Setting effective goals—how do you go about in achieving them? Perhaps you hoped to eat healthily from now on, start going back to the gym or be more patient with other people. But these are just wishes, not goals. Yes, the aspiration to improve ourselves for the better is there and it’s authentic.
However, the processes we carry on whilst pursuing this aspiration is rather defective or not working at all. If you want to set effective goals, first and foremost, your goal in mind must be very significant and essential to you. Be sure that whatever you’re investing time, effort (and money sometimes!) are into the things you’re truly passionate about.
More importantly, you must be the person to generate that goal---and not anyone else to do it for you. Also, when you set effective goals, make them calculable (in short, there’s a timeline and end date) and exact. For example, you can say that you want to finish the remaining 5 pages of your book by July 5, 2009.
Now, that’s a goal since you’ll know at the end of the time allotted if indeed you’ve attained your goal or not. When you want your goal to be successful, an end date is necessary to discourage you from procrastinating. This should not prevent you from setting an end date just because you’re scared of failing.
One thing to bear in mind when setting effective goals is to be patient and realistic. You can first concentrate or zero in on just a few manageable tasks one step at a time and then you could eventually move on to more difficult and challenging step. Certainly, it’s always best to write down your goals so that you’ll keep yourself on track every now and then.
It would also be a big help if you can post them in your daily planner, in your bulletin boards, on your desk, or wherever you like to be reminded of your objectives. For your goal setting to be effective and successful, you should evaluate and assess them from time to time, preferably, on a regular basis.
Doing this is making a dedicated commitment on your part that’s worth your time and effort to be invested in this endeavor—because you know that it is for your own good anyway. Your accomplishment in your devotion to pursue effective goals is what keeps you get going, exciting that “fire in the belly”!
The author of this article, Amy Twain, is a Self Improvement Coach who has been successfully coaching and guiding clients for many years. Amy recently published a new home study course on how to boost your Self Esteem. Click here to get more info about her Quick-Action Plan for A More Confident You.