Are you wondering how to properly set goals? Do you have big dreams that feel intimidating when trying to figure out what you need to do in order to actually accomplish them?
This post is all about some tips you can use when goal setting so that you can finally get clear on what actions will lead to your success.
Tips to goal setting:
- Decide what you want: Get clear on exactly what it is that you desire. Make sure to be honest with yourself. List out everything that you want.
Be really specific about what you want your life to be like and what you want to be experiencing.
To help you with this, you can try writing out your ideal day. What would the perfect day be like for you? After that, ask yourself what the major components of that vision are and what would need to be in place in order for you to experience that as a reality.
- Narrow your focus: After identifying what you want, you will want to identify what you will focus on.
You will want to choose one key area to focus on so that you can direct your efforts and actually create results.
It may be difficult to let go of the idea of “overhauling your life” but no transformation will happen overnight. Growth is a process, and so is achieving your goals. Get clear on the one goal that will make your other goals possible or easier to accomplish.
- Identify the outcome: Define the specific result you want to achieve. What will it take for your goal to be considered accomplished? What are the metrics by which you will measure your goal? Try to associate a number with it.
- Set a date: Set a clear date by which you intend to achieve that result. Establishing the deadline for the goal is crucial to creating the sense of urgency you will need to push forward and be consistent in your efforts.
Without a sense of urgency, you will always feel that your efforts can be pushed back, as it will be difficult to see why you should take action now.
Having a deadline also encourages you to see the importance of your efforts today because it puts into perspective how much time you have to achieve your desired result. Setting deadlines for your outcome and milestones will help give you the push you need to start taking action.
- Identify your action plan: Now that you have an idea of the result and when you intend to achieve it, you will want to define the action steps you will take in order to get there.
Identify the key milestones associated with your goal. Make note of what you will need to achieve each quarter, month, week, and day.
When creating your milestones, remember to focus on the actions you will take rather than just the outcome. It is a good idea to have the outcome in mind. However, when executing, you will need milestones that reflect what you intend to be doing.
- Define your metrics: Figure out how you will be measuring not only the accomplishment of the goal, but also the action steps necessary to get there.
You will want to strategically measure your efforts so that you can monitor your progress and easily check if you are being consistent.
This looks like assigning numeric values to your goals and action steps so that you can set goals you will actually achieve. Your metrics as well as your goal should be attainable to ensure that you don’t get discouraged by trying to push for an out-of-reach goal.
Bonus Tip:
Track your progress: It is very important to have a system by which you measure your progress. Having the metrics gives you the numbers to look for, while having a system to track your progress will streamline the goal achievement process. You could use a custom build digital system or pen and paper. Either way, make sure you have an established way of evaluating how far you’ve come and how much closer you are to your overall goal. This will also help to keep you encouraged throughout the process of taking action toward your goals.
Setting measurable and actionable goals is the first step to actually being able to create the experiences we want to have. No matter what your goals are, be sure to be honest with yourself throughout the goal setting process. Take time to clearly define what it is that you want and what you will need to do step by step in order to get there. Remember, you won’t get something for nothing. That is why a goal without an action plan is just a dream or a wish.
To setting goals you will actually achieve,
Adina
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