Why is goal setting so important? Setting goals gives you the short-term motivation you need to help you focus your time and energy towards your long-term vision. It’s been proven time and time again that successful business people, athletes, and other high-level achievers from all fields are goal setters.
Have you tried to set goals for yourself only to find that you were not able to achieve the intended result you were hoping for? Have you wondered what you could do differently? Here are some tips to help you become a professional goal setter:
Be Specific: Many of us have similar goals – live a healthier lifestyle, exercise more, and/or find a new job. Those are great goals, but the problem with them is that they are pretty vague. In order to properly create achievable goals, we need to be more specific. In addition to setting the goal, we should be asking questions like what foods should we be eating; how often should we be exercising; what do I really need to do to find that new job?
Write It Down: Putting your goals in writing has been proven to add an extra element of accountability. The evidence and statistics backing the support of goal setting are clear. A Harvard Business Study found that the 3% of graduates from their MBA who had their goals written down, ended up earning ten times as much as the other 97% put together, just ten years after graduation.
Stay Motivated: I’ll be honest, this can be a tough one. The main thing is to do your best to focus on the big picture! Find out what inspires you and keep seeking that. Create a picture board, write affirmations, review your written goals. It’s also very motivating to surround yourself with positive, upbeat people. Discover things that inspire you. Most importantly, if you get off track, don’t give up. Just consider it to be a temporary detour and push forward!
Be Realistic: Make sure your goals are realistic. So many of us set ourselves up for failure because we set unrealistic goals. One of the most common goal failures is trying to lose a large amount of weight in a very short time period. Admit it, we’ve all done that one! And really, how successful were we??? The same goes when searching for a new job – we have to be realistic. It’s extremely rare for a job seeker to submit a resume on Monday and have a new job by Friday. Bottom line is this, be as specific and realistic as possible so you don’t set yourself up for failure.
Ask For Help: We all hit roadblocks. It’s human nature. If this happens to you, just ask for help. Seek feedback and advice from trusted individuals. Not matter what – DO NOT GIVE UP! Obstacles will come, but they don’t have to put an end to your progress. Just keep at it!
If you incorporate these five steps in your goal setting process, you will come closer to achieving your goals. Give it a try. Track your progress. It may be hard at first, but it is worth it! Most importantly, don’t forget to celebrate your successes, no matter how big or small. You can even share your stories with us in the Comment Section. We’d love to hear from you! Good luck! Until next time, happy goal setting!