IMPORTANCE OF GOALS IN LIFE

DEFINITION

Goal Setting is the process of deciding what you would like to realize and devising a plan to achieve the result you desire.

IMPORTANCE OF GOALS SETTING

↣ Goal setting is a process for thinking about your ideal future (what you desire to be), and for motivating yourself to turn this vision of the future into reality.

↣ When you know what you WANT to achieve, you know where you have to concentrate your efforts. You’ll also be able to spot distractions. Properly set goals are often incredibly motivating, and as you get into the habit of setting and achieving goals, you’ll find that your self-confidence builds fast.

↣ By setting sharp, clearly defined i.e., specific goals, you can measure and take pride in the achievement of those goals. You can see forward progress in what might previously have seemed an extended pointless grind.

How to set Personal Goals

Goals are assailed variety of various levels:

1. In your mind, you create a “big picture” of what you want to do with your life and decide what goals you want to achieve in the short and long term.

2. You break these down into the smaller and smaller targets that you must achieve first so that you reach your lifetime goals.

3. Finally, you take action i.e. once you’ve got your plan, you begin working to realize it.

Goal setting starts with writing your personal vision and mission statement.

Your Lifetime Goals

The first step in setting personal goals is to consider what you want to achieve in your lifetime (or 20-25 years in the future). Setting Lifetime Goals give you the general perspective that shapes all other aspects of your decision deciding.

To cover all important areas of your life, try setting goals in some of these categories (or add categories of your own depending on what is important to you):

Attitude: Do you want to change any habits/behavior?

Career: What level does one want to succeed in your career? Do you want to start your own 

company? Family: Do you want to be a parent? If so, how are you getting to be an honest parent?

Financial: How much money you want to make? By when you want to retire?

KnowledgelSkill: Is there any knowledge you want to acquire in particular?

Physical: Are there any physical goals you want to achieve? What specific steps are you going to take to achieve this?

Social Service: Do you want to form the planet a far better place? If so, how?

 

Breaking down your lifetime goal

Once you have set your lifetime goals, set a five-year plan of smaller goals that you should complete if you are to reach your lifetime plan. Then set a 1-year plan, six-month plan, and one month plan of progressively smaller goals that you simply should reach to realize your life goals. Each of those should be supported on the previous plan.

Now create a daily to-do list of things that you should do today to work towards your lifetime goals. Finally, review your plans, and make sure that they fit with your personal vision.

SMART Goals

“A goal properly set is halfway reached,” -Abraham Lincoln

To make goals more powerful ensure they are SMART i.e.-

Let us now understand each of the above in detail.

1) Specific:-

→ Goals should be straightforward and emphasize what you would like to happen. Specifics help us to focus our efforts and clearly define what we are getting to do.

→ Specific is that the What, Why, and the way of the SMART model.

WHAT are you going to do? Use action words such as direct, organize, coordinate, lead, develop, plan and build, etc.

→ WHY is that this important to try to at this time? What do you want to ultimately accomplish?

2) Measurable:-

→ Choose a goal with measurable progress, so you’ll see the change occur. How will you see once you reach your goal? Be specific! “I want to read 3 chapters of XYZ book before my birthday” shows the specific target to be measure. “I want to be an honest reader” isn’t as measurable.

→ Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of every goal you set. When you measure your progress, you stay track, reach your target dates, and knowledge the exhilaration of achievement.

3) Attainable:-

→ If goals you set are too far out of your reach, you almost certainly won’t plan to do it. Although you’ll start with the simplest of intentions, the knowledge that it’s an excessive amount of means your subconscious will keep reminding you of this fact and can stop you from even giving it your best. A goal must stretch you slightly so you are feeling you’ll roll in the hay. 

→ The feeling of success which this brings helps you to stay motivated.

4) Relevant:-

→ Relevant goals mean “choosing goals that matter”. A relevant goal will receive the support of others and will help you achieve your bigger objective.

5) Timely:-

→ Set a timeframe for the goal: for next week, in three months, in one year. Putting an endpoint on your goal gives you a transparent target to figure towards.

Achieving Goals

→ When you have achieved a goal, take the time to enjoy the satisfaction of getting done so. Celebrate your achievement and if the goal you achieved was a significant one, reward yourself.

Key Points

Goal setting is an important method of:

•  Deciding what is important for you to achieve in your life

•  Separating what is important from what is irrelevant, or a distraction

• Building your self-confidence, based on successful achievement of goals 

Thank you😊