Goals Setting Many individuals, young and older, often think goal setting is out of reach for them. Too complicated. Requires too much time. The fear of failure is too great. Yet, those same individuals, along with most other individuals, set goals every day. In fact, most individuals set and reach goals more than once throughout the day. Simple goals, like getting the housework done by noon, making dinner by five o'clock, finishing a work project by tomorrow.
If you've ever made a note for yourself listing the things you needed to get done "today" or "this week", and completed everything on that list, then you already know how to set and complete goals. The problem seems to be the mental block may individuals create by calling these completed tasks goals.
So, then, goals by definition must be something an individual sets out to do and completes it.... it being whatever you want IT to be.
Now, before we look at how to set and achieve bigger goals, take the time to consciously set a few small goals and follow through with completing each one, all the while allowing yourself to feel a sense of accomplishment and success. Next try something a little harder. For instance, let's say your goal was to try out a new recipe for your family. Goal reached. Now, try a new recipe at the dinner party you're having at your home for four couples. How does that feel when you pulled it off successfully? Or maybe you didn't. That's okay, too, because you attempted to something new. Of course, it can be anything you want it to be.
Steps to Setting and Achieving Goals
Goal setting not only allows you to take control of your life's direction, it gives you focus and sense of direction. To accomplish your goals, however, you need to know how to set them. As you may already know from some of the smaller goals that you've set for yourself, goal setting is a process that starts with careful consideration of what you want to achieve, and often ends with a lot of hard work to actually do it. In between, there are some very well-defined steps that helps you reach each goal. Knowing these steps will allow you to formulate goals that you can accomplish.
Here are a few questions to ask yourself: • What would I like to achieve? (Or, what’s something I wish I could do?) • What challenge would I like to overcome? • How will I feel about myself for accomplishing something important to me.
1) What do I want to achieve?
Start by thinking of something you genuinely desire to achieve. Having a goal of something you really want to achieve will increase your chances of being successful. This can be short-term goal, long-term or both. For instance, your long-term goal may be to visit Japan, while one of your short-term goals may be to learn Japanese.
If you've discovered you want to tackle several goals, that’s great, but it’s better to focus on achieving one thing successfully before moving onto a second goal.
Your goal should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Trackable.
Using the visit to Japan, let’s look at examples of goals you could set for yourself: • To go to Japan the 15th of this month in one year. • To buy at least one book on Beginners Japanese this week. • To take a Japanese class and learn 5 new Japanese words a week. • To speak sentences in Japanese. • To go to Japanese restaurant and order in French. • To speak on Japanese in Japan.
2) What is the purpose of a goal?
The added benefit of identifying your goal’s purpose is so there’s something to remind your child of why you went after this goal in the first place on those days reaching the goal seems impossible. This will give you the motivation to keep going during those challenging times.
When you understand the purpose behind your goal, you will have a greater “buy-in” and are more likely to be successful.
For instance: • Why does it matter for you to achieve X? • Why do you want to do X? • How can X help others? How can it help you? • What’s the greatest benefit of you doing/achieving X?
These questions encourage critical thinking.
Your responses can be that you want to set a certain goal for yourself (self-enhancement or self-improvement), for others, or both.
Various studies have found that individuals are more successful when they have a self-transcendent purpose (going beyond the usual limits). Participants were more likely to persist longer on a boring task than giving into a tempting alternative. (Trying to lose weight. On your own it seems like a struggle, a goal that may never happen. But as part of a group that meets weekly that will donate $1 a pound lost to children in need makes losing weight more interesting.)
Examples of goal purposes: • I want to write a cookbook on the best and easiest ways to lose weight. • I want to volunteer at the hospital. • I want to drink more water every day because it’s good for my body and helps flush out toxins.
3) Why do I need to establish a time frame?
Once you know what your goal is and why you want to achieve it, you can set a time frame for when they want to meet their goal. Is it a goal to be reached in the immediate future, short-term, or long-term.
Be sure that it is a realistic period of time for meeting that goal, too.
Time frame examples for goals: • Learning 20 new French words in one month.• Writing one chapter a week for my cookbook.• Walk 30,000 steps a month (2500/day - 3/days/week)
4) Why do I need a specific game plan?
The next step is making a game plan by breaking the goal into actionable and manageable smaller steps.
One of the biggest reasons why individuals do not achieve their goals is because they focus on the the outcome and not on the process. Your process should include small steps you can manage one at a time to reach the destination, and for each step you overcome, there’s an opportunity to celebrate your success. For instance, after learning the 5 French words at the end of a week, which was your goal, you should celebrate.
Every time you meet a goal, your self-confidence increases.
It’s ideal for you to use a worksheet or calendar every time you have a new goal and then fill it in so the goal plan is written down. Having a goal plan on paper acts as a reminder, and it also helps keep you accountable.
If you want to make it fun, consider mind maps, vision boards, and goal-setting prompts.
Once you start your journey to reaching your goal, you need to track your progress. Put your goal plan somewhere it’s a visual reminder. Or use one of the many online tracking printables. There are also goal-tracking apps like ClickUp, Strides, Weekdone, Way of Life, and GoalsOnTrack.
Tick off each milestone you reach, and then celebrate. Support them when they need it – encourage them to remember why they chose the goal and cheer them on.
5) What to do if you want to give up?
When you want to give up (because it’s too challenging, you’re bored, or you want to go after a different goal), you can:
• Reflect on your goal journey so far and revise where needed to make the goal more achievable. • Remind yourself of your goal’s purpose. • Brainstorm solutions for the obstacles that are in the way. • Give yourself positive messages – “I’m working hard to achieve my goal.” • Share your own goals and journey and challenges with others.
Final Thoughts on Goal Setting Goal setting is a vital skill you can learn and master. There is no such thing as “too young” or “too old” when it comes to reaching for something you want. Children can be taught how to set goals by doing certain chores. While older individuals may want to learn how to water paint or do woodworking.
Consistently creating goals for yourself will eventually become second nature to you. Plus, you will have developed the skills you need to persevere and go after what you want in life with a much higher chance of being successful. Success creates feelings of self-confidence and raises self-esteem.
Okay! Time to set a goal!