The fastest way to get your desired outcomes

Setting and achieving your Goals

In order to succeed, you have to know exactly what it is that you want in life. You have to focus only on the outcome. Goal setting is the best way to get clear on what exactly it is that you want or desire.

Setting personally meaningful goals increases your chances that you will achieve what you set out to do, as well as it being associated with a sense of well-being.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER WHEN SETTING GOALS:

> How will achieving this goal meet a need or improve your life or someone else’s?

> Will achieving your goal work towards your purpose?

> What do you want to achieve?

> Is it measurable? How will you know you have achieved it?

> What is the time frame for the goal? Set a due date and put it on a chart and in your calendar for regular progress checks.

> Why do you want this particular goal? The WHY is important as it will give you the motivation to achieve your goal.

> Does the goal align with your values? What values is it associated with? Is it congruent with who you are?

> Do you have the necessary resources to achieve your goal? Is it practical and realistic in the time frame set? Is it relevant?

> How will the outcome be reached? Break the goal down into achievable parts. List a few of the steps on the process of achieving your goal.

> Who is involved in your goal? The goal needs to be initiated by you and completed by you, it needs to be personable.

> Ecology - who will this goal affect? Who will it influence, in the beginning and at the end? Consider the effect it will have on people in your life.

> How will it affect your environment?

> How will this goal change you?

> How will it impact your present reality?

Goals must state the outcome you are aiming at.

Goals need to be SMART:

S - Specific

M - Measurable

A - Achievable

R - Relevant

T - Time-based

In summary: identify a goal you want to achieve (something that is important to you), consider the reasons for wanting to achieve this goal. Make sure you have a measurable and identifiable outcome against which your progress can be measured and give yourself a time-frame in which to complete it.

Big goals aren’t achieved in one step - they require smaller, measurable steps. Each step should be relevant, concrete, specific and achievable with a specific due-date.

Some big goals may be broken down into further sub-goals. Each action must lead to an achievement of the main goal.

DEALING WITH OBSTACLES:

> What are possible obstacles that could derail my goal?

> How will I overcome them?

> What could get in my way of this action step or goal?

> What will I do if this happens?

Implementation intention is an ‘If...Then....” plan to counteract possible obstacles:

-‘If a particular thing happens, then you will take a particular course of action’. I

t is planning how and when you will do something to overcome an obstacle.

You need to clearly state and visualise what you will do if an obstacle occurs - this is implementation intention.

> Renew your goals regularly - diarise dates to review your progress with your sub goals: this will help maintain motivation and help planning further action.

(Is your goal still relevant or is an update in order? Does it still align with your values and is it leading you towards the life you want?)

> Write your goals on cue cards-read them and visualise them with an elevated emotion to make your mind think you have already achieved them. This will manifest the reality of your goals quicker. Do this at least 3 times a week.

MAINTAINING MOTIVATION:

> Put your goals onto a chart and cross off your steps as you complete them - this gives you a sense of satisfaction which increases your motivation.

> Tracking - track your progress using time markers.

> Use images – pictures that connect with your outcomes: a VISION BOARD is very powerful - place it where you can focus on it often to program it into the subconscious mind.