If you look around at the
"successful" people in life, they are setting goals.
Often we are resistant to setting
goals. There are many reasons, pessimism that they won't work, fear of failure,
lack of time, lack of thought, etc. The irony is you cannot arrive at a place
you have not planned to reach. Either you can let life happen to you or you can
be intentional about heading someplace. Flexibility and letting things take
their natural course have their place, but if you have no destination picked,
you are subject to what life will give you, rather than pursuing with passion
what you want.
In the upcoming year, what do you
want? Below are 5 tips to make your goals stick:
1) Visualize an inspirational goal.
As you think back over the past year, what are you proud and excited about?
What worked for you? What did not happen that you wanted? What did not work? As
you think about the past, begin to think about the future (life, business,
etc.). Where would you like to be one year from now? Visualize what that looks
like if your life was exactly how you wanted it in one year. What would be
happening? What would be different? Allow yourself to visualize your goal. A
vision that gets you pumped up and excited is something you will work hard for.
Begin by writing your vision of what your goal would look like when it is
complete.
2) Be clear and concise. Given your
vision of what you want your future to look like, what will it take to make
that happen? Put this into the form of a SMART goal statement.
· Specific - precise. i.e. 20% over
quota
· Measurable - way to check progress.
i.e. 3 trainings.
· Achievable - It is possible. (keep
fantasies in check)
· Realistic - Challenge yourself to
stretch and grow.
· Timed - Have a completion/ success
date.
3) Write goals in 1st person, with
emotion and as if they were complete.
I have a balanced and peaceful life
working 40 hours a week earning $100K in a field I love, AND have 3 quality
hours each day to spend with my family in addition to feeling great because I
am healthy (energy), fit (140lbs.) and having fun (weekly activity).
Accounting Solutions Inc. is proud to
be the #1 leader in the Raleigh area to provide a one-stop for all small
business accounting needs as evidenced by being the top choice for 40% of
companies under 50 and servicing over 500 local companies. (December 2007)
4) Break it down and develop a plan.
If you want to accomplish your goal, break down the yearly goal into monthly
milestones. What will it take each month to move you closer to your goal? Each
month break it down into weekly goals. What will it take each week to
accomplish your monthly goal? Each week, break it down into daily goals of what
it will take to accomplish your week's goal. While this may seem like a lot of
work, it is simply creating a roadmap for you to follow straight to goal
success. It is overwhelming and often difficult to see the measurable tasks
that need to happen daily to make your goal happen. By breaking it down, you
are able to push and make sure your goal is realistic and attainable.
5) Review daily. Post it in 3 spots
where you can read it daily. Brian Tracey reports the single most effective
thing you can do, though, is handwrite your goal each day until it is done.
Why set goals?
increase in energy and excitement as
you start moving toward your passions & goals more powerful as you are
making life happen rather than letting life happen to you. greater focus and
direction and greater purpose.
What are you aiming for today? What
are you excited about? Where do you want to be heading? Craft your goal today!
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