Have you ever had a dream or a desire to achieve a goal that the image consistently invades your mind? How about times when you were so fixated on that dream, it took over your imagination. It may be thoughts of holding a higher position in your career, taking a trip around the world, owning your own business, or becoming a career politician, etc. You gave up because you weren’t sure exactly how to go about achieving it. What held you back, what blocked you? Could it be you just didn’t take the actions you needed to take?
If you are serious about achieving your goal, you must take deliberate and consistent action daily towards it. Nothing happens, until you do something.
Goal setting will provide you with a renewed energy and a sense of direction that encourages decisive action.
When you set clear, passionate, and definitive goals, you will find that this process increases your desire, passion, and motivation. Moreover, it provides you with more certainty and clarity as you move toward your desired objectives.
Smart goal-setting is a process of personal growth and development that will help to enhance your self-image. Moreover, setting goals will dramatically energize your body and will subsequently magnify many other seemingly unrelated aspects of your life.
The acronym S.M.A.R.T.
S = SPECIFIC (Your goals must be specific. They must outline precisely what it is that you would like to achieve.)
M = MEASURABLE (Your goals must be measurable. Spend some time developing a process that you will use to measure your progress as you work toward your goals).
A = ATTAINABLE (Your goals must be attainable. This effectively means that you must wholeheartedly believe that you can achieve your goals)
R=Realistic: (Your goals must be realistic. Your goals are realistic when you have the time, money, resources, and skills needed to achieve the goal. If you lack in any of these areas, then you need to get to work or set a different objective).
T = TIMELY (Your goals must be timed. You must set a deadline for the achievement of your goal. Without clear deadlines, you will likely succumb to procrastination and instant gratification.
Using the SMART goal method is an excellent place to start with where you are:
If you would adopt the SMART Goal method to organize and navigate your next goal, you will be well on your way to achieving your next goal with some valuable tool to help you get started.
Other significant strategies that have been proven invaluable to help you in your goal achievement is:
Be clear: Being clear about why you want the goal and what it will do for you is crucial and will help to bring clarity, so you don’t waste valuable time pursuing small or non-supporting ventures.
Write it down: A goal not written is only a wish. Write it down Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at the Dominican University of California study shows-individuals who write down their goals have a 42% chance of achieving them.
Writing down your goals also provides you with a visual. Carry it around with you in your wallet or post it where you can readily see it.
Review Frequently: Reviewing your goals frequently preferable three times a day, especially when you rise in the morning, before you go to bed, and sometime during the day.
Read Out Load: If or when possible, read your goals out loud, when you do it helps to cement it in your subconscious mind.
Create a vision board-a vision board: A vision board will help to keep your focus. You can put whatever you wish for on that vision board the possibilities are endless. Use your vision board to imagine yourself experiencing what you desire to have or be and act as if it is already achieved. It’s a great visual is to help you actualize your goal.
Say Positive Affirmations Daily: Positive Affirmations are powerful they serve as an inspirational tool. If you are unable to make up your own, adopt one, several can be found on the internet, in books and other sources.
Share your dream: Tell someone, a friend, family member, co-worker be sure it’s someone that will support you or has your best interest in mind.
You have the power to make your dream or goal a reality. Being smart about your goals and it will help you get further faster, therefore remember to:
- Act by taking action
- Use the SMART Goal method ensure its specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely.
- Write it down
- Review it frequently
- Visualize it
- Affirm it
- Tell someone