THE SECRETS OF ACHIEVING YOUR GOAL
WHY DO WE NEED GOALS?
Goals give you direction in all areas of your life Personal, Career, Spiritual, Material, and Contribution. Goals give you a purpose in life. A reason to get up early in the morning and go to bed late at night. Goals will put drive and passion into your life.
Not having goals is similar to sailing a ship across the Atlantic without a map. Goals, like maps, help you get to your destination much faster than sailing though life aimlessly.
HOW DO I SET GOALS?
First you must dream! Dream of everything you want, and have always wanted in every facet of your life. There are no limits.
Ask yourself, “What would I attempt to do, if I knew I could not fail?” “What would I want for my life if I knew I could have it?”
Allow yourself to dream like you did as a child. Let your imagination run wild! Brainstorm. Write your ideas down on paper and decide which ones are the most important to you.
Now it is time to define your dream precisely. Which of these goals are most important to you, and why? On a fresh piece of paper, write down one goal at a time. Beside the heading, write down a deadline for achieving that goal. Be sure that the deadline is realistic.
THE SECRETS OF ACHIEVING YOUR GOALS
1. Make your goals inspirational.
You need to set goals grand enough to challenge yourself. Remember that if you don’t have to push yourself beyond your current limits to reach your goals, you’re not really achieving anything. To truly be successful, and reach your true potential, you must constantly push yourself to move outside of your "comfort zone”.
2. Define your goals with clarity.
Be precise in what you want. The more clearly defined your goal is, the easier it will be to attain. For example, let’s say you want to buy a house. To say you want to buy a house is not enough. To find a house you’ll really be happy with, you have to specify exactly what you want. Do you want to live in the country or the city? Do you want a two story or a bungalow? Do you want a brick house or a wood house? How many square feet do you want? Do you want a pool? How much can you afford? As you can see there are many questions to ask. The more questions you ask yourself, and are able to answer, the clearer your goal will be. Once you know the exact outcome you want, you will be able to create an action plan that will ensure your success.
3. Write a paragraph.
Write a paragraph or two describing exactly why you absolutely must attain your goal. Write down all the reasons why you are committed to attain your goal. Feel the emotion stir up inside of you. Feel the passion and drive. This will bring the goal to life! How would you feel one year from now if you were to attain all your goals? How would that make you feel about yourself? Would your feel proud? Would your self-esteem be increased? Would you feel unstoppable? Would you feel more confident in your ability? What results would you get from reaching your goals? Would you have greater job security? Would you be up for a promotion? Would you be earning more money? Would your family and friends be proud of you? How would that make you feel?
4. Write another paragraph!
This paragraph or two should explain what will happen if you don’t attain your goal. How will you feel? What will happen to your lifestyle? Will you be embarrassed? Will you loose self-esteem? Will you loose your job? The more emotion you can put behind the reasons why you must succeed and why you must not fail, the more committed to attaining your goals you will become.
5. Constantly evaluate your progress.
Having an action plan is not enough. The captain in the previous example will have to constantly evaluate his progress in order to be sure he is on target. Unforeseen obstacles are sure to arise, such as a hailstorm, or increased southerly winds. As a result, he may have to increase his speed or guide the boat in a more westerly direction. In other words, notice what is working and what is not. If an approach is not working, don’t waste your time with it. Change your approach.
6. Never lose sight of your goal.
Take the time to review your goals every morning when you get up and every night before you go to bed. This will keep them fresh in your mind. If you think reviewing your goals twice a day is too much to ask, maybe you should reevaluate what it is you want. Ask yourself, “How important is it to me that I attain my goals?”
7. Don’t procrastinate.
Procrastination is a “silent killer”. Understand that the only way to achieve your goals is to take action! Knowledge means nothing if you don’t apply it. How many people have you come across with an unbelievable amount of education working a mediocre job? The world is full of people who don’t apply their knowledge. On the other hand, chances are you know of people with less educational background who apply everything they learn. These people are usually the ones who are most successful in all areas of their lives.
Do something right now that will help you to achieve your goals. There is no time like the present! Get the ball rolling. Each step you take brings you one step closer to the life you want. Remember the motto, “The road to Someday, leads to the town of Nowhere”. Someday is today!
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