What is goal setting? And what are the best tips to succeed at it? Goal setting is a vital part of the learning process.
Goals are something people set to work towards in order to get somewhere. Without goals, it is nearly impossible for someone to reach their full potential and become all they can be. You could ask anyone what they want to do or accomplish, and you will get an answer that takes them far away from where they currently are.
Setting goals is a great strategy to align your resources, abilities, and opportunities in order to maximize the likeliness of getting what you want. When you set a goal, it is important to give yourself a deadline so that you can measure how well you have done. Without deadlines, it's too easy to keep pushing back on your goals. You can always do more research or learn a little bit more to ensure that you are getting the best possible goal, and there is no reason not to set perfect goals.
What are some key strategies for successful goal setting? One of the most important aspects of goal setting is having a plan in order to achieve your goals. This sounds basic, but it is amazing how many people don't have a plan for what must be done to accomplish their goals. This is the very first step you should take when setting any goal that requires action on your part--come up with a clear, concrete plan of action.
Some other good strategies for successful goal setting include:
Make sure you aren't setting goals that are too hard to achieve. Don't bite off more than you can chew.
Make sure your goals are achievable. If they aren't, there is no point in working towards them if you know you won't be able to get there.
Keep track of all of your goals and mark off milestones as you progress towards them. This shows how well you are doing and can help you to improve your goals so that they become even more achievable over time.
When setting goals, be sure to write them down or tell someone about them. Many people set goals but fail to do anything about them because the goals are just thoughts in their minds. By writing down goals, you are telling yourself that these thoughts are important and need to be acted upon.
Make sure your goals aren't too easy or too difficult. If your goals are too difficult, it will seem impossible to achieve them in one year's time frame, which can lead to lots of stress and frustration if you don't get there (regardless of if you make efforts or not). On the other hand, if your goals are too easy, it won't feel like much of a stretch which can lead to complacency and lack of motivation to achieve your goals.
Break goals up into smaller parts that are easier to achieve. This way, if you find something is too difficult, you can work on the parts of the goal that are easier until you get to a point where it seems more reasonable.
Try and always be working towards one or two goals at a time. If you try and focus on too many things at once, nothing gets done well, and you end up not achieving anything.
Make sure your goals are something you want to achieve and not just a random thought that came into your mind. This is the only way you will have the motivation to work towards them over time.