Goals are so effective that many organizations require managers and team leaders to set them. Yet many of us still don’t use them to their full potential. Setting clearly defined short term and long term goals will enable you to measure your progress and achieve personal satisfaction once you have successfully met your goals.
Charting your progress will also enable you to actually see the stages of completion leading to the actual realization of your goals. This eliminates the feeling of a long and pointless grind towards achieving your goal. Your self-confidence and level of competence will also improve as you will be more aware of your capabilities as
you complete or achieve your goals. The basics of goal settings will involve deciding what you really want to do with your personal and professional life and what short term and long term goals you need to achieve it. Then you have to break down goals into the smaller and manageable targets that you must complete on your way to achieving your lifetime targets.
Here are seven pointers that should be taken into consideration in setting your goals and achieving them:
Your Attitude
Attitude plays a very big role in setting and achieving your goals. You must ask yourself if any part of your attitude or your mind is holding you back from completing your simplest goals? If there are any parts of your behavior that are being a hindrance to achieving your goals this can cast your plans into disarray. If you do have
problems in these areas then the immediate thing to do is to addressyour attitude.
Manage Your Time
Careers are made by good time management practice. A stalling career is often attributed to bad time management. Successful careers can require a lot of discipline from an individual in how you manage your time, so plan how far you want to go into your career and manage your time to ensure you do what is needed when it is required.
Invest in Yourself
Education is key in achieving your goals. If your goals require you to have a certain kind of degree or require a certain specialization or demand a certain skill to be developed, make plans and take action to get the appropriate education.
Your family
Your family should never be left out of your plans. If you are just starting out then you have to decide what relationships are important to you, if you want to be a parent or when you want to be a parent.
Money
Personal financial situations also play a major role in achieving your goals. Have a realistic goal on how much you really want to earn and what you will have to invest to achieve it. You also must be able to create plans or stages by which you will be able to reach your earning potential.
Sports goals
Physically gifted individuals may be able to achieve sports related goals like playing in the elite Basketball, Tennis or Football association. Determining your physical capabilities should be one of your priorities. Physical limitations may however be conquered with proper planning and training.
Fun goals
As the saying goes – ‘All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy’ – and this is very true, for hard-working Jills as well as Jacks. Giving yourself a little pleasure: should be included into your plans.
QUICK TIPS FOR SETTING GOALS
- To start achieving your lifetime goals, set a quarter of a century plan, then break it down to five 5 year plans then break the next five years down again to 1 year plans, then 6 month plans then monthly plans, then weekly, then daily.
- Then create a things-to-do list for the day.
- Always review your plans and prepare for contingencies.
The basics of goal settings should not be so difficult once you get to be familiar with them.
About the Author:
Kerrie Mullins-Gunst is an expert in all the knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours leaders need to mentor, manage and lead their people, and one of Australia’s leading female business speakers. For more free leadership tips, tools and resources visit http://www.kmgconsulting.com.au and http://leadershipskillcenter.com
or call on 61-3-9859 3924. Copyright © Kerrie Mullins-Gunst.
