the nature of the list of goals you have written. Break the list into the following categories: things you want to have, things you want to do, and who you want to become.
Step 3: Seek Your Motivation for Wanting the Goal
The purpose of this step is to examine your passion and desire to accomplish the important goals you have discovered. The “want-to” is more vital than the “what-to.”
Step 4: Break Large Goals and Long-Term Goals Into Sub-Goals
In this step you will start to size your goals into doable chunks. The large is broken into small. Create sub-goals that will lead to the achievement of the larger goals. At the end of this stage you should have a list of the significant goals of your life along with the sub-goals that support them.
Step 5: Create a General Time Frame for Achieving Each Goal
In this step you will add a time frame for doing each goal. This is where commitment begins. This is where it starts to become real, because you are now placing a deadline on achieving it. Setting a general time frame for achieving each will help you to start the prioritization process. You have a lifetime to achieve the goals, so a specific date is not required at this time.
In part two, we’ll explore the next steps which include finding the goals you want to start on now, how to start them, achieve them, and start new goals!
Mark Victor Hansen, best known as the co-creator of the ‘Chicken Soup for the Soul’ empire (which is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the best-selling non-fiction book series ever), Mark is a walking success magnet! Between his books and speeches, Mark has helped countless millions of people become their very best. Visit Mark’s 101 E-Book Library at www.IdeasThatCanChangeYourLife.com.