If you want to succeed, you need to not only set and define goals. But also make sure that your goals are clear. Without goals, you lack focus and direction. Goal setting allows you to take control of your life’s direction and provides a standard for determining whether you are actually succeeding.
Whether you want to set goals for your business or your personal life, defining goals that are clear and concise is very important. Without clear goals, you can end up confused about what you want to achieve, and you may be putting yourself on the path to stagnation.
Clear goals can give you tremendous momentum and intense purpose in your life.
Here are five important tips to help you to define goals that are clear.
5 Tips To Help You Define Goals That Are Clear and Acheivable
Understand what you want to achieve
In order to define clear goals, your first step is to determine exactly what you want to accomplish.
When you leave the house, I’d be willing to bet that you have a destination in mind. And if you are not sure exactly how to get there, you plug that destination into your GPS and it will help you get there.
In goal setting, the premise remains the same, if you don’t know where you’re going, you can’t figure out a route to get there.
It’s really as simple as that.
Once you know where you want to be and what you want to achieve, you’ll be able to come up with the goals that will help you get there.
Some things to think about to define goals that are attainable:
- Where do you see yourself in a year?
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
- In 10 years, where do you see yourself?
Take the time to sit down and brainstorm your long-term dreams and desires.
Determine a timeline
Setting timelines will prevent procrastination and move you on to action to meet your goals. Having a timeline for your goals also helps to clarify them because now you know what you want and when you want it and expect it.
Come up with both short-term and long-term goals. Ones that you want to meet in a month, year, and even five or ten years from now.
Make a plan that will keep you on track; however, don’t etch your plan in stone!
Allow for changes along the way, but keep your eye on the main goal.
Ensure your goals are realistic
With realistic goals, you can almost guarantee that you’ll be able to achieve them, and you won’t stress yourself out trying to accomplish something that’s out of reach.
A clear goal is a realistic one.
I can’t stress the importance of breaking your long-term goals into small, achievable action steps.
Reaching multiple goals along your journey will give you a feeling of accomplishment, boost your confidence, and motivate you to continue.
Be specific
Clarify your goals with the details of exactly what you want. Avoid vague generalities. When you make a specific goal, you’ll be better able to accomplish it.
Of equal importance to specific goals, is setting goals that actually matter to you.
Specific goals allow you to form your timeline and define your action steps. There’s no guesswork involved when dealing with specifics.
As an example, setting a goal to make more money with your business is very vague.
Instead, the specific version of that goal would be, I will make $1,000 more per month, within three months from today.
This goal is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and has a time limit assigned to it. Also known as a smart goal.
Refine your goals
Your goals may change as your life changes. During this process, you’ll be able to make them more specific, realistic, and achievable.
It’s okay to refine your goals several times in your life. Goals are guides, not scribed into stone.
What’s important now, might not be important to you six months or six years from now. Be willing to accept change.
Revisit your goals from time to time and make new plans if you feel it to be necessary.
Some people stumble through life, unsure of their purpose and not sure of what they want to achieve.
Don’t let this be you!
Your life will have clear meaning if you put some thought into what’s important to you, what goals you want to achieve, and what actions to take to make your dreams a reality.
Need someone to walk with you on the journey to goal setting and success?
Check out my coaching services and see if working together may be just what you need to see the progress you desire in your life. If you are interested, feel free to request additional information and see if we would be a good fit.
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