“All difficult things have their origin in that which is easy, and great things in that which is small.” – Lao Tzu
It is possible to have greater happiness and satisfaction in life than you are having right now. The satisfaction of achievement, the regular improvement of yourself is a powerful force that you can use to change your life for the better! Perhaps you want to quit smoking, or buy your child a birthday present. Maybe you want to loose weight; maybe you want that promotion at work. Well all have things we want and wish for, but many people go through life and never have the things they want. What can you do to change yourself? How does someone attain the things they want or need? The answer is through effective goal setting and accomplishment. In these simple seven steps, I would like to teach you how you can do just that and become a happier, more effective person.
One very important note before we begin – through out these steps, I emphasize the importance of writing things down. Do not, under any circumstances, skip this essential step if you truly want to make changes in your own life. The act of writing does many important things. It takes ambiguous, fleeting thought and makes it a concrete reality. The act of writing reinforces commitment in the brain, psychologically helping you to work toward your goals and giving you a deeper sense of satisfaction when you make significant progress towards them. If you fail to record things in the way the next seven steps ask you to, than plan to fail every other step – it’s that important.
1. Decide what you really want or need. Be clear and specific, write it down.
What is important to you? Don’t just list the things that people tell you are important, or the things that you think you should want, but don’t. Be honest with yourself, and decide what you really want or need. If it isn’t something that’s important to you, it’s a waste of time to pursue it. You will either give a half-hearted effort then quit, or you will accomplish the goal, but accomplish something that you didn’t want or attained something you didn’t need. There is little satisfaction in either option.
When selecting these goals, be specific. Are they measurable? For example, if you want to be physically stronger, set a specific goal as to what you will be able do or how much you will be able to lift. If you are unclear as to what your goal is, then you don’t really have a goal because you can’t work towards an ambiguity. Would you begin to run a race with no finish line to cross? Of course not! You wouldn’t know where to go, how to get there, or even if you got there or not! Be clear about what you want to do. Next, decide when you want to accomplish this goal. By setting a timeframe you not only give more clarity to the goal, you also give yourself a finish line to cross. Lastly, and this is essential, write down your goal. No matter how specific your goal may be, if it is just a thought, it isn’t a real goal. We call such thoughts dreams, and no matter how clear your dreams may be, until they come out of your head and put down on paper, they aren’t real. Write it down!
2. Determine what must be done to get what you want, then write it down.
Your path should always be determined by your desired destination, and goal setting is no different. Once a measurable goal is decided upon, there are steps that can be taken to get there. Is your goal to buy a new appliance? Find out how much it costs. Look at how much your income allows as far as savings and spending. If you want a $100 blender in the next year and have no money to do so now, how much can you save? How soon do you want it? Could you put aside an extra $10 per month, maybe $10 per week?
The important thing is to break down your goal into manageable, doable steps. They should be set to stretch you a little further than you are currently stretched, but not so much as to discourage you or keep the goal beyond your reach. Once your goal is written down, list all of the things that are necessary to achieve it. Figure out what sequence these steps must occur in and decide how the will fit within your goal’s timeframe. These are called intermediate goals – the smaller goals that help you achieve the larger ones. Just as with your main goal, be clear and specific with a measurable goal in a reasonable timeframe. Write it down!
3. Ask yourself, is it worth it?
Once this goal has been clarified, and you can see clearly what is required to meet your goal, you need to ask yourself if it is worth it. Do you want to loose weight? Do you want to loose weight enough to adhere to a better diet? Do you want it enough to start jogging or exercising? If you aren’t willing to make the necessary adjustments and changes that will help you reach your goal, perhaps it isn’t really something you want, perhaps it’s not important.
Another possibility is that you have set you sights too high, asking too much of yourself too soon. If necessary, readjust your goal to make it something that you can really do, that you are willing to do. Go back to steps one and two as often as you need to until you have a course of action you can honestly commit to following.
4. Commit to a clear course of action; write your commitment down!
Once you have found yourself a feasible goal, one that you truly want and are willing to pay the price for, you must commit to do so. Decide in your own heart and mind that this is important to you and that you will do it. If you cannot make this personal commitment, then return to steps 1-3. When you have found an acceptable course of action that allows you to achieve the things you truly want, commitment shouldn’t be hard.
Once you have made this personal commitment, write it down again on a separate piece of paper. If it helps, phrase it as a contract with yourself, complete with a space to sign and date. I would strongly suggest that you share this goal and personal commitment with someone else, letting them know what you’re doing and why. Ask them for help to stay motivated, make yourself accountable to them – this will speed your progress and strengthen your resolve. Additionally, because they also know your commitment to your goal, they will most likely support your decision and offer to help if they can.
5. Make daily steps towards this goal
With your goal broken down into manageable steps, it should be a simple process to make small, daily goals to bring you closer to your goal. Instead of focusing too much on the overall goal, it is sometimes helpful to focus instead on the smaller steps that will get you there. This will help keep you from being overwhelmed by your goal and will also help you to see the progress you have made.
Additionally, give yourself reminders to help you remember your goal and to stay focused and motivated. Perhaps a Post-It Note on your bathroom mirror will remind you or maybe you need a chart to fill out to track your progress. Find a way to remind yourself of your goals and find a way to record your progress.
6. Regularly reevaluate progress and reaffirm your commitment
On a regular basis, maybe once or twice a week, sit down and look at what you’ve done towards your goal and what is left to be done. If possible, do this with your helpful friend, report your progress to them. Is your progress on track to get you where you need to be? Is it productive enough? Sometimes, a goal must be readjusted. Once you have determined your level of progress, quickly review steps 1-4, and then recommit to your goal. Continue on with step 5 making daily progress. Continue also to reevaluate regularly.
7. Set new goals regularly
One these steps are followed and you goal is achieved, do it again! There is always room in life to improve, and there’s no better way than through regular achievement of well planned goals.
“Great men have not been merely dreamers. They have returned from their visions to the practicalities of replacing the airy stones of their dream castles with solid masonry wrought by their own hands.” – Anonymous
Brian Westover is an author specializing in personal motivation and growth. He is the director of Project Superhero, an ongoing exploration of human growth and potential. To learn more about Brian, visit http://projectsuperhero.onesite.com.
