8/2/2019 10 Key Strategies to Successful Goal Setting

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1 0 K e y S t r a t e g i e s t o S u c c e s s f u l G o a l S e t t i n g

1. A s s e s s y o u r p e r s o n a l v a lu e s to f in d o u t w h a t y o u r e a lly w a n t .Knowing yourself is the first step in the process of pursuing your goals.Understand who you are so you can set goals that are YOU. Assess yourlife and find out what your values are, what is important to you and whatyou are passionate about.

The common mistake most people make when setting goals is that theyoften choose goals that are not congruent with their true self. They setgoals to satisfy others rather than themselves. Even though the intentionis admirable, you have to choose something that means something toyou. Choose only the goals that are congruent with your desires andneeds, because selecting goals that others want without your committeddesire is a recipe for failure.

2. P r e p a r e y o u r s e lf m e n ta ll y fi r s t.Fine tuning your mind for success is a crucial key to successful goalsetting. You need to be mentally strong to endure the setbacks that youwill encounter along your journey.

Like everything else, you need to lay the foundation first. Without settingthe necessary groundwork, you are doomed to fail. Make sure youprepare yourself mentally before jumping straight into the action stage.

Your mental attitude should be positive so that there are no negativethoughts or mindsets holding you back. If you dont believe you canachieve it, you will sabotage your own goals. It is crucial that you believewithout a doubt that you can do it.

3 . P r io r i t iz e y o u r g o a ls in o r d e r o f im p o r t a n c e to y o u .When you have a few goals that you are aiming for make sure that youprioritize them in order of importance to you. Focus on one thing at a time

otherwise you will feel overwhelmed and get demoralized.

4 . W r i t e d o w n y o u r g o a ls .Magic happens when you put down your goal in writing. Writing it down,along with your specific action plan will make your goal more concrete.Studies have shown that people who write down the list of things theywant to do are more likely to accomplish them.

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Putting your goal in writing sets up a filter that helps you become aware ofyour surroundings. Once you write down a goal, your brain will be workingovertime to see you get it and will alert you to the signs and signals thatwere there all along.

5 . C r e a te S M A R T g o a ls a c t i o n p la n .Careful attention should be given to creating your goal statement. Themost effective way of setting goals is to use the SMART goalapproach.

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic & Timebound.

S = S p e c ifi c : Do you know exactly what you want to accomplish withall the details?

M = M e a s u r a b le : Can you quantify your progress so you can track it?

A = A c t io n O r ie n te d : Active goals tell you what specific action you aretaking and include strong action do it words that keepyou moving forward.

R = R e a l i s t i c : Is your goal a stretch but still possible to achieve?

T = T im e B o u n d : Do your goals have clearly defined time framesincluding a target date?

By spending time making sure that your goals fit the SMART criteria, themore likely you will succeed.

6 . S h a r e y o u r g o a ls .

Share your goals with others so that you become accountable. Tell a few

people you know that you can really trust. These people should knowyou well and be able to be brutally honest with you. Make sure you tellonly people who are positive and supportive; people who will encourageyou. Avoid telling negative people who will pull you down. In fact stayaway from these energy suckers. Only surround yourself with positive,like minded people.

7 . V is u a li z e y o u r g o a ls .

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The subconscious mind cannot tell the difference between imaginationand reality. You can use visualizations to create a beautiful life foryourself. Just close your eyes and visualize the things you want in your lifeas if it is already HAPPENING now. Get all your 5 senses involved toreally feel that you already have achieved this vision. Visualize in yourmind that you have already achieved your future. Begin to focus on yourgoals and attract the positive things with positive visualization!

8 . T a k e a c t i o n n o w a n d m a in ta in th e m o m e n tu m .Dont wait until you feel like it. Start Now! The situation will never be ideal.Take Action towards at least o n e of your goals each day. Goals don't just"happen." You reach them incrementally, by taking positive, steady stepstowards them each and every day. Dont just think or talk, TAKE ACTION!

Once you have created momentum, make sure you maintain thatmomentum until you accomplish your goal.

9 . E v a lu a t e y o u r p r o g r e s s a s o ft e n a s n e e d e d .Goal setting is an ongoing process that is accomplished over time. Allgoals should be reviewed weekly and even daily if possible. Reviewingyour goals consistently will gauge whether you are on track to achieveyour goals. Frequent review forces us to evaluate where we are anddecide what needs to be done and what to prioritize on.

1 0 . R e w a r d y o u r s e lf f o r y o u r g o a ls a c h ie v e m e n t.It is important to reward yourself for your achievements. This willmotivate you to work harder and strive for your goals. If you dont havelittle things to look forward to, then where is the fun in the journey?However make sure you do it in a way consistent with your goals!

T h e w a y to a c h ie v e s u c c e s s is fir s t to h a v e a d e fin it e , c le a r p ra c ti c a l id e a l a g o a l, a n o b je c tiv e . S e c o n d , h a v e t h e n e c e s s a ry m e a n s to a c h ie v e y o u r

e n d s w is d o m , m o n e y , m a te ria ls a n d m e th o d s . T h ir d , a d ju s t y o u r m e a n sto th a t e n d .- A ris to t le