Did you know there are 7 steps to help make your goals achievable?
How many times have you heard that being successful is all down to setting goals? It may come as no surprise to learn that there is a lot more to success than just setting goals, but in this article we will show you why many people fail to achieve their goals and how to be successful, whatever you want to achieve in life.
Step 1: What is a goal?
A goal is a target which is achievable in measurable, attainable steps. It is more than just a desire or a need, and has an existence of its own. A desire or a wish is less tangible and often just fleeting. Who doesn’t desire or wish to win the lottery? A goal is so much more than a mere wish or desire.
Step 2: How to set a goal
Setting a goal is a process which starts with any desire, wish or need that is achievable by actions you can take. First, you must decide on the following:
- What do you want?
- Where do you want to be?
- You current status, career or qualifications.
You then break down the goal into small individual steps or actions. Achievable goals are those where you can influence their realisation and measure your progress towards them. Achieving long term, life changing goals is a process of successfully carrying out – step by step – short and medium term actions.
Step 3: What actions are required?
Goals require action on your part. Seems obvious, yes, but many people simply don’t take the action required.
The first step is always to write your goals down and then decide what action is required to achieve them. Putting pen to paper – and this is one time when a real pen and paper are required – gives your goals an existence of their own.
Writing a plan is an essential step in achieving your goals. Without it you will, over time, adjust your longer term goals to fit your reality. You will eventually reduce the goal to a wish, and wishes only come true by chance.
Step 4: Analyse and plan
You next need to analyse, and work out in detail, how you are going to accomplish each individual goal. This means writing a detailed plan of what tangible actions are required to achieve them.
These actions then become smaller, shorter term goals, which lead to major longer term goals.
Step 5: What steps do I need to take today?
Every day ask yourself, what steps do I need to take today? You should have it all planned out by now, so check your plan and make sure you take each required step, every single day. If you discover additional steps are needed, add them to the plan.
Step 6: Review your achievements every week and month
At the end of each week, review the progress you’ve made. Check what you’ve done, identify what you may have missed, then adjust your plan accordingly for the following week or month.
Your plan should always take into account what you will do today, tomorrow, next week, by the end of the month, in the next 3 months, or 6 months … and so on. Always write down your results.
Step 7: What if things go wrong?
Goals are difficult because they move you outside your comfort zone and force you to do things differently. To be successful, you have to face your own fear of failure and take risks. There will be setbacks – expect them, they are part of the process. But never, ever, let them stop you, because achieving your goals can help you create your dream life!
Image source: Unsplash.com
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