GOAL-SETTING FOR A BETTER FUTURE

Goal Setting For a Brighter Future
There are few of us who don’t have goals in life. After all, we all want something from our existence, regardless of what it may be. Often, though, we’re only vaguely aware of what our goals are. We fail to define them rigorously, and therefore we’re incapable of pursuing them methodically. Perhaps you yourself are somewhat new to the idea of setting goals in a systematic way. You’d be surprised at how effective you may become if you learn how to speak eloquently, to yourself an others, about what’s important to you, what you’re pursuing and how you’re going to attain it in very concrete terms.

So, how do you get started with goal setting? First of all, you need to think about the big one. The big goal, the destination you’re striving to reach, no matter what detours you may take along the path of your life. All of your secondary goals will flow from this central goal, as you consider what practical steps you can take to achieve your dreams. What matters most to you? What would you refuse to live without? What brings your life meaning? Once you strip away all the nonsense, all the distractions, all the chores you do without a sense of inspiration, you’ll be left with this one central goal. Write it out; try to formulate it as clearly and succinctly as you can.

Begin by determining whether the first goal that comes to mind is truly your goal, and not someone else’s. Often, we mistake the world’s goals for our own goals, accepting what other people view as important, instead of thinking independently about what really matters to us. Are we pursuing this particular goal because of its meaning for us, and in search of personal fulfillment? Or are we doing it just to impress those around us, to conform to society’s expectations of us, and its conception of what a meaningful life is? Often, the “meaning” prescribed by television, music, our peers, and even our family may be quite hollow, upon closer inspection. Listen to your own voice, and follow where it leads.

Once you’ve isolated your central purpose in life, ask yourself how to get there. Break it down into secondary goals, stepping stones along the path, which are manageable. Make sure they are all directly related to your ultimate goal; if there’s no apparent connection, they may be nothing but meaningless detours—exercises in wheel-spinning, instead of getting somewhere meaningful.

Spread your ultimate goal around, integrating it into all aspects of your life—intellectual, financial, moral, spiritual, and physical. How do your loved ones fit into the picture? How can you pursue all of your varied interests in a way that promotes the realization of your central purpose?

Formulate your goals and stepping stones in positive terms—they should define what you can do, not what you shouldn’t do. Defining goals negatively simply tells us where we can’t go. But we’re not exactly in kindergarten anymore, where life is a list of prohibitions. We’re in charge of our lives, so we should act like it. Tell yourself, in very positive tones, who you choose to be and where you choose to go.

Never let go of your central goal. If it truly matters to you, it’s not likely to fade from your radar, or become invalid at some point in life. Meaning in our life is timeless; it’s what defines us as a person. Jobs and addresses may change, but what we want from life is unlikely to. So don’t get discouraged if you meet with setbacks. Simply redouble your determination, and insist on achieving.

Eight Powerful Ways to Reach Your Goals
Do you want to set life goals but don’t know where or how to start? Or do you have your goals but can’t deal with the barriers that keep you from realizing them. Here are eight proven ways to help you set goals and achieve them:

1. Identify Your Goal’s Purpose. The method here is to first recognize the significance of your goal and the positive impact it will have on your life. This gives you that all-important motivation to take action.
2. Set your goals and establish the plan. One of the reasons a goal may not be achieved is that there is no detailed plan to accomplish it. Setting a goal is step one. But you must also have a plan of action to achieve it. Then within the plan set measurable progress markers so that you can monitor how you’re doing. Goals are a work in progress and by measuring your progress you are able to fine-tune your plan as you come closer to achieving it.
3. Stay focused. Stick to your goal plan and monitor your progress. Believe it and you’ll continue to build momentum that helps you stay focused. And this consistency of focus is also what will drive your motivation.
4. Keep up the momentum. Do everything you can to stay motivated by fueling the momentum in your plan. Momentum comes from the little successes and resulting progress in your plan. Do something everyday to achieve your goal. This is what builds momentum.
5. Monitor your progress. Know where you are in achieving your plan by monitoring your progress. Always ask the question: what can I do next to achieve my goal? Is there something else you can do to shorten the time from where you are not to successful achievement of your goal? Have you missed something? Have you got all the information you need? Or is there someone else that can help you? Keep the pressure on.
6. Every idea is significant. Don’t let a good idea get away. When a thought or idea comes to you, get it down on paper. This means keep a pen and paper handy at all times, wherever you are.
7. Be positive. Believe in your ability to achieve your goals. Work at keeping negative thoughts and doubts out of your mind. Be positive in everything you do. And be kind to yourself with self-affirmations and positive thinking. Don’t waste your time with negative people. Keep company with other positive people.
8. Be grateful for having goals. Consider yourself fortunate to actually have goals. And be grateful for the positive outcomes that will come into your life when they are achieved. Remember, its not only about achieving the goal, it’s the journey in getting there. Setting and achieving goals is a personal growth exercise that will leave you more self-motivated, more empowered and spiritually and fundamentally a stronger and self satisfied person.
By following these powerful tips to goal setting and achievement, you will soon be on your way to establishing a blue print for living your life. They are that important, as you will find out when you begin to plan for the future through goal setting.