“If you’re not achieving at the level you want, it is simply because your goals are not clearly defined.”
I recall my instructor, Paul J. Meyer, said this. He always put his focus on achieving goals and not simply setting them. In fact, He believed that the differentiator was in the method. Anyone can set a goal; however, achieving it is the main reason for setting goals. Learn to set specific objectives that are clearly defined and – more important, how to accomplish them.
The first step towards success in goal-setting is setting clear goals. They serve as your compass for direction and will guide your activities and decisions throughout the year. Goals help you realize your dreams in tiny, annual increments.
Every year, you must establish specific, achievable annual goals. The goals you set are always derived from your goals and vision. Begin by asking yourself, “What specific goals can I achieve this year that will move me closer to my vision and dreams?”
It is recommended to restrict your goals to one to five major annual goals. This will require the creation of a plan of action for each goal, and the process of tracking necessary is complex. Many goals can divert your attention from the accomplishment of one of the main goals.
A chief executive of a large organization I worked with did not believe that his business required any additional organizational planning because his team had created an array of 152 corporate initiatives over the entire year. The leader, who was well-intentioned, was unaware of what he’d done to his team of leaders. He was treating his to-do list as if the enterprise’s 152 initiatives were actually strategic goals. This mindset accidentally set him up on a path to frustration and ultimately an inefficient year of non-goal-oriented work.
Do not confuse a list of things to do with goals.
Any work that isn’t guided by a clear purpose is a waste of time, even though it might be good-hearted. It’s nearly impossible to maintain a constant day-to-day focus on insignificant, undefined projects. They’ll eventually be forgotten, and the purpose of being busy will start to take over your attention. Concentrate on the specifics of established goals for the coming year is the only way to productive work.
Real goals refer to those few and precise, all-inclusive, significant, annual accomplishments that are essential to ensure that you are moving forward with your vision and goals for the long term. These “strategic initiatives” that seem to be a part of the traditional corporate mindset tend to be the steps to achieve the grand objectives.
What causes our goals to be sabotaged
Based on my previous years of observation and experience, I’m now convinced that there is a fundamental reason that most people don’t meet their goals. Are you up to take on this challenge? It’s because people are prone to setting goals they would not like to accomplish. If you’re shaking your head in disbelief, think about the following examples.
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of setting an intention for the New Year, you’ve experienced the sense of new beginnings and the fresh beginning that it brings. You’re totally determined to achieve your goal…for approximately one week. In March, you tell yourself, “I’ll get around to that next year.” Your actions never align with your desired outcome.
If you establish an objective and your behavior doesn’t change to be in alignment with the actions needed to reach the objective, you’ve decided that your mind is telling you that you don’t wish to accomplish the target. Once you have decided subconsciously that you don’t like the outcome regardless of the exertion, you are not going to achieve the objective. It’s logical, isn’t it?
The process of setting goals starts.
The ideal time to set goals is at the beginning of the year. However, the beginning is the first step. Therefore, start now, regardless of the moment of the year. Plan to make use of the final quarter of every year to set what you want to achieve for the upcoming year.
This is the point at which the goal-setting process starts:
#1 – Reread your vision statement
When you start, begin with a look at your mission statement. The review should focus on how convincing it is. If it’s diminished in charm, You can refine it. The vision statement you create should change as you progress.
#2 – Read your Dream List
When you’ve reviewed your vision, you can go over the Dream List. If you don’t have a wish list, create one. Imagine your goals and what you’d like to achieve in your life without any limits. Do not ask yourself if it’s feasible; just note it down if it is essential to you. After you’ve finished, you can ask yourself, “What can I accomplish this year that will bring me closer to my vision and dreams?” The answers to this question will be the first steps in your annual goals schedule.
#3 – Select your primary goals
When you list your goals to accomplish in the coming year, make sure you determine which of them are essential and which are systems-wide. That is, determine what the most important objectives are and what results from the achievement of the main objectives.
In this case, one example, you might want to earn $70,000 in income and increase the savings in your account by $8,000, and then purchase your first home. It may appear that this may appear to be three different goals. However, it actually is a single goal with two benefits that are systemic. The three items are all directly related to the financial sector of your life. Without the $70,000 income, savings growth, as well as the purchase of a new home, are in danger. Therefore, what you are left with is one objective to earn $70,000 in income, and the increase in savings and the new home purchase are the two benefits that you can get from reaching your target. Knowing the goal you want to achieve is crucial.
After your goals are set, you’ll be required to develop an action strategy to reach them, taking into consideration the advantages to be achieved, losses to be avoided, or obstacles that you may encounter as well as the best way to overcome the obstacles. Making this decision prior to time puts your thoughts in the best position to achieve your objectives. You shouldn’t be surprised by anything.
Then, you should write down every individual action necessary for accomplishing the objective. Make sure that every action step is precise and not ambiguous. Each action should be accompanied by a deadline for it to be completed, and the deadline for each action step should be noted in the proper calendar for the month. This will ensure that the action steps will be incorporated into your plans for the month. Your goals will always be at the forefront of your thoughts, making sure that your monthly, daily, and annual activities are aligned with your goals overall.
If you have clearly defined objectives and then implement an action plan to achieve the goals, you’re making yourself more likely to achieve success. Don’t spend another day making your to-do list. Follow the steps above to set goals and follow up with a plan of action, and you will become a master goal accomplisher!
