All of us have hopes and dreams for our lives, but only some of us achieve those dreams. Why is that? Is it luck or chance? Perhaps, it is for some. For most, it comes down to decision and action.
There are many sayings about dreams and goals. A goal that’s not written down, that does not have a deadline or a plan is just a dream- and that is why for so many people, their dreams remain only dreams forever. You cannot just hope and wish that your dreams will come true. You must act on it.
This is where goal planning comes in; the beginning of all great things. Before you can even begin to make any big moves, you must make a plan. We’ve come up with a list of some of our favorite goal-setting tips for some inspiration. Happy goal setting!
See how CEO, Mateo, set and achieved goals and won an award at our last conference.
-Choose the right goals. Be honest with yourself, and find a middle ground between aiming too high and not setting your standards high enough. In addition, consider your situation and priorities. Set goals that are appropriate for your current needs.
-Make sure they’re attainable. Don’t set goals that are too far out of reach; you will only be setting yourself up for disappointment and discouragement. If there is a particular goal you’re aiming for that isn’t quite in sight at the moment, set smaller goals that will get you closer to that destination.
-Make sure they’re measurable. Goals must be measurable so you can track your progress, and hold yourself accountable. It is too easy to let lack of progress go under the radar if you are not consistently tracking it and holding yourself accountable. Which brings us to our next tip…
-Write them down! Make sure you write every single goal down and put them in a place where you will see them every day. We need visual cues to keep us motivated and to help us remember; otherwise we lose inspiration. How many New Years resolutions have come and gone without us actually following through? We tend to get psyched up about change and goal setting, but we lose momentum, when the hype dies down. Kind of an out of sight, out of mind type of thing. So, write those goals down, put them on a poster, write them in glitter, whatever you have to do to make them catch your eye every day.
–Make a game plan. Having a pretty little set of goals just isn’t going to cut it if you don’t have a concrete plan as to how you’re going to accomplish those goals. Sometimes this includes breaking each goal down into smaller goals. Maybe it means coming up with a few back-up plans. Take your time to work it out.
-Expect some setbacks. In order to be successful, you first must fail- probably more than once. Don’t let yourself get all bent out of shape when things go south. Brush yourself off, and get back in the game. Chances are, you learned something; at the very least, you learned what not to do. This is why it’s great to come up with a few alternative strategies in your planning phase. Additionally, by planning and allowing for some setbacks, it softens the blow and you’ll be able to get right back to it without fumbling or giving up.
-Assess regularly. Don’t forget to take a step back and assess how you’re doing. Are you accomplishing what you’ve set out to accomplish? If not, do you need to step it up a bit, or alter your goal? If you are are crushing your goals, maybe you should add some more! Make sure you’re not becoming complacent!
-Celebrate your victories. Don’t forget to congratulate yourself on your achievements! Take care of yourself and reward yourself for all of your hard work.
Setting and achieving goals is a healthy and constructive habit that each and every one of us should adopt if we want to lead a successful and fulfilling life. Not only does goal setting help us to achieve the things we most desire, it also provides us with a feeling of accomplishment and pride.
Prestige Business Solutions 