Goals….

I have been thinking a lot about goals lately, so today’s blog is to share my thoughts.

Zig Ziglar, an American author and motivational speaker once said:

“Goals are dreams we convert to plans and take action to fulfil.”

Without goals we have no direction, it’s as simple as that. Goals provide you with drive, focus and direction; they keep you on track.

You wouldn’t embark on a road trip without a map and knowing your final destination.  Life is a journey, so why should it be any different?

I once read somewhere:

“Keep your head and you heart in the right direction and you’ll never have to worry about your feet.”

When setting a goal, you think about and visualise your ideal future. The purpose of a goal is to serve as motivation to turn your vision of that future into a reality.

It is important when you are setting your goal that you ensure it is defined, achievable and measurable. The goal could be big or small, even long or short term.

By settling goals that are achievable, you promote self confidence and a sense of self once you achieve your goal. By having goals that are measurable, you can gauge your progress and what you have accomplished along the way.

Paul J Meyer has summed up the process of setting goals perfectly:

“Crystallize your goals. Make a plan for achieving them and set yourself a deadline. Then, with supreme confidence, determination and disregards for obstacles and other people’s criticisms, carry out your plan.”

 

Wondering where to start?

My number one tip for starting out would be to start a journal. Somewhere you can write your goal down, as well as your ideas and progress along the way.

Your journal will be a vital tool to help you along the way; to remind you of your goal, to help you stay on track, or for reflection to see how far you have come.

Still wondering where to start? I have broken down the process of goal setting into 5 easy steps.

Step 1) Set a goal –

Start by thinking of the bigger picture; the overall goal you wish to achieve.

Ask yourself what is it you want to do or achieve?

Ensure your goal is both achievable and realistic. Will you have the determination, strength, resources and willingness to achieve it?

When creating a goal, I often find the SMART method is useful to measure against.

S – Specific

M – Measurable

A – Attainable

R – Relevant

T – Time-bound

Does your goal apply to this method?

 

Write your goal/s down somewhere. In a journal or even just on a post it note. Make sure you have it written somewhere you can read it frequently.

Step 2) Make a plan –

Now you have your overall goal in mind, break it down into smaller goals which can be done step by step and will help you to achieve that overall goal.

Write the smaller goals down so you can tick them off as you achieve them. Each one ticked is a step closer to achieving your overall goal.

When creating your plan, ask yourself how are you going to work towards achieving the smaller goals and also the overall end goal?

Step 3) Get to work –

You have your plan and are ready to go! Start working on the smaller goals.

Make sure you don’t lose sight of the bigger picture and your overall goal. Stay focused.

4) Stick to it –

Take the time to reflect on your journey to ensure you are staying on track.

Record your progress. What has helped you? What has distracted you? What have you accomplished?

Reflection is an important part of the whole process. It will help to see if you are on track and will identify where you can improve.

Remember at some point you may encounter failure. But don’t give up!

Failure will be a part of the journey, but the trick is to keep trying. Learn from it. Real failure is giving up.

Step 5) REACH GOAL!

Enjoy the achievement and the satisfaction of having achieved your goal. If it was a major goal, or a long term goal reward yourself!

Again, take the time reflect on the journey to this point. Record the moment for later reflection & a tool to help when you are next setting a goal.

I hope you may find my tips useful.

Remember, you have no idea of what you are capable of until you try. Challenge yourself, you may just surprise yourself. Good luck!

Till next time,

Sarah xox