How to Set Goals

If you don't have a goal how can you reach it?

This page will show you how to set goals and break them down into easily accomplished steps. The importance of goal setting can not be over emphasized, they are the road map and directions to where you want to be.

In business they are often called the business plan. Every successful business person has one or more business plans, they really know how to set goals. Most businesses fail in the first two years, I believe this is mainly because they did not start out with properly laid out goals and plans.

Very few people ever sit down to work out what their life goals are, they probably don't even know how to set goals. When you look at society and start to see how many frustrated, confused and lost people there are you will realize how important goals are. They will wonder what life is about or whether there is any point to their lives, that is a terrible feeling.

When you learn how to set goals you will have direction and purpose. You will have the drive and the power to overcome the obstacles that life throws at you, the determination to win through. Good athletes are continually setting higher goals and you will notice that people will admire them. Even if someone is not interested in a sport they will still respect the athlete. Having a goal, and the drive to push through to it, is a very admirable quality.

Set Your Goals

There are quite a few steps in learning how to set goals, each of them are important. This is the goals list.

The Goal itself. What exactly is it that you want, where do you want to be?

The Reason. Why do you want to achieve that. This is where passion comes in. If you have not read the page Unlock the Passion yet, I recommend that you do, it will give you the necessary drive.

The Foundation. These are the rules and principles that you build on. For example, I will deliver the best quality for the price, or we will have open communication.

The Plan. This is the broad overview of how you will get there.

The Actions. What are the major steps that you will take to achieve your goal.

The Steps. The simple actions that lead to the main actions.

The Progress. You will need to keep track of the things you are doing. This could be how much money you earned or a schedule of when you expect each action to be completed. Anything that will let you know how its going.

The Completions. These are the rewards along the way. It gives you a feeling of satisfaction when you can look at a step or action and say done. It is important to reward yourself once in a while.

You should work these forwards and backwards until everything lines up. For major goals like life or a business this could take hours, minor ones may be done in a couple of minutes. In the Reason part, try to make sure that it lines up with your life goals. Success at anything is a lot easier when it addresses your passion.

How it Works

Now that you have learned how to set goals, I will lay out a simple (silly) goal.

Make a cup of coffee (Goal). I need a break to gather my thoughts (Reason). It must have one teaspoon of sugar and be hot (Foundation). Go to the kitchen to make the coffee (Plan). Boil the water, put the ingredients in the cup, pour the water in the cup (Actions). Find the cup, find the spoon, put the water in the kettle etc (Steps). Watch for the steam from the kettle (Progress). The coffee and sugar are in the cup, the kettle is boiling, water poured in the cup (Completions). Sit back and enjoy the coffee (Goal Completion).

As I said this was a silly goal that you would not really have to think about but it gives you the idea. Try a simple one for yourself, it will let you know if you know how to set goals.

One of the problems that many of us suffer is procrastination. Sometimes I just can't seem to get started. There is a way to handle this. Take a look at the first Step in your goals list and do it. If you still can't get going, break it down even more.

When I have a hard time getting a page written for this website I take a look at what I can do. Well I can turn on the computer, that's easy enough. Now open the program, alright. Hmm a little writers block, just type a few words about anything, I can always change it later. Procrastination is human inertia, once the ball starts to roll it gets easier and easier.

If you are still having problems then review your Reason, get the passion going again.

Now that you know how to set goals do it for a few of the everyday things that you want to accomplish. Soon you will not have to think about it, you will only have to write out the goals list for major projects.

Knowing how to set goals will make your life a lot easier, have fun with it. Goal setting and achieving goals is vital to your success so I have expanded this in Setting Personal Goals and Achieving Goals. If you need any help with this please Contact Me.

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