Main Facts About Goal Setting

You may think you have a goal, but you might want to double-check that. What you call a goal could simply be a dream, or it could be a mission or even a purpose. In those cases, you may never achieve your goal: How you go about attaining it is what sets a goal apart.

Define and Refine

Attempts to define what a goal is have led to the well-known acronym S.M.A.R.T.: specific, measurable and observable, attainable, recorded and time limited. A purpose, mission or objective may have several or even most of the five goal attributes, but not all of them; only a true goal has all five.

Make Sure It's Yours

Just like you wouldn't want to walk in somebody else's shoes, you shouldn't walk around with someone else's goal. The goal must be heartfelt, or it simply will not stick. The Mind Tools website recommends writing down your motivation for a particular goal. Remember, the difference between a race and a rat race is knowing why you are pursuing a goal, and what is in it for you. To this end, recording a goal's significance is invaluable.

Be Realistic -- But Not Too Much

To develop a goal you truly care about, don't think like a CPA. Instead, fantasizing should be Step 1 when developing a worthwhile goal, one you care about deeply enough to stick with. For that to happen, you must be emotionally invested in this goal. The Buffalo State College Leadership Education & Development Center has five criteria that need to be met to formulate worthwhile goals according to SMART: Fantasize, but ensure your goals conform to your values. Be realistic and assess how much you want to attain your goal, and how much you can sacrifice. Aim for your goal with a balance of fantasy and reality. Have a method that lets you generate alternatives. And evaluate and process the results continuously.

Beginning and End

Stephen Covey popularized goal-setting terms in his book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People," and one goal that stands out is his Habit No. 2: Begin with the end in mind. According to Covey, this is the habit of personal leadership; with it, you can lead yourself. Concentrating on what is relevant will help you avoid distractions and become successful.

Sharpening

Covey's Habit No. 7, Sharpen the Saw, is another tool valuable in attaining your goals. Covey calls this one the habit of self-renewal, and it is the secret ingredient on which all the other habits build. Sharpening the Saw applies to four areas: a person's spiritual, mental, physical and social/emotional areas. Nourishing this habit is an ongoing process and should never stop, Covey says.