Most people will agree that goal setting is an important
self
improvement strategy in obtaining what we desire. If you don't set goals you
will not know what to look for to determine whether an achivement was truly a
success or not. The sad thing is that only a very small part of those who
understand the need for setting goals actually take the time to figure out what
they really want to accomplish and outline a plan for reaching them. It goes
without saying that with this approach or shall we say lack of approach,
determining which accomplishments are successful or not will be a little
arbitrary; 'more self reliant', 'a raise in salary', 'clear skin', 'a new home'
or 'a new car'. It has been proven time after time that the more specific your
goal is, the more you are likely to achieve it and the more likely you are to
know when you have or have not achieved them.
Goals should move you ahead. When you make your goals absolute and precise you
will know what to look for to find out if you have achieved them. If they are to
general you can't really know if you have reached your goals or they can even
mislead you into achieving something other than you planned for. Setting precise
goals functions as an instrumental part or reference of any
self
improvement regimen.
Goals forms an hierarchical system: There are many levels of goals. They spring
from your deepest values and are transformed via various levels to precise
day-by-day action plans for accomplishing what you really want. So, what do you
really want? Are you sure the first goal that appeared in your mind is what you
really want deep inside?
To summarize so far: A system for setting goals in a certain area must include
? your main or ultimate goal in this area, which all other goals are just a
tranformation of
? your end goal(s); which is a detailed and precise action plan for acheiving
your main goal.
You must be sure what you really want to accomplish in a certain area according
to your true values and you must know precisely what to do to acheive it.
Now, I'd like to tell you about a method of setting goals that I have used
successfully myself.
The ?Why ? How method? for setting goals
Take the first goal that appears in your mind right now. Let's say you've found
out that your big problem is that you just don?t have enough money from month to
month and this is the rock in the road for you whatever you try to accomplish.
So your goal is 'to get rich'. Now you have two ways to go to elaborate and
fullfill your work of setting goals and you should go both ways.
Ask ?Why??
Ask yourself; Is 'getting rich' my real goal or is this just a means to reach
another, deeper goal? Ask yourself; Why do I want to get rich? Think over it for
a while and write down all reasons why you want to accomplish the goal that has
appeared in your mind. It might be;
Financial security, freedom to travel where you want, freedom to visit any
concert or opera-house you want, freedom to have a home you really feel
confortable with etc. Whichever answer you give, continue to ask "Why" until you
are not able to find any more reasons. If you have been honest with yourself,
you probably found your deepest value, which equals the main goal you try to
accomplish by 'getting rich'.
Ask ?How??
Now, when you have revealed your ultimate goal or value by asking 'Why?', then
start to figure out how to accomplish it. Let's say you have come to the goal in
your goal hierarchy that says 'getting rich'. Your question now is: 'How do I
get rich?' Your answer might be 'Getting more income.' Next 'how much higher an
income do I want, which also means; how rich do I want to be?" Then your answer
might be '$20,000'. Continue asking 'How?' until you have made a precise action
plan of what you will do to get these increased income of $20,000.
Reach milestones on your way
A goal can also be devided into several parts or milestones which marks that it
is on it's way to being fullfilled. Let's take the $20,000 goal example. Let's
say one of your end goal is to
'earn $20,000 within two years by promoting affiliate programs on 50 websites
where each website is making you $16.67 per month on average.'
you should divide this goal into several smaller goals or milestones, let's say
one part of your goal is reached when you have earned $1000, one when you have
reached $5,000, $10,000 etc. This way your goal achieving process becomes much
more motivating and fun when you see the results fairly often.
A system for setting goals should also include a procedure for periodic
adjustments; some actions are more likely to help you reach your goals faster
than others. You?ll only know which actions or end goals these are by having a
goal system that enables you to try out different action plans or end goals. You
simply execute the end goals or action plans than you planned initially. If they
work carry on with them and if they don't or if you think of other ways that can
fulfill your ultimate goal faster or better, than go for them. So, don't forget
that your system for setting goals must include this option also.