The starting point of all achievement is setting a destination. What is it that you want to achieve? What is a
The starting point of all achievement is setting a destination. What is it that you want to achieve? What is a success for you? What goals will help you get there? Who do you have to become and what do you have to do in order to achieve the goals you have set out for yourself?
These questions are foundational to understanding the true essence of goal setting. Too many times, goals and new year resolutions are set just on a whim. They are set based on momentary feelings or inspiration or desire. Setting goals from just an emotional state without a proper foundation is setting yourself up for failure. Here are three things that I highly recommend in order to set your goals like a winner.
Number 1 – Align your goals with your CORE Values. What are your core values and why are they so important you might ask. Well, because our core values are the fundamental beliefs and guiding principles you value most in life and when your goals do not support what you truly want and who you truly are, the journey of achieving those goals will not be the most fulfilling. The bigger the goals we set out for ourselves, the more they must be in alignment with our CORE values. I recommend a values assessment to identify what they are. Most people, when asked the question, will simply give societally acceptable answers like family or God or health… when the reality the truth lies somewhere in between those important aspects of our lives.
Number 2- Our goals must be SMART – now you might have heard about this concept before but let me break down why this is so important. The S stands for Specific, which means your goals are clear. Having clarity is extremely important because the more you can see it with your mind’s eye, the easier it will be to have the belief necessary to achieve it. The M stands for measurable, the key here is not only that you are going to measure the goal or that you are going to know how to measure it when you get there but more important that you will have a starting point and endpoint by which to measure your progress in the process of getting there. The A stands for Attainable or Achievable, now this is more about setting realistic goals that you truly believe you can achieve with your current resources, time and circumstances. You won’t want to set yourself up for failure. The R stands for Relevant, now this is super important. How relevant is the goal to your ultimate purpose, your priorities and your big WHY? Lastly, the T is for timely, now this is not just about setting a deadline, the most important part of this is creating a sense of urgency. If you understand that life is made up of moments and that life is short. If you understand that there is power in speed and momentum, you are going to set a deadline for yourself that is going to push you to act quickly. Not rushed, but with a sense of urgency for sure.
Number 3 – Goals must be preceded by commitment. Now commitment is a BIG word, but it must come before and throughout the goal-setting process. There is always a sacrifice or an exchange that happens when we decide to do something. There is going to be an investment of our time and energy and possibly an investment of resources as well. This type of investment has a certain opportunity cost, by saying YES to something you will have to say NO to other things and that is the commitment you must be ready to make. The bigger the goals, the bigger the commitment. Some goals, in order to accomplish them, will require you to step outside your comfort zone, they might require you to learn and stretch and that won’t always be pleasant, are you ready for that. Some goals are so big that they will require you to evolve into essentially a new you and that new you might have new associations and spend its time differently. If you are fully aware of what you will give up and what you will have to do in order to achieve that goal and you’ve accepted it fully, you are ready.
Once you have gone through and aligned, designed and committed to your goals, they increase your chances of success are exponentially high. You got this!
