Goal Setting for Success
Everyone, no matter who they are, wants to be successful in something. Whether that is career success, or fitness success or educational success etc. But how is that achieved and how can you maximise your chances of hitting your goals?
Statistically speaking you are 50% more likely to achieve your goals if you write down that goal in the first place.
Successful people have goals, work towards them each day and keep a keen focus on what they are doing to achieve them. Personally, I re-write my goals each morning to ensure my focus on them is crystal clear and I know what I need to do each day to move closer towards them.
Psychologically, setting goals and focusing on them regularly, puts the subconscious brain to work in trying to achieve them. The brain cannot distinguish between what you have and what you don’t have, and so it starts to act and focus on already having what it is you are putting in your goal. Providing you believe in your goal strongly enough and focus on it each and every day your brain will help you to be successful.
The best goals usually have similar characteristics, which many of you will be associated with, albeit with a couple of tweaks:
S - Specific. Make sure you put exactly what it is you want to achieve. If it is money then state the amount of money, if it is to achieve a certain weight then make sure you put the exact weight. Also state it in the present tense, beginning with “I” (e.g. I am earning $50,000 by the 30th January 2018).
M - Measurable. Is it easy to see when you have achieved the goal? Can you understand how far away you are from the goal today? Can you track your performance against the goal?
A - Ambitious. Achievable goals are all well and good but why think small. Make it ambitious. Make it something worth growing and developing for. Level up!
R - Relevant. Is it something you still want? Is it something that honestly motivates you? If it isn’t then you probably won’t want to put in the work to achieve it as much as if it was something you were absolutely grasping for.
T - Timely. Set a clear deadline or timeframe. A goal without a deadline is just a daydream.
S - Start Now. What are you doing NOW to work towards your goal? Right now, do something that will take you one step closer.
This is just one method of presenting your goals. There are many others and you may have your own preference. But, writing them down and continually focusing on them are two key ways to ensure you have statistically more success than the average person at achieving them and controlling what you want and get in your life.
Set goals. Work each day to move yourself towards them. Achieve more.
Want more practical advice on goal setting? Take our free online course here.
