Whether it involves a desired result in your faith, family, personal fitness, career path, or a major purchase, you often need to set a goal in order to reach that achievement. Goals can be long-term or short-term, but they need to have clarity. To achieve your goals and gain your desired outcome, there are specific factors that can make the process a success.
See The Finish Line
Before you dive into any personal or professional endeavor, visualize your desired outcome prior to initiating your actions. If you have a goal to lose 30 pounds, visualize how you will look and feel before you start your diet and exercise regimen. If you are starting a new career, be forthright in your visualization of success and achievement. Believing it is often the first step to achieving it.
Document Your Goals
Before working toward goal achievement, type your goals and keep them in a visible space in your home or office. Keep a copy in your purse, wallet or briefcase. Much as when you write a check or sign an agreement, this adds a layer of commitment that will hold you more accountable to your desired outcome. It can also serve as a checklist leading to your end result.
Reality is Your Friend
When planning and documenting your goals, balance your aggressive desire with reality. Suppose you are training for a marathon. It is not realistic to set a goal of running 26 miles in the first month if you have never run that distance before. Benchmarks can be a vital instrument in the goal process, as they allow for realistic progress rather than setbacks early in your plans. If your goal is to organize your office by converting piles to files, do not expect to achieve the goal in one day if your office has been cluttered with paperwork for four years.
Accountability Partner
Once you have mapped your goals and the path to achievement, bring someone into the process who can help keep you motivated. Having a spouse, significant other, friend, co-worker, religious mentor, or someone in your sphere of influence can be a powerful catalyst for accountability. Something as simple as a weekly phone call, email or text message can be a powerful reminder to maintain your focus and provide motivation.
Bold Assessment
When asked to explain how he had achieved his goal of running the mile in less than four minutes, Roger Bannister replied, "It's the ability to take more out of yourself than you've got." As you progress toward accomplishing your goals, you may encounter unexpected challenges. Rather than giving up or scaling back your goals, digging deeper than you had planned can produce uncommon results. As leadership expert John Maxwell explains, "Think about something you'd like to achieve. Make it big enough to scare you a little. Now write down a plan for moving toward it. And include some risks."
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