Having goals in life is like creating a direction where you can lead your life to. But you can only achieve your goals if you started it right. Starting it right means you have to plan it well. Smart goal setting is valuable to lead you to your goal. It helps you choose what you want to be, what you want to get and where you want to go in your life. It is also a manner of motivating yourself to attain a goal. Smart goal setting can also help you build your self-trust and self-confidence.
But many people ended up unsuccessful in reaching their goals. They have lost the art of smartly setting goals. Their mistake would include not being able to clearly specify their goals, not breaking it into smaller goals and not setting a specific deadline to reach it. Hence, you have to make sure that you are on the right track in choosing your goal. You may have read the Reasons Why Smart Goal Setting is Important and the Barriers of Smart Goal Setting that you have to take note of. So, today, we will give you the steps on how you can achieve smart goal setting being the last part of the smart goal setting series.
1. Specify your goal.
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The first thing that you need to do is to know exactly what you want and why you want it. This way, you can cultivate that desire in you to work for your goal. It has to be clear and specific so that you know exactly where you are heading to. This will ensure you that you are in the right track in achieving what you want in life.
2. Set realistic goals.
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You have to bear in mind is that you need to set goals that are realistic. If these goals are unbelievable, then you will surely not get that. Sometimes, some goals are realistic only to you but not to others. It is important that the goals you set are real. Impossible dreams are only achieved in bedtime stories and fairytales. They do not occur in real life.
3. Set manageable goals.
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There is no problem if you dream big but you have to see to it that it won’t be difficult for you to achieve a goal. If your goal seems to be so overwhelming, you can break that into smaller goals. This way, it would be more manageable and it would be easier for you to achieve it. If you push through achieving a goal that is too overwhelming, you might get tired of it. But breaking it into smaller goals can make it achievable.
4. Write down your goals.
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When you write your goals, it would be easier to remind you what it is. You can write it in your journal or even post it in areas where you will see it more often. This can help you to keep track of what you have already done. You will even feel happy and excited when you are about to reach it. Review your goals each day to know what you have already done. Include the date on when you intend to finish the smaller goals. This way, it can create a sense of urgency and would move you more to do something.
5. Make detailed and clear goals.
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It is important to clearly identify what your goal is. After you have specified your goal, dig in with the details. Determine what needs to be done in order to get it. Having detailed goals are more effective and achievable. This way, you are certainly doing smart goal setting.
6. Update your goal.
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There are some instances that certain changes happen and you have to do some amendments to your goal or at least to the details on how to reach it. You can either extend the deadline or do whatever you want to it as long as you will still get it in the end.
7. Reward yourself.
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After achieving your smaller goals, reward yourself. This will keep you going and will also motivate yourself to continue with your goal. You will surely feel happy and fulfilled each time you achieve the smaller goals for this means that you are only a few steps away from your ultimate goal.
8. Do not set contradicting goals.
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When you set goals, see to it that the smaller goals you will make will not contradict each other. Think on how each one can affect the other. They have to agree with one another because if not, it could hinder you from reaching your goal.
9. Assess your progress.
Try to evaluate your goals and what you have done to reach it. This way, you will be ensured that you are still taking the right track. This can also tell you how much time you still need in order to reach to your goal. Give it an honest assessment so that you will know how great your chances are in achieving your goal.
10. Enjoy while attaining your goal.
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It would be a lot easier to work on your goal if you enjoy doing it. Have fun for every small goal you accomplish and reward yourself each time you finish one. Do not be too serious about it because if you might end up getting stressed and tired. Just enjoy the challenges and you will happily get to your goal.
It’s Your Turn Now
It is true that setting goals and achieving them is a challenging task. But when you have smartly set it, there is a greater chance for you to achieve it. Following the tips we have above can help you to remain focused on your goals and to avoid distractions and procrastinations. It only requires smart planning and motivation to get to your goal. How about you? How do you get to your goals?
Great advice. But also make sure you track your goals and do regular reviews.