Fundamentals of Goal Setting

Your ability to set goals that are both challenging and achievable and to make detailed plans for their accomplishment is a key skill to attaining success.

Consider these questions:
1. "What do I want to do?"
2. "What do I want to see?"
3. "What do I want to be?"
4. "What do I want to have?'
5. "Where do I want to go?"
6. "What would I like to share?"
Setting well formed goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible This ability honed through continual practice, will do more to ensure your eventual success than anything else you do. Setting a goal is all about making a commitment in words. Linguistically this is termed a 'declaration' and declaring your intention is a powerful process. Your words have the absolute power to create your future.
You may think that achieving your goal is the end point. But you will quickly realize that often in the pursuit of a goal, you will set in motion 'processional' effects that have consequences more far reaching than ever intended. Whatever time you spend setting goals and plans will lay the foundation for your success. While you are working on one goal, you must have another in the planning stages. Here's a simple but powerful method I use.

1. Decide exactly what it is you want. Absolute clarity is the starting point to achieve significant success. If you are clear about what you want, the world responds with clarity. Ensure your goal stretches you but doesn't pull you out of shape. Describe "WHY?" you want the goal. This is the process you either talk yourself into it ___or talk yourself out of it. Which is good. When you are unclear "WHY" it is important, you usually don't put much effort in it.

2. Write your goal in detail and set a deadline. Set dates for each identified subset of the goal if necessary.
You might write 380 - You will
know what that means - You
don't have to describe the color
or interior of the car.

3. Identify what additional knowledge, skills and abilities you'll need to acquire to achieve your goal. Then target where you will access this information, and decide how you will obtain it.

4. Determine the obstacles and difficulties you must overcome to reach your goal. Prioritize these in order of importance and then write a plan to overcome each of them.

5. Identify the people, groups and organizations whose help you will require. Do you need someone to coach or mentor you through the accomplishment of your goal? Decide what you can in turn offer to attract their attention and secure their assistance and support. Share your goal carefully. Private goals held in your heart are almost never accomplished however public goals that are selectively shared with other people who have a strategic stake in the outcome are more often accomplished.

6. Draft a detailed plan. Identify each step and also the sequence of those steps. What's the most important step? What's the next most important step? Keep asking 'What's the next step' until you exhaust all possibilities and have a well formulated set of priorities. Goals can only be reached when we have a rigorous action plan, in which we fervently believe, and upon which we vigorously act. There is no other way to achieve success. Go through your list and to the best of your ability say, "I think this will take me about a year or three or five or ten years to accomplish. Some big goals may be out there ---- 10 years.

Every time you set a new goal incorporate these steps into your goal setting process. Chisel your goals in granite but set your plans in sand. Stand ready to amend your plans as you move forwards. Constantly review your plans until you're confident you can execute them, and then take action with boldness and urgency.

The way you enjoy life the best is to wrap up one goal and start on the next one. The only way to enjoy another meal is to get hungry.

Here's your challenge for this week: Set at least one significant goal. Oh yes, goal setting is NOT something you do just once! It is a continual process. I am sure the reason why most people let "Goal Setting" slide is because it is a lot of work. I know most people don't have well defined plans; but, don't let this be you . . . .

The person says, "Look . . .if you work where I work, by the time you get home, have a bite to eat, watch a little TV and go to bed . . . you can't stay up half the night and plan, plan, plan!"

And . . . This is the person who is behind on their car note. They are a good worker, works hard; but, a good worker can still wind up broke. YOU HAVE TO BE MORE THAN A GOOD WORKER. YOU HAVE TO BE A GOOD PLANNER! A GOOD GOAL SETTER!

"The establishment of a clear central purpose or goal in life is the starting point for all success." - by Brian Tracy

To Your Success,
Lloyd Dobson
http://www.UnlimitedWealthBuilder.ws