Goal Setting TipsTop 22 Goal Setting Tips to Achieve Your Goals This YearHome » Goals » Tips
By Jonathan Eqar Last year, did you achieve all your “New Year Resolutions” which you set at the beginning of the year? There are certain things you can do to increase your chances of reaching your “New Year Resolutions” personal goals. Whether it’s a financial goal, religious goal, a goal to stop smoking, a goal to lose weight or get fit, use these goal setting tips to help you achieve your goals with greater success. The 22 Goal Setting Tips22. Find Role Models or MentorsFind someone who has achieved the same goal you would like to achieve.Role models or mentors can serve as an inspiration that your goals are achievable. If they can do it, why can’t you? Not only that, you can learn from their successes and avoid the same mistakes they made. 21. Get Expert HelpIf you can, there's no reason not to hire a personal trainer to get you started on a workout routine. If you've always wanted to bowl over 200, but think you can't improve because you're left-handed, why not take lessons from that left-handed pro at your local bowling alley?20. Be specificBe very specific when you set your goals. Goals like “get fit" or “make more money” are vague goals. Define exactly what the goal means to you, whether it's getting in shape to run a marathon or quitting smoking. The more specific your goals the more easily you can act on them.19. Set a timelineDo you want to quit smoking? Set it up specifically, as in "I want to cut back to half a pack per day by March 1, and I want to be done with cigarettes entirely by June 1. Deadlines, when they are realistic, are motivating.18. Be realisticIf you're 40 and you've been out of shape for the past 20 years, you're probably not going to be participating in a triathlon within the next six months. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't set a fitness goal. Just make it realistic, like working up to three workouts per week over six months.17. Track progress regularlyWhatever goal you set, track your progress. Let’s say you’re writing a novel. On your way to writing that novel you've always wanted to write, ask yourself at regular intervals - one or two weeks - how far you're progressing on average.Adjust your goals if necessary to accommodate your faster or slower pace. 16. Deal with fears head-onMost people's regrets are regrets about things they didn't do rather than about things they did do. Sure, it's scary setting out a major task for yourself, but that's how we put men on the moon. Bust through one fear, and the next will look more manageable.15. Write down the reasons why you can achieve your goalsIt’s important to know that you have the ability to reach your goals. It can really boost your confidence. Start listing down at least 5 reasons why you can achieve your goals.Here are ideas: "I'm persistent." "I am good at doing research." "I beat cancer, so I can darn well learn to skydive/speak Greek/write poetry." "I'm always helping others. Now it's time to give myself that same help." 14. Set goals of varying difficultyDon’t just set difficult goals, set easy goals too. If baking that batch of homemade cookies makes you feel psyched, then maybe you'll have an easier time repainting the den.Setting an easy goal does not mean it’s not an important goal in your life. For example, family goals are important. Setting a family goal like creating a Halloween costume for your child to make him or her happy is an easy goal to achieve, but it can really make your child happy. 13. Get inspiredMaybe watching that documentary on the decrease in fossil fuels will give you the mental boost you need to actually install solar panels on your house. Or maybe reading a book on successful entrepreneurs may give you inspiration to succeed in your own business. Attending that hot air balloon festival will inspire you to get your new digital SLR camera and really learn how to use it.Whatever your personal goal is, find sources of inspiration. 12. Prioritize your goalsIf you need to pay some bills to keep the wolves from the door, then that needs to be a higher priority than buying a new car with a turbo charger and a spoiler. If you're about to flunk thermodynamics, it's probably not the best time to try out for a part in a musical.Learn prioritizing skills to help you manage your time and activities effectively. 11. Maintain balanceDon't let pursuit of your goal take over the rest of your life. You may set a goal to start a highly profitable business, but don't forget that you still have a job, a family, and other normal responsibilities.Some goals shouldn't be pursued at the expense of other important goals in life. 10. Maintain focus when pursuing your goalLearn how to reduce distractions for maximum focus. You're not going to learn to speak Russian if you're interrupted every few minutes of your study time by your phone, your kids, or your craving for a cigarette. Give yourself little rewards for focusing on your goals, like calling up a friend to go have coffee when your study time is over.9. Don't let life's speedbumps stop you coldLittle setbacks happen to everyone. If you have to interrupt your physical training session because you have come down with strep throat, take the time you need to heal, then get back in there.8. Plan things outWrite the pursuit of your goals into your schedule. If you take the time to schedule an hour four times a week, say, for reading as many pages of Ulysses as you can, the goal will become much more integrated into your regular life and you'll be less likely to miss it.7. Mark your progress positivelySure, you haven't lost all 50 pounds yet, but you've lost 5, and that's worthy of celebration, just not with a piece of cake.Have you cut your cigarette consumption in half? Maybe you could take the money you've saved on cigarettes and take a friend to a movie. 6. Don't set the bar too lowIt's hard to be motivated by knowing that you extended your exercise program from zero hours per week to 20 minutes a week.You won't get significant enough results to motivate you to want more. 5. Break down Your Goal into Small StepsReaching a big goal may be daunting. Break your goals down into smaller milestones. It will feel more doable when you break your goals down.4. Believe in yourself, especially if nobody else is being supportive of your goalsThe fact that something is important to you is enough reason to pursue a goal. Don't let the naysayers keep you from trying. Maybe they're afraid of "losing" you if you put in the time to earn that black belt, but you know better. 3. Define your goals in positive termsDon't just say, "I'm sick of my house looking like a pigsty."Instead, say, won't it be great when I get all the extra junk out of here? I'll gain the equivalent of another bedroom once I do it." 2. Have written goalsWrite your goals down, preferably where you see it every day, maybe on a huge poster, or in your day planner. You could write them down in your word processor in a large font, take a screen shot of it, and make it your background screen.1. Stick with itMany, many times people who were very close to meeting their goals give up when just a little more persistence would have got you to your goal.You may not earn anything more than a byline when your first piece of writing is published, but the feeling of accomplishment after all the work you've put in can be priceless. Take action on these goal setting tips. Choose one of these goal setting tips now and put it into action. And I hope you achieve all your goals by this year. « Return to Goal Setting Main Page
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