Goal setting is a practice implemented by sports teams, businesses, organizations and individuals to plan for success. For goal setting to be a successful endeavor, though, you must develop short-term, intermediate, and long-range goals. Short-term goals are arguably the most imperative to set because they keep you motivated and on track throughout your journey to reach your major long-range goals.
History
Goals date back to ancient times when they were drawn on walls of caves in the form of symbols by Peruvians. Ancient Egyptians put great stock in writing what they wanted to accomplish. They took extreme care in cultivating their dreams into reality, developing rituals to mark accomplishments they made on their journey to each long-range goal. Those accomplishments are referred to as short-term goals. In the 1960s Dr. Edwin Locke developed the Goal Setting Theory, a practice commonly taught today.
Definition
Motivational speaker and self-help author Zig Ziglar professes that a goal is not a goal until you write it down, develop steps to reach it, and set a completion date for it. Goals should be divided into three groups: short-term, intermediate, and long-range. A goal is considered short-term if it will take about one month or less to complete.
Examples
A short-term goal can be in sequence with many other similar ones that eventually lead to the completion of a specific long-range goal, or it may stand alone. For example, if your family has a vacation planned and you need some extra money for souvenirs and unplanned excursions, you may focus on working a set number of overtime hours for a month to earn the extra amount needed. When you have accomplished that goal, it is over, and is not in succession with any other similar ones.
Process
According to Ziglar, to set short-term goals you must first make certain that the goal is something that you want, not something that others want from you. Determine whether it will benefit you in some way, and make certain that it is moral and fits in with your other goals. Next, write it down. Describe in detail what it is that you want to accomplish. You must know exactly what you are trying to achieve to be successful at it. Then break it down into steps, creating a plan of action for you to follow in order to achieve it. Finally, set a completion date.
Tips for Success
Be prepared to hit some roadblocks on your path to your goal. Allowing for flexibility in your plan will help you overcome those setbacks without too much discouragement. Also, track your progress on a daily basis for short-term goals. That way, when you feel discouraged, you will have proof of your successful progression to boost your spirits. In the end, reward yourself for a job well done.
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