Setting And Achieving Goals

Setting and achieving goals is an area that the majority of people either don’t bother with, or they set their goals and end up failing to achieve them. The people that don’t make any effort in goal setting very rarely see any improvement or growth within themselves. It is important to use focus, commitment and inspiration to be able to see visible results from the goals that you have set.

Some common mistakes people make when setting goals are:

• They set a goal to get something, rather than to become something. Instead of focusing on what possessions you would like to have, you should be concentrating on who you want to become.
• They set goals that they know they can achieve, and are possible in current circumstances. That is not stepping outside of your comfort zone. It is far more worthwhile to be inspired to achieve something that is going to really stretch your capabilities. This is how you grow as a person and move forward.
• They question wether they are worthy of the goal. You should never question whether you are worthy of a goal. A goal needs to be worthy of yourself, if you are prepared to trade your life for it.

The billionaire who owns the Chigaco Bulls, Bill Bartmann, has come up with a 10 point plan which I have expanded on and added to as follows:

1. Make sure it is your own personal goal

Make sure you are focusing on the goal for yourself, not for other people. There are many people in this world who are merely following a career because their parents have told them to do it, or because their parents did it themselves. The goal you have chosen must be inspiring, satisfying and exciting for yourself to be motivated to achieve it.

2. Don't call it a goal

Call it a promise not a goal, because this method has been proved to be more likely to achieve the desired result. People are more inclined to take it seriously if you refer to it as a promise. People get bored with goals, but not with promises.

3. Clearly identify your promise

Define the exact measurable outcome that you desire. The outcome needs to be clear and precise, as this is what you will be working towards. If you have defined it clearly then you will know exactly when you have achieved the promise.

4. Use the tools around you

Use people close to you to help to motivate you, and to also encourage you when you are not feeling great. Look for any clues in books and on the internet to help you decide how you are going to achieve the promise.

5. Create a PROMISE PLAN

This step involves 6 parts to create a simple and powerful plan for yourself.

a) What it is that you are going to do?

b) When will you accomplish this?

c) Where will you be when this happens?

d) Why do you want this?

e) Who do you need help from to achieve this?

f) How? Don’t worry about How at the beginning – just get started and you will figure it out as you go, otherwise you just get stuck in analysis paralysis mode and get nowhere.

6. Review plan and promise on a regular basis

This will help you to work out the How. Review and focus on your plan for 20 minutes each day, without fail. Be committed to what you are trying to achieve. Allow your subconscious mind to realise that this is extremely important.

7. Tell yourself that you will succeed

An old but brilliant quote from Henry Ford sums up this step perfectly - Wether you think you can, or think you can't, your right! Think as if you are successful already. Feel the successful vibrations inside yourself and embrace them.

8. Tell others about your promise

This step increases the commitment level and shares the vision. These people may be able to help you. On the other hand, if they ridicule and laugh at you, you can use them as a negative motivator to prove them wrong. Slowly you will learn how to articulate your promise the more you do this.

9. Imagine the results

Repeatedly imagine yourself already having achieved the goal. Allow positive thoughts to fill your mind and get excited about it. Don't let fear worry you about negative outcomes. It’s important to not think about things that have not happened yet and probably never will.

10. Simply START!

Get off the couch or nothing will change. We ourselves are the sole reason that we either succeed or fail. Some people have a fear of the unknown or bad memories from the past. It’s vital to not let these emotions stop you from setting and achieving your goals. Remember mistakes are inevitable, and they are also a great stepping stone to success as long as you always learn from them.

Remember “BE + DO = HAVE” is the simple formula to get what you want in life.

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