Small and large goals have a better chance of being completed if you have a plan of action in place. When it's good to dream and hope, setting goals is a more realistic way of achieving something you want. According to the Dummies Books website, goals sometimes fail because they're unrealistic and even unmotivating, so figuring out the best way to work toward what you want is half the battle.
Setting Specific Goals
According to professional storyteller and life coach Kindra Hall, is OK to dream big and have ambitious goals, but those goals need to be broken down into smaller ones in order to become achievable. If your big goal is to lose 50 lbs., for example, you should set up smaller goals of losing 1 to 2 lbs. per week, change your diet or exercise four to five times per week. Be specific with your goals. "Exercise more" is not specific but "exercise four times a week for one hour or more each time" will be a more effective goal.
Taking Action
Goals must be actionable to be effective. "I want to lose weight" does not refer to any specific action, so it's not very useful as a goal. On the other hand, something like "I will cut down my calorie intake by 500 calories a day" gives you something to work on Hall says that until you actually do something about your goals, nothing will change and progress simply won't occur. Most goals require ongoing action as well. You need to be consistent and keep going, even if setbacks happen along the way.
Setting Time Limit
Goals should be time-accountable. This means you should set a time by which you wish to account a specific step towards a goal. This is especially important for larger goals, so you don't get stuck in a single step and unable to continue the work. Goals should have fixed durations and clear starting and ending points, according to the Dummies Books website. Not having a deadline makes you more likely to slip and get lost in the everyday shuffle.
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