Personal Goal Setting - Get what you want

Find Direction - Live Your Life Your Way

We’ve all heard this phrase, “Set your goals” or “you need to write your goals down and you will succeed." And some of you may think,

1. I have no idea how to do this.

2. This all sounds too airy fairy for me. Like should I write my goals down? And bam! Just Like magic I will become a millionaire.

3. I simply have no time to write anything down.

For those who have dilemma number one, I will aim to show you how to set goals through this article using a simple step by step guide. For you who may think it’s all airy fairy, well it’s not. This theory is backed by science, which is directly related to the law of vibration (The law of Attraction) Have you ever heard, “Like attracts like?” The thoughts which you choose dictate the vibration you're in. Negative thinking projects the body into a negative vibration and attracts it's like. Positive thinking throws the body into a positive vibration and attracts what it likes.

For those who have no time, well make time. Stop being lazy, because it doesn’t matter how talented or smart you are, the most successful people are those who are determined (and let me tell you that I’ve come across a few successes who lacked in both talent and the IQ department) but what set them out from the others was;

a) They were active, active, active

b) They were determined

c) They knew exactly what they wanted

They didn’t just sit around dreaming for that big house, they didn’t picture themselves on an island somewhere in the Caribbean, they didn’t look at models in magazines and have wishful thinking of looking healthy and fit. These people knew what they wanted, wrote down what they wanted and got out there and did it. These people could at least sing “I did it my way” by Frank Sanatra on their death beds. Because they went out there, accomplished their ambitions and truly did life their way.

What is Goal Setting ?

Goal setting is a powerful process for thinking about your ideal future, and for motivating yourself to turn this vision of the future into reality. The power of writing it down, has been proven time and time again by the most successful athletes, business people and high achievers. The process of setting goals helps you choose where you want to go in life. By knowing precisely what you want to achieve, you know where you have to concentrate your efforts. You'll also quickly spot the distractions that would otherwise change your direction.

When you properly set goals it can be very motivating, and as you get into the habit of setting and achieving goals, you'll find that your self-confidence also builds rapidly.

How To Do This?

STEP 1

Write a Gratitude list

Okay before you write down your goals, you must know what you are grateful for. You must appreciate the great things that you have been blessed with. It is important to appreciate these things, even if it is for the fact that you live in a great country or even got out of bed in the morning. These are benefits that others may not have licence to.

Now take out blank piece of paper, and at the top centre write “ Gratitude List” and write down the list of things that you are thankful for.

I'm grateful for ................................................
......................................................
......................................................

If you have a hundred things that you are grateful for, make sure you write them all down.

Step 2

Write a list of Accomplishments

It’s great to be aware of all you have achieved in the past. This will not only boost you confidence but also motivate you to do it again. Set a bench mark for yourself and keep going.

So take out another piece of paper and write at the top centre “My Accomplishments” write down everything you think of, no matter how minor you may think it is.

I have accomplished ..............................
..........................................................................................................................
If you have a hundred accomplishments make sure you write them all down.

Step 3

Let’s Get Started! With YOUR GOALS…

Goals should be divided into categories, in order to give you a broader coverage of all important areas in your life. Try to set goals in some of the suggested areas below (or identify a list of areas which are important to you): Spend some time brainstorming these, and select one goal in each category that best reflects what you want to do.

So What Are Some of The Categories?

· Health:Is your health holding you back? Do you want to get fit and be more active? If so, set a goal to improve your health or find a solution to the problem.

· Career:What do you want to achieve in your career? Do you want to become the CEO of the company you're employed at? Have a change of career? eg start your own business or simply find a job?

· Education:Are there any skills or qualifications you want to achieve? What information or courses will you need to do in order to achieve these goals?

· Relationships:
Are you looking for your ideal partner? Or do you simply want to work on a rocky relationship? How do you want to be seen by your partner, family and/or friends?

· Financial:How much do you want to earn and at what stages of your career? How much do you want to see in your bank account by the time you retire or to simply go on that long six months European trip you’ve dreamt about doing since college.

· Lifestyle:What does lifestyle mean to you? Is it having a bigger house? More of a social life? Travelling the world? Do you want children? Or simply having the simple necessities of life? Find out, and make sure that you’re achieving the life style you most deserve.

· Pleasure:Do you want to have times of pleasure? - you should make sure some of your life is for you!

· Anything Else?:
Do you want to make the world a better place? Do you want to get out there and get involved in charity work? If so, how? Do you want to have more faith in your religion ? Are you searching for a sense of purpose? Identify what else you want and write it down.

Note: Make sure the goals you have set are ones that you genuinely want to achieve, not ones that you think others want for you. (Be true to yourself!) Also make sure that they are realistic and practical. To write a goal that says “I will have a million dollars in the bank by the end of the year.” Unless you have an inheritance of such a sum, is not only wishful thinking but you’re setting yourself up for failure.

Step 4

Write down a list of your future goals, and how you will achieve them.

Now on a piece of paper write down each category that is important, your goal for this and how and when you want to achieve it.

1. Write down the date you will achieve this by.

2. Use positive language; Don’t write “I want to find a job.” But rather “I will find a job.”

3. Write specific actions you will take to achieve this goal. Eg; “I will wake up everyday at 6.30 am and go for a walk.” Or “I will hand out my resume to 100 companies.”

For Example:

HEALTH

By 3rd June 2014Goal: I will bring down my cholesterol level to ____ and lose three kilos.

Actions:1. I will go shopping today and stock up on fruits and vegetables.

2. I will eat healthy and cut out fried food and sugar and research healthy and nutritious recipes .

3. I will wake up early and walk for at least half an hour a day.

4. I will have had a medical check up and follow a health plan.

CAREER

By 4th May 2014

Goal: I will have the position of accounts manager.

Actions:

1. I will update my resume and have a kick arse cover letter.

2. I will apply for the position and follow up by calling them.

3. I will gain a job interview .

4. I will research company and job interview techniques. I will practice, practice and practice job interview techniques.

5. I will purchase a new suit and get a hair cut.

Note: review your plans, making sure you are on track with the way you want to live your life.

Once you have decided your first set of plans, keep the process going by reviewing and updating your “to-do list” on a daily basis.

Note: Occasionally review your long term plans, and modify them when and if your priorities and experience change.

Some further information for Setting Goals!

The following is only a guideline to help your realistic goals:

· Your goal should be a positive statement: eg “Do the best I can” is a positive statement rather than “Don't make stupid mistakes.”

· Be precise: eg, set a precise goals, with dates, times and amounts so that you can measure achievement . If you do this, you will know exactly when you have achieved the goal, giving you complete satisfaction from what has been achieved.

· Set priorities: When you have several goals, give each a priority. This helps you to avoid feeling overwhelmed by too many goals, and helps to direct your attention to the most important ones.

· Keep operational goals small: priorities your goals and work towards small and achievable ones. If a goal is too big, you may feel you are not making progress.

Remember: Keep goals small giving you more opportunities for success.

· Set performance goals, not outcome goals: Make sure you set goals which you have as much control as possible. There is nothing more disappointing than failing to achieve a personal goal for reasons beyond your control. Eg in sport, it could be poor judging, bad weather, injury, or just plain bad luck causing goals to be unsuccessful in being achieved. If you set your goals on personal performance, you can keep control over the achievement of your goals and draw satisfaction from them.

SMART Goals:This is a simple way to remember what is required when setting your goals:

· S Specific

· M Measurable

· A Attainable

· R Relevant

· T Time-bound

For example, instead of having “to sail around the world” as a goal, it is more powerful to say “I will have completed my trip around the world by 31st December, 2015.” Obviously, this will only be achievable if a lot of preparation has been completed beforehand!

· Set realistic goals: It is important to set goals that you can achieve. Be sure you set goals for you and not what you think others want from you. Make sure you don’t set goals that are too high or too complicated, as you may not achieve the results and understanding of the skill you need to develop to achieve a particular level of performance or ability you really required.

Finally the key to success is this one word 'DETERMINATION'. The courage to get up again if all fails, due to circumstances. The guts to take risks, and follow through until the end. The energy to replace lazy habits with active ones and to live life your way.

This information was put together from one of my successful lesson plans I have created on Motivation and positive thinking .