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Five Simple Steps to Setting Goals

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Having goals improves our lives by bringing us enjoyment, increased self-esteem, a sense of purpose and the satisfaction of achievement. However, often we don’t take the time to ensure that we have good goals and that we actually achieve them.

This is where these steps to setting goals comes in.

If we take the time to establish our goals and a plan of action, we have a better chance of attaining them. Here are simple steps to setting goals:

1. Decide What You Want

Deciding on the best goal for you is very important. You need to know exactly what you want. Often we set goals that are, in fact, not based on our desires or dreams. Society, our background and our beliefs can have a huge overriding influence on our choices and decisions.

Ask yourself these two questions about your goal to check if it is really for you:

• Do you feel excited about this goal?
It is very difficult to stay motivated if you are not enthusiastic about a goal.

• What will you have when you achieve this?
This question may help you to sift out those goals that are not in line with your desires.

2. Write Down Your Goal

By writing down your goal you are able to clarify it. It moves from being a vague idea in your mind to something that is more definite and attainable.

Note: Your goal must be specific. For example, it’s no use having a goal of “being happy”; you need to think about what will make you happy and then set that as a goal. You need to be able to measure the outcome of a goal.

3. Set a Time-frame For Your Goal

If you don’t set a deadline for your goal, there is no real incentive to get started and work on it. Having a timeline helps you to be motivated and determined. It also makes the goal more real as there is a set time when the outcome will exist in your life.

3. Look at Options for Achieving Your Goal

A goal is not going to happen by itself. You have to take action – and well thought-out action. Working towards a goal can’t be something that haphazardly takes place as your life allows or mood dictates. So, you need to set up a series of action steps.

Don’t bulldoze ahead and set out the first plan that you think of; that will be just one means of getting there – and quite possibly not the best one. You need to explore various options. Brainstorm to get as many ideas as possible on how to achieve your goal.

4. Create a Plan of Action

This is one of the most important steps in setting goals. Only when you have several options, do you start to focus on each of them and find the best way. Once you have chosen your optimum solution, you need to set it out in a series of steps. Each step must involve a particular task (or tasks) to be carried out on or before a specified time. Also think about how you are going to implement each step.

5. Commit

Commit to your goal. Resolve to carry out at least one task each day towards your goal. It could be commenting on a blog post, making a call or even just spending some time focussing on the outcome you want.

These five steps to setting goals are not complicated, it just requires a bit of time and determination. If you use this methodology to set up your goal, it is easier to commit to it and much smoother to achieve.

Written by Juliet du Preez

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