How To Set A Goal In 6 Easy Steps

We’ve all set goals in our lives, some have been accomplished, and others have been broken. Although a number of variables plays a part in whether or not a goal is achieved, a sound goal setting process is integral to creating the momentum required to succeed. Regardless of what your current short term and long term goals are, in order to achieve them you need to have set them in a manner that will guarantee your success. These are the ‘six Ps’ that will teach you how to set a goal you will always achieve.

1. Be Precise

Your goals need to be precise. How much money do you want to make in your business over the next year? Where do you want to be with your career in five years? What countries do you want to visit over the next few years? You need to know exactly what it is you want to achieve. More importantly you also need to set a deadline for when this goal must be accomplished. Without this time component there is no sense of urgency to achieve the goal, and you might just compromise by thinking you’ve got plenty of time left, only to realise that the opportunities to progress have passed you by. You must know exactly what you want and when you will achieve the goal.

2. Know The Purpose

Once you know what your specific goal is, you must understand the purpose behind why you want to achieve this goal. Setting a goal to become a gazillionaire one day is nice and dandy and all, but if your reasons are not strong enough, then they will not get you through the difficult times where you need to fight just that extra bit to succeed. What are your reasons for achieving your goals? Why must you achieve this specific goal? Your reasons need to be emotional; they need to get your heart racing, your blood rushing, and your toes twiddling. In a word, they need to get you pumped! If that goal and the reasons for pursuing it don’t get you excited, then it isn’t something that you really want to achieve. It’s just something that seemed like a good idea. Make sure that the purpose behind your ambitions gets your adrenaline pumping each and every time. These first two steps alone will get you half way to achieving your goals, but by no means does that guarantee you will achieve them.

3. Always Be Positive

Your goal also needs to be said in a positive manner. Rather than setting goals like “I want to be financially free be the age of 30 so I don’t have to work for somebody anymore”, or “I will not lose money in this business this year”, or “I will not look like an idiot, again”, restate these goals in a positive light; instead say, “I want to be financially free by the age of 30 so I can play golf everyday and visit remote countries”, “I will make x-amount of money in the business this year”, and “I will show them how it’s done, yet again.” Give yourself the best possible chances of succeeding, by pursuing the goal with a positive attitude, rather than a limiting attitude.

4. Create Parts

Additionally when you set a goal it needs to be broken down into parts. Your goal is the end result, but what will get you from where you are now to where you want to be? You need to be able to set sub-goals and objectives over a shorter period of time, which will allow you to progressively achieve each aspect of your dreams. These are the checkpoints that you must pass through to ensure you reach your desired destination. If you want to become filthily rich through your business, you need to set a financial target for the end of the current year, the following year, and onwards, as well as the activities you will perform to acquire these riches you so desire.

5. Get It On Paper

Having to set a goal and keep it in your head can be a disastrous activity; we all have brain cramps from time to time, so you need to write your goals down on paper. There is something magical about writing your goals on paper; only about five percent of the adult population in most developed nations takes the time to write their goals down. If you are in this percentile, or you want to join in on the fun, you are setting yourself up for success. This small percentage of people who actually think deeply about their goals, and takes the time to write it down on paper are also the people who achieve great things in life. Make sure you are one of them.

6. Take Action In The Present

The final step you need to take in this goal setting process, which actually is more a beginning than a finale, is to take action in the present to move you towards your goal. After you’ve sat down, thought about your life, thought about your goals, thought about your dreams and ambitions, had a brain cramp or three, and managed to jot it all down on paper, you need to do something, anything, now, that will prove to yourself that you are serious about achieving this goal, and you will relentlessly pursue it until you achieve it. Do something right now to move you closer to where you want to be, and start to create that momentum that will take you towards your goal.

These six steps are integral to your success in setting a meaningful and achievable goal. You need to be precise with your goal and the purpose of achieving it. You need to be positive about your goal, and after you have broken the goal down into manageable parts, you need to take the time to write your goals down on paper. Once you have accomplished these steps, you must take the first of many actions to generate the momentum that ensures your success in achieving your goal.