The things that
makes a man feels better is setting a goal and achieving it. Just like when
athletes experience a type of "runner's high" after a race, so too
does completing any goal produce a sense of elation and pride. This article
explores many ways of setting and pursuing goals. Goals won't just complete
themselves. You need to be regimented in your pursuit of them. Get started.
Keep going. Achieve your aspirations.
Decide what you actually want to achieve.
Don't be concerned about what others want for you. Make your goals for
yourself. Studies show that when your goals are personally meaningful, you’re
more likely to achieve them.
- Oftentimes, this is the hardest part of the goal-making and fulfilling process. What do you want? The answer to this is often a mixture of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Buzz phrases like “stay true to yourself” clash with familial and work obligations. Find goals that promote a balance in your life - goals that make you happy and benefit your loved ones and others that depend on you.
- Consider asking yourself some questions, such as “What do I want to offer my family/community/world?” or “How do I want to grow?” These questions can help you determine the direction to take.
- It’s okay if your ideas are fairly broad at this point. You’ll narrow them down next.
Prioritize. Once you have an
idea of what you really want to achieve, you’ll need to prioritize these areas.
Trying to work on every area of your life at once can leave you overwhelmed and
unable to achieve any of your goals.
- Split your goals into three areas: first, second, and third tier. The first tier goals are the most important to you, and they may come more naturally. The second and third tier goals are not as important. They may also be more limited or specific.
- For example, first tier goals could be “improve my health” or “spend more time with my family.” Second tier goals could be “keep my room clean, learn to surf” and third tier goals could be “learn to knit, do laundry more regularly.”
Set specific goals.
Be specific and realistic about what it is that you want to achieve. Research
shows that setting a specific goal makes you more likely to achieve it and can
even make you feel happy in general. Be as specific and detailed as possible,
remembering that you may need to break large goals into smaller sub-goals.
- Ask yourself some questions about your goals. What do you need to do to achieve them? Who will need to assist you? When will each stage of your goal need to be accomplished?
- For example, “Be healthier” is too big and vague to be a helpful goal. “Eat better and exercise more” is better, but it’s still not detailed or specific.
- “Eat 3 servings of fruit and vegetables a day and exercise 3 times a week” is specific and concrete, making it much easier to achieve.
- You also need to build the scaffolding for how you will achieve these goals. For example, to achieve your fruit and vegetable goals, will you bring healthy snacks along to work? Choose a fruit cup instead of fries the next time you eat out? For exercising, will you work out at the gym or go for walks in your neighborhood? Think about the individual actions you need to take to “add up” to your overall goal.
- If you have multiple stages for your goals, when does each need to be accomplished? For example, if you’re training for a marathon, you need to have an idea of how long each stage of training will take you.
Be realistic. For example, if your
ultimate goal is to buy a big house in the country, you will need multiple
sub-goals to accomplish this. You’ll need to save up money, build your credit,
and possibly increase your income. Write out each of these sub-goals, along
with the steps to take for each.
Write out your goals. Be detailed, be
clear, and include your deadlines. Writing them down tends to make them feel a
little more real. Keep your list in a place where you can reference them
frequently. This will help keep you motivated.
- Word your goals positively. You’re much more likely to achieve your goals when they are worded in positive language, such as “Eat more fruits and vegetables” instead of “Stop eating junk food.”
Make sure your goal is measurable.
How will you know when you’ve completed a goal? If your goal is to move to a
new house, you’ll know based on when you sign on the dotted line of your new
lease or title papers. Other goals aren’t measurable at first glance. If your
goal is to become a better singer, then how will you know when you’ve reached
it? Set measurable goals instead.
- For example, you could memorize and “perfect” a single song. Learn to play an instrument while singing. Hit a new note. Measurable goals give you a sense of completion when you’ve finished them as you work towards a larger goal.
- Brainstorm ways of attaining your goals. Are there different ways to reach your goal? Write everything down that you can think of in three minutes, no matter how silly or impossible it may seem. If your goal is to get in shape, you might try joining a gym, eating differently, adjusting your daily schedule to incorporate more walks, riding a bike to work and back, making your own meals rather than eating a fast food joints regularly, or even taking the stairs rather than the elevator. There are often multiple routes to the same destination. Think about your goal as a final destination. What route or routes can you take?
Keep your goals grounded in what you can achieve.
Remember that you can only control your own actions, not anyone else’s. “Become
a rock star” is not really a feasible goal because it relies on others’ actions
and responses that you can’t control. However, “form a band and practice our
music until we’re excellent musicians” is a goal that your own work can
achieve.
- Focusing on your own actions can help you face setbacks, too, because you will recognize that you can’t control the roadblocks you may encounter.
- Remember that goals can also be processes. For example, “become a senator” relies too much on others’ actions, which you can’t control. If you don’t become a senator, you’re likely to consider your goal as a failure even if you did your best. “Run for public office” is a goal that you can consider achieved, even if you don’t win the election, because you went through the whole process to the best of your ability.
Create a realistic schedule.
Your deadline doesn't have to be exact, but it should be your best guess. Your
deadlines must be realistic based on your goals. If you're a part-time worker
making minimum wage, don't make your goal to have earned a million dollars by
the end of the year. Give yourself enough time to accomplish what you've set
out to do.
- Set a deadline. We all procrastinate. It almost seems like a natural human quality, but when a deadline is approaching, you’ll work harder to obtain your goal. Think about being in school. When a test was coming up, you knew you needed to study and you did. Setting goals for yourself should work the same way too.
- Remember that some goals will take more time to achieve than others. “Eat more fruits and vegetables” can be achieved very quickly. “Become more physically fit” will take much more time and effort. Set your timelines accordingly.
- Take external deadlines and timelines into consideration. For example, if your goal is “Find for a new job,” make sure to include any application deadlines that your prospective employers have.
- Set up a rewards system. Humans respond well to reward systems. Whenever you accomplish part of your goal, however small your progress, give yourself a little reward. For example, if your goal is to practice your music more regularly, allow yourself a half-hour with a comic book or your favorite TV program once your daily practice is finished.
- Stay away from punishing yourself if you don’t meet your goals. Punishing yourself or beating yourself up about not accomplishing something can actually hold you back from accomplishment.
Identify possible obstacles.
Nobody really wants to think about what could go wrong when they’re planning
for success. However, identifying potential obstacles and how you’ll deal with
them is crucial to achieving your goals. If you don’t, you won’t have a
game-plan when challenges inevitably present themselves.
- Obstacles can be external. For example, if your goal is to open your own auto shop, you might not have the money to buy your own shop at first. If your goal is to open your bakery, you might not also have the time to spend with your family that you want.
- Identify actions you can take to overcome these potential obstacles. For example, you could apply for a business loan, write a business plan to attract investors, or partner with a friend to go into business together.
- Obstacles can also be internal. For example, a lack of information can be an obstacle, especially in more complex goals. Emotions such as fear and uncertainty can also be internal obstacles.
- Actions you could take to address a lack of information could include reading up on the subject, asking a mentor for advice, practicing, or taking classes.
- Acknowledge your limitations. For example, if the obstacle is that you don’t have enough time to focus on setting up your business and spending the quality time with your family that you desire, there may not be a way to resolve that tension. However, you can talk with your family to let them know that the situation is only temporary.
Tell people about your goals.
Some people shy away from letting others in on their life goals. They fear that
if they fail, they’ll be ashamed. Don’t think of it this way. Think of it as
allowing yourself to be vulnerable, without which you can’t connect with others
or grow personally. Others can help you reach your goals, can offer physical
assistance, or just give you the necessary moral support.
- Others may not react as enthusiastically to your goals as you hope. What is important to you may not be as important to others. Recognize that there is a difference between constructive feedback and mean-spirited commentary. Listen to what they have to say, but in the long run, you’ll have to decide how important your goal is to you.
- You may also encounter others who do not support your goals. Remember that you’re working on your goals for you, not for anyone else. If you constantly meet with negativity from someone about your goals, express that you do not enjoy feeling judged or unsupported. Ask the person to refrain from judging you.
Find a community of like-minded people.
Chances are you aren’t the only one with this goal. Find others who have the
same aims. You can get started together and benefit from each others' knowledge
and experiences. When you’ve reached your goal, you’ll also have someone to
celebrate with.
Go online, utilize social media, and visit local places that cater to your goals. In our digital age, there are many ways of connecting, staying connected, and forming a community.
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