Setting Worthy Goals - Panorama

Setting a goal is as much as science as it is an art. Setting a goal can take you closer to what you ultimately want to achieve. Goal should be relevant otherwise irrelevant goal can distract you from your path and end up wasting your time. It is important to indulge in things you enjoy, though they may not always be means to an end.

If you truly want to live to the fullest, you need to think your goals through. There are two ways to approach this. The first is to be aware of your larger goal – what you want to achieve in the long run – and then have short-term goals to help you achieve the long-term goal. This is the ideal way to plan your life. However, we know that in life things are often far from ideal. Forget about having a long-term vision; very often we do not know what we want to do next. In this case, how do we go about planning and living our life to the fullest. If you find yourself in this situation, the best approach is to start with short-term goals about things that excite you. This will not only expose you to multiple ideas, it will also help you get into the habit of setting goals and achieving them. In time, you may be able to figure out your long-term goal, and then you will be better prepared to achieve it.

If you ask most people what is their one major objective in life, they would probably give you a vague answer, such as,” I want to be successful, be happy, make a good living,” and that is it. Those are all wishes and none of them are clear goals.

Goal setting is a series of steps. When you buy a plane ticket, what does it say?

1.     Starting point

2.     Finish Destination

3.     Class of travel

4.     Price

5.     Starting date & time

6.     Finish date & time

Like this goal setting also a series of steps. Goal setting is a process that starts with careful consideration of what you want to achieve, and ends with a lot of hard work to actually do it. In between there are some very well-defined steps that transcend the specifics of each goal. Knowing these steps will allow you to formulate goals that you can accomplish. To set a relevant goal you have to follow those steps. Here are the five steps of goal setting:

1.      Set Goals That Motivate You

When you set goals for yourself, it is important that they motivate you: this means making sure that they are important to you, and that there is value in achieving them.

2.     Set a Smart Goal

Goals must be SMART:

·        S- specific. The statement, “I want to lose weight” is wishful thinking. It becomes a goal when you pin yourself down to “I will lose ten pounds in ninety days.”

·        M- must be measurable.  Measurement is a way of monitoring your progress. If you cannot measure, you cannot achieve.

·        A- achievable. Achievable means that your goal should make stretch or be challenging, it should be slightly out of reach, but not out of sight. Out of reach is motivating, but out of sight is de-motivating.

·        R- realistic. When you are setting your goal, make sure you select something that is humanly possible. Set a goal that is achievable within the timeframe and give yourself enough time to achieve it.

·        T- time-bound. You should set a starting date and a finishing date to reach your goal.

3.     Set Goal in Writing

To go from wishful thinking to actually achieving your goals, you need to write down your commitments. You have to tell your brain that you are serious about this endeavor by making it think there is an investment level. As humans, once we have invested into something, we hate losing our investment and we will do anything to keep it. By writing down your goals and steps, you have clarity

4.     Make an Action Plan

In this step you recognize all the tasks that you need to fulfill your goal. This is especially important if your goal is big and demanding, or long-term. By writing out the individual steps, and then crossing each one off as you complete it, you'll realize that you are making progress towards your ultimate goal.

5.     Stick With It!

The destination is known, the map is clear, and the route is defined. All you have to do now is stick to the game plan. Remember, goal setting is an ongoing activity not just a means to an end. Build in reminders to keep yourself on track, and make regular time-slots available to review your goals.