Setting and Achieving a Goal

You have defined an area of your life that requires improvement. The most effective way to do this is by setting and achieving a goal. There are several steps that need to be taken in order to accomplish this. Let's explore how we can get from an idea on paper to actual life altering changes.

First, set your goal. Define what it is that you want. Be very specific about it. Simply stating "…I want to lose weight…" will not work. That is actually an objective and not a goal. Your goal statement must have two parts. The first part should be as detailed and specific as possible, something like "… I will lose 30 pounds by May 12 …" You have clearly defined what you are going to accomplish. When setting and achieving a goal this task is paramount to your success. The second part of your goal statement should be how you are going to accomplish this task. Now, your goal should be something like "… I will lose 30 pounds by May 12. I will accomplish this by eating a healthy diet and exercising …" That is a clearly defined goal and a way to achieve it. You will have an excellent chance of success if the goal is clearly defined as a mission statement.

The next step in setting and achieving a goal is to make sure that the goal statement you've just developed is realistic and that it fits in with your beliefs and lifestyle. Using the above example, if May 12 is only seven days away, it is unrealistic that you can lose 30 pounds in the given time frame. However, if May 12 is six months away then your goal is more attainable. After being sure that you have a realistic goal, you need to have "mini-goals" or tasks that will help you be successful. Maybe in this example you will make an appointment with a nutritionist or dietitian to develop healthy meal plans for you. That would be a wonderful "mini-goal." It is easy and very attainable. Keep your mini-goals very simple. They are there to help you succeed.

When you are in the process of setting and achieving a goal, the final step is success! Sweet success! You did it because you had a well thought out goal and a definitive plan of action. All of the mini-goals allowed you to keep on track and become successful! I'll bet you didn't realize what a boost to your self esteem this would be.

Goal Setting Strategy -- Planning to Succeed

What is a goal setting strategy and how can it help you? Many of us set goals. Almost as many of us fail to achieve those goals. There is an underlying reason that this occurs. Lack of a strategy to succeed. This article will explore how and why these strategies are needed.

Know what you want. Write it down. Have a plan. It is easy knowing what you want. How do you get the plan? Your plan is built through effective goal setting. If your goal is to save money for retirement, you need to make this goal precise. Do you want to save $5000 a year for retirement or do you want to have 1 million dollars in savings by age 70? See the difference in these two goals?

This precise statement is part of a good goal setting strategy. So let's say you want to save a specific dollar amount a year for retirement. This is a great goal statement (know what you want). What is your plan? How are you going to save that exact amount of money?

This will be the beginning of your plan. For this example, let's say that you will save this dollar amount a year for retirement by making monthly deposits into a bank account and putting money every month into an investment account. Guess what? You have a plan.

The next step in your goal setting strategy is to take consistent action. Your consistent action in the above example is to put money into savings and investments every month. Maybe you need to put money aside weekly or save on a daily basis. Set the day and time that you will have that money put into a savings and an investment account each and every month. Your goal should now look something like this: "…I will save a specific dollar amount a year for retirement by making monthly deposits into a bank account and an investment account. I will deposit these funds before noon on the last business day of the month…" Do this for a few months and you will see your bank account grow.

Periodically look at the progress you are making and see if you need to make any adjustments. Change your goal statement to reflect those changes. As you can see, having a goal setting strategy is a plan for success.

Ring Toss - A Goal Setting Game

This goal setting game is based on the very familiar game of ring toss. It is designed to be used with a group. The great thing about this game is that you can use if for adults as well as children. For trainers, this is a fun break in a class. For children it's a good scout or group activity.

What you need. The material list for this goal setting game are minimal. You need a ring toss game -- or at the very least a pole and some rings (each player gets 3 rings), a tape measure or yard stick, and chalk or something to mark lines with, paper and a writing instrument.

The objective of this goal setting game is to determine what kind of risk taker you are. Set up the game by making 3 lines in front of the pole; the first line will be 2 feet away, the second line 4 feet and the third line 6 feet. Each participant gets three rings. There will be a total of three rounds. The player must choose which line they will throw from. You can only choose 1 line per round. Each player gets three attempts per round. There is no scoring in this game.

Have each player decide where they are going to throw from in this goal setting game. They can change lines after each round but not during a round. On a sheet of paper make a note on what line the player chose to throw from. What you will see is willingness to take risks. More timid individuals will start at the 2 ft line, some will stay there and some will advance through the lines. The risk takers will start at the 6 ft line and either stay there or jump back and forth between the 4 ft and 6 ft line depending on their success. Moderate risk takers will start at the 4 ft line and then will adjust through all three lines depending on their ability to hit the pole.

After everyone has gone through the three rounds, this goal setting game is over. Tally the results to see who is a risk taker and who prefers limited or moderate risk. This can help you with how to set your goals. You should gear your goals toward the amount of risk you are comfortable with taking.

Goal Setting Forms

What are goal setting forms? Simply put these are forms that you use to help you keep track of your goals and success in attaining them.

Just like a baker uses special tools to assemble a beautiful wedding cake, goal setting forms are one of the tools you can use to help you attain your goals. Why use them? They help keep you on track. You are more likely to successfully achieve your goal if you write it down. When you write down a goal it becomes real. It has stopped being just a thought and has transformed into something tangible. These forms really help you focus on how to achieve your goals. Some have cute graphics, others will let you log your success and produce status reports.

Where do you find goal setting forms? For those people who are comfortable with goal setting and writing, you can design your own. For others, this task would be very intimidating. Many people do not know how to initiate writing goals. These forms can be found in eBooks, web sites, and in print books too. I like free things. I always have room for free in my budget. Online there are many web sites that offer free goal setting form templates. Select a topic and they have the form ready for you to download.

If your goal does not conform to this "cookie-cutter" format, many web sites also have the ability to let you design your own form, again for free. Plug in your information, answer a few questions and voile! You have a goal setting form tailored to your needs. You can also reap ideas from books at the local library. Find one that has ideas on how to design the forms and see if you can create your own in a word processor or spreadsheet.

You should try using a goal setting form to see if this suits your needs. Many experts say that these forms really hone in your goal setting and writing skills. Electronic formats make them simple to revise as your situation changes. While you can do this on paper, it can be very time consuming if your goal is complex or very lengthy. Give it a try! You may find using goal setting forms helps you attain your goals faster than you ever thought possible.

Focus Your Life with this Goal Setting Exercise

This is a goal setting exercise will show you exactly what you should focus on in the next year. It will save you time and energy because after you complete this little project, your goals that are of immediate importance will be on paper in front of you.

Before you start you'll need a few things. Get 4 sheets of blank paper and something to write with. There are only four steps to this goal setting exercise. Expect to spend approximately one hour on this, give or take a few minutes.

This first step will help you get in touch with your values. Subconsciously we all know what our values are, but this will affirm them and get them down in front of you. You need to do this first, because it is extremely difficult to achieve goals that are not compatible with your values. So on your first sheet of paper write My Values at the top. For the next 15 minutes all you are going to do is write down your values; things such as freedom, wealth, politeness, assertiveness, etc. Remember these have to be your values, not a list from somewhere else. When your time expires, do not go past 15 minutes (you can stop at 10 if you cannot think of anymore) you are done with this part of the goal setting exercise. Set your paper aside.

The next step is fun. Here is where you can dream. Get another blank piece of paper. On the top of it put the words My Lifetime Goals. Put down everything you ever wanted or desired on this paper. A question to ask yourself is "…if I could do anything, what would it be…" write down your answers. After about 15 minutes, stop and go onto the next step of the goal setting exercise.

Get your third sheet of paper. Write 6 Months at the top. On this page write down everything you would want to accomplish if there were only 6 months left for you to live. It may seem morbid, but you will find that there will be things listed here that you did not list in the prior steps.

This is the last part of this goal setting exercise. On your final sheet of paper write This Year at the top. Write down your goals for the coming year. Use the items in the subsequent steps to help you focus on this. Be sure to compare any goal with your values list. The final result is that you will have set of goals in front of you that are most likely to be achieved.

Goal Setting And Children

Many people do not realize the importance of teaching goal setting skills to their children. Goal setting and children are a good mix. Children by nature want to learn and do well. They need direction. Teaching goal setting skills to your children will help them become focused and productive individuals.

How are goal setting and children compatible? Children, like the rest of us, like to feel that they accomplish the tasks they set out to do. Children have projects, homework, sports, and community activities. This can become overwhelming to them. This can translate into that familiar saying "…I hate that activity…" Chances are they do not hate it, it is more likely that they are frustrated with it and the other things in their lives.

Enter goal setting. Project due in 3 weeks. Setup a chart. Break it down into smaller pieces requiring work to be done on it everyday. Give them small rewards for keeping on track. Having trouble with sports? Set a goal to work for 5 minutes extra each day on the skill that needs the most improvement. This type of goal setting gives them control over their environment. This is what we all desire.

Goal setting and children becomes even more important as your child reaches middle school. They are going to need to acquire the skills to keep track of all of the homework, projects, and activities. Without some type of planner they will quickly become lost and their grades will reflect that. The main goals your middle school child has are:

1) Stay organized at school and home. A messy room and locker will continually sabotage their efforts to get things done on time. Papers will be lost, efforts will be duplicated, the child will become frustrated.
2) Keep a daily planner and write down all assignments and their due dates. Color code each class.
3) Keep track of all other activities and their times. Find a way to post everyone's schedule in a highly visible location. This way conflicts are avoided.
Teach your children five the steps to success: know what you want, have a plan, take consistent action, review your progress, renew your goals.

By the time they reach high school, goal setting and children is actually a misnomer. It should be goal setting and the young adult. High schoolers are not children anymore. They still need our guidance and direction, just not as much. Give them the tools they need, instill in them the 5 steps to success and watch them soar with the eagles.

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Career Goal Setting -- Its More Important Than You Think

Does this phrase sound familiar "…I don't know what I want to be when I grow up…" Children say this quite often. Did you know that a lot of adults feel this way too? That is why career goal setting is so important.

What is career goal setting? Is it just deciding what type of employment you really want? It's more that that. Setting your career goals is paramount to your success. First, ask yourself this question -- If I could do anything I wanted to do and make a living at it, what would it be?

This defines your passion. This is your ultimate career goal. Make a list of all career options that would be associated with the answer to the above question. Compare where you are now to what you would need to do in order to achieve that ultimate career. Is there training involved? Do you need to go back to school? Does this ultimate career choice involve relocating? Once you have answered these questions you can then see what you can do right now. These are your first goals. Write them down or use goal setting software. Start accomplishing these goals and you will be on your way to fulfillment.

However, Right now you are not working in your ideal career. That's OK. Most of us are right there with you. How can career goal setting help you in your current occupation? It can help you do your job better, more efficiently, and perhaps get you promoted. Start with the most simple task. Write down your job description. Make a list of everything your job requires you to do on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.

Motivational Training

Your goals are to accomplish these tasks as efficiently as possible. For each task list everything that is an obstacle to accomplishing the task. Then answer each of those objections with a solution. There is your plan. You have just set your first set of career goals. All you have left to do is to put your plan into action. So why not take immediate action and begin right now!

Goal Setting Software -- The Real Scoop!

Goal setting software is exactly what is sounds like. A software program that helps you write and set goals. You may be thinking that you can accomplish this with a piece of paper and 10 minutes of quiet. However, if were that easy there would be no need for this product and we would all be doing it.

If you are serious about setting realistic goals and making significant changes in your life, you may want to look into purchasing one of these programs. This article will not be a review or recommendation of any particular software. The goal is to delve into what is available in goal setting software and how to decide if this is something that is right for you.

The first thing you need to do is decide what you expect this product to do. There is personal goal setting software. This is for individuals who want to improve their lives. I am sure that many professionals use it as well. These programs are reasonably priced, some are even free, and others will give you a 30 day free trial period. Be wary of those that make claims like "… will give you everything you ever wanted in just 10 days…" reality is that probably won't happen. However, let us know if it does! Some of these will allow you to put your goals on your desktop, all of these really aid you in writing and setting clear goals. Get a free trial or evaluate a free version to see if this type of software will work for you. Another type of goal setting software is business oriented. Geared toward sales and marketing professionals or project managers, this software is usually a lot more expensive. You most likely will not get a free trial, however, if type of software is what you need, then ask your employer to reimburse you. It may also be tax deductible, but consult a tax professional to be sure.

OK, so now you know what type of goal setting software you want. Where do you buy it? You can go online, or you can go to a local or chain software store. Most of the professional software will be found online. Don't rush your purchase. Read the reviews, ask around, find out if your friends use one. Once you decide on the goal setting software that is right for you -- get starting on the rest of your life!

Steps For Goal Setting -- One Bite at a Time

How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! It's a corny little joke but it drives home a point. What are the steps for goal setting? The best advice is to keep your goal setting simple and effective.

Keep goal setting uncomplicated. If you can remember these five simple steps for goal setting, you will be successful at any endeavor. Know what you want. You cannot have a goal without knowing what you want. Step two -- have a plan. Take decisive action is step three. The fourth step is review your progress and finally renew your goals.

All successful people have a plan. You do not become very successful by accident. Your plan should be stated as part of your goal. If your goal is to become a world renowned chef, be sure to state the date that you want to accomplish this by and include a general statement as to how you are going to go about achieving this. Then take that statement and make a list of everything you would need to do in order to achieve this goal. These are your "bites". You accomplish your goal one bite at a time. This plan is important in your steps for goal setting. At this point, the first 2 steps are done.

Take decisive action. This is the toughest "bite" of your goal setting journey. It requires you to do something more than write stuff down. To accomplish this step you must take action toward achieving your goal. Using the chef goal listed above as an example, this is when you would enroll in a culinary institute. There will be other items on your list. Start working on those items as well. Although this is the toughest of the steps for goal setting, once you begin you will find everything starts to fall into place.

The last two steps, review your progress, renew your goals work closely together. After you have been working on your plan, taking all those "bites" out of your to do list, you should take some time to see where you stand. Where are you now and what still needs to be accomplished. Do you need to make adaptations to your initial plan? This is the time you fine tune your plan of action. Done on a regular basis, you will stay focused and on task. The final part of steps for goal setting is renew your goal. After every progress review, restate your goal. If your goal has been achieved, set a new one. By the way…how was that elephant?

Personal Goal Setting -- A Recipe For Success

To be successful in life you must have a plan. Personal goal setting is paramount to achieving what you want out of life. So, how do you go about doing this. It seems so intimidating!

Just like baking a cake, you start personal goal setting with a list of ingredients. The "cake" is your final goal. The "recipe" is your series of personal goals. What kind of cake are you going to bake? Now that you know the answer to that question, let's make a list of ingredients. To start, set small attainable goals. These are your basic "ingredients." By carefully choosing your first set of goals, you set yourself up to succeed. Success breeds more success. Success boosts self esteem. People who feel good about themselves accomplish more than those who do not.

What should your first goals be? They should be simple, easy to accomplish, and in line with the larger goal. These are the "flour and eggs" of your recipe for success. Write down the larger goal and put it away somewhere. Write down your first goals. Set a few, but not too many. Put these goals on your refrigerator, by your phone, on your PDA, and on your bathroom mirror. Say them to yourself everyday and tell your friends and family. When you talk to yourself, state your goal in a positive way such as "… I will do, or I will accomplish *my goal* today …". This way you set yourself up for success. You will inadvertently enlist the help of your friends and family by telling them your goals.

You have the "ingredients" for your "recipe." Each of these is one of the small goals you have already accomplished. Now is the time to start "baking" the cake. These are your next set of goals. They are a little more challenging than the first set. Playing off your accomplishments with the first set of goals, you should be looking forward to the challenge of further success. Take that envelope out of the drawer and read what that goal. Still on track? Write down a few more things to do to achieve that goal. Post these everywhere, just like before. Just like you combine eggs, and flour with other ingredients to bake a cake; you need to combine your "ingredients" to achieve your ultimate goal.

Why is personal goal setting important? It gives us focus. What matters is that we stay on track. Goal setting keeps us organized and prevents us from wasting energy and resources on activities that are unnecessary. Start today by setting your first few personal goals. Go "bake that cake" and see what a positive change it makes in your life.