There is no defined method to setting, and achieving your goals. But one thing everybody agrees on, you have to know exactly what you want. When setting and working towards achieving your goals, you have to be specific. General statements like “I want to own a car”, are not as clear cut and effective as, “I want to own a Ford Expedition, black, with tinted windows, within the next year.” Being that specific, will help you to map out your life strategy more efficiently.
Paul Meyer, the author of “Attitude is Everything”, suggest a S-M-A-R-T way to setting and achieving your goals. SMART means:
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Specific (Again, know what you want)
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M
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Measurable (How much do you want, and when?)
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Action oriented (Something you can achieve by working for it)
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R
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Realistic (within your resources and means)
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Tangible (something that you can appreciate and remind yourself of your hard work)
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Set goals that challenge you. Otherwise, what is the point? You have to stretch, and have fun in the process. When setting your goals keep in mind that goal achieving is a process you want to enjoy, and learn something along the way. You will experience many challenges that will test you, and give you lessons to remember, something that will help you in the future, and make you stronger, and a better person.
Setting goals is easy. It is the achieving part that can, and will pose the challenge. That is why you have to stay SMART at all times. Self-discipline is key. You need to be passionate enough to reach your goal, a fire in the belly, otherwise, you are just wasting your precious time, writing random things on paper. It takes action, and your passion and desire, that drives you to act, even when you do not feel like it.
As mentioned earlier, there is no fun if a goal does not present a challenge. It is boring, and will most likely cause you to stray, and get you off track. And if a challenge makes you feel like giving up, and you think that you don’t have the willpower to achieve your goals, get a goal setting buddy. This way, you will be monitoring each other’s progress, and provide encouragement as well.
Sacrifice and discipline are needed to setting, and achieving your goals. Yes, they can be quite difficult to achieve, and sometimes make you feel like giving up. However, nothing beats the satisfaction you get, when you finally start enjoying the fruits of your labor. Now get SMART, and get moving.
