Now let’s get right into the post about goals. There has been numerous books, articles, blogs, and speakers who talk about goals in various depths. I don’t want to waste any of your time so we will cut straight to the 5 most important steps to setting goals to help get you where you want to be.
Now this may seem obvious especially if you’re already reading a post on goal setting but nevertheless it is 100% critical to achieving what you want in life. Most people know they should have goals but still 97% of the population don’t have written goals… Let’s repeat that fact for you again because you need to remember it, 97% of the population do not have written goals.
You need goals as much as they need you. It’s a bond that will benefit your life for a very long time. Without goals you drift in life, with goals you have direction. You can have a picture of what you want to achieve in your mind and take small steps to get there each day.
Goals act as your compass in life and if you want to achieve big things, they will help lead you in the right direction.
Obstacles will come up for everyone at unprecedented times in life. Your goals will keep pointing to the right direction even when life decides to push you off your chosen path. Things change in life and we need to be able to adapt. Your goals last year may not be the same focus you have this year. That’s why shifting your goals will be necessary to keep moving forward in life. People are known to change careers around 7 times in their lives. Shifts like this will cause changes in where you are and what you want to do next. Don’t be afraid to look into something new and go after it.
There’s something powerful about taking your pen and physically writing down your goals on paper. Yes, you can type them out on your computer and print them, but I highly recommend going old school and writing them down yourself. This seems to reinforce what you want and help it to manifest.
Goals can be difficult to come up with for some people. It requires you to sit down, clear your mind and think about what you really want your life to look like. Thinking is hard work, and many people are living their lives without having to think at all. Drifting on autopilot, driving to work, coming home for dinner, watching T.V., sleeping and doing it all over again for decades.
If you take one thing away from this post, take this – spend 10 minutes today (not tomorrow) and write down 5 important goals you would love to achieve in the next 12 months. Write them down and keep them by your bed for easy viewing.
What’s the point of having goals, writing your goals down, but then sticking them in your drawer and never looking at them again? I mean it was a good effort but honestly, it’s holding you back. You must review your goals every morning and every evening before bed! This is another key takeaway in today’s YOL blog.
Daily review of your goals not only ensures they are relevant and still current but enhances your chances of achieving them. For example, have you ever really wanted a new car before? When you love a certain car you want to buy, you start to see it everywhere. You set it as your computer and phones background. You see them on the street everywhere, you review day and night about colours, options, interior packages – basically everything you would need to know.
You are so focused and determined that this is the car you want, and you eventually find it and buy it. You have a specific goal of what you want, and you get it. I’m sure many of you have had this exact experience when you want something. Maybe it’s not a car but a new pair of skis, or a watch. It doesn’t matter what the exact item is rather the steps you took to get it. You continue to look at it and learn everything you can about it, where you can get it, what is a good price to pay.
By taking less than 5 minutes out of your day (that’s 300 seconds) to spend reading your goals is necessary to accomplishing them. Here you will take your mind off of everything else and solely focus on your goals.
Don't forget to enroll in the free goal setting course!
How many people have you heard talk about setting goals that are “realistic?” Think of what is possible in your current circumstances and to not reach too far, to avoid failure and disappointment? I feel like I’ve heard more people say this than the opposite. I say you should avoid this advice and go big or go home!
Yes, being able to grow wings and fly to the moon is a bit of a stretch but that doesn’t mean you have to think small in every area of your life. Big thinkers get rewarded by big results. If you continue to think small you will continue to receive small results. Y\
You must start clearing your mind of all limitations. The only limitations you have are the ones you have in your mind.
If you want to go to college but no one in your family has gone, be the first. Be the exception. Everyone’s road is different and lots of people may have things blocking their way. In order to achieve big goals, you must first set them. Maybe you won’t be able to reach some of them, but I’m certain you will make it a lot further than if you set your sights low.
I want to be rich one day is not specific and not time keyed. Being specific means to have exactly what you want to achieve written down. I want to earn 10 million dollars a year is more on the money (literally). A deadline gives you an end time when you want to reach this goal by. Deadlines are important because they push you to do what you said your going to do in a timely manner. I want to earn 10 million dollars a year from my annual salary, investments, and business by October 31, 2021. This is how specific you want to be with an end date in sight.
Remember back to the days when you were in school? Maybe you are still in school at this point in your life. I was one to procrastinate constantly, this means to leave it to the last minute. Any assignment, project, test, you name it I would wait until the night before and then do it. Did I achieve great results with this tactic? Absolutely not, but it was enough to get a decent grade and keep moving on.
Not that you want to procrastinate on your goals, but you will take more time to accomplish something without a specific deadline. I personally like setting aggressive goal timelines. That means rather than setting a goal of writing an eBook in 6 months I’ll give myself 4. This means I must manage my time better, focus, and get to work right away with a solid plan. Yes, I may need more time near the end, although you would be shocked at how much more you can get done if you choose to.
Elon Musk is known for setting insanely small deadlines for massive tasks for his team to accomplish. They get to work and make it happen in a much tighter timeframe than anyone else thought possible.
1. You Need Goals – goals act as important headings to follow in your life.
2. Write Them on Paper – writing your goals down on paper is critical to achieving them!
3. Daily & Nightly Review – reviewing your goals day and night will ensure you stay focused and on track.
4. Go Big or Go Home – don’t be afraid to set big goals and take big risks in your life.
5. Be Specific with a Deadline – know exactly what you want and when you want it by.
Chris M Wilson
Chris Wilson is a keynote speaker, CTI coach, and entrepreneur. Through his Hover to Fly framework, he aims to impact the next generation in their careers and lives.
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