An effective expression of the
important goal setting guidelines is that
you should set SMART goals. What
the SMART goal setting guidelines
actually mean is that your goals
should be
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Rewarding
Timely
Neglect one of those
guidelines and the odds that
your goals are achieved drop many times.
Why?
The key force that either
drives you towards
your goals or holds you back is
your subconscious mind. Those
goal setting guidelines are the necessary criteria
for your subconscious mind to accept your
goals and start working for you.
Otherwise it will
work hard to keep you in the comfort zone
of your present conditions and old habits.
Specific
With a specific goal you can clearly
see what it is you want to achieve, and you have
specific standards for that achievement.
In making your goals specific it is important
that you actually write them,
which is
crucial in all goal setting guidelines.
The
more specific is your goal, the more
realistic is your success, and the shorter
is path to it.
When you work on making your
goal specific, you program your
subconscious mind to work for you. Then,
your feelings and thoughts
will lead you to
your goal instead of pointing at the
obstacles. To make your goals specific you
also need to work out the other components
of SMART goal setting guidelines below.
Measureable
For a goal to be measurable you need a way
to measure the progress and some specific
criteria that will tell you when you can stop
and the goal is achieved. Feeling the
progress is very important for you to stay
motivated and enjoy the process of
achieving the goal.
Attainable
An attainable goal is a goal for which you
see a realistic path to achievement, and
reasonable odds that you get there. This does
not mean that the lower you aim the more
likely you reach
success. It is well known
that goals that work best have a challenge
in them.
They are chosen as ambitious as
possible, but still reachable. Then they
will give you more motivation and sense of
achievement.
Rewarding
A goal is rewarding when you have clear
reasons why you want to reach that goal. This
is one more place where it is important that
the goal is really yours. Have your specific
reasons and expected reward in writing. If
possible, even with some visual pictures.
Imagine how you are going to feel when the
goal is finally reached. This will ensure
that the goal is really worth achieving.
Then, every time you get stuck and don't
feel motivated enough, read your reasons and
look at the pictures. This is a known and
very powerful practical technique of how to
get through difficult moments and not
quit.
Timely
The fifth requirement of the SMART
goal setting guidelines is that your
goal should have a specific time limit.
This is also very important for
your subconscious mind.
Besides, time
is the price you pay for the reward from
achieving a goal.
Setting the deadline will
protect you from paying higher price than
the goal is worth. This is also your
protection from procrastination and
perfectionism.
Personal goal setting main page
A solid personal goal setting system
is the key to
effective time management and life planning.
Setting personal goals wisely, you get a sense
of achievement, sustain motivation,
and reduce stress.
