Setting goals in life
Setting goals in life
The following 10 tips will help to create, and achieve your life goals.
“The most important thing about goals, is having one”. 
Geoffry F. Abert
1.Write down your goals using SMART anagram.
S: Specific – have detail, be very clear about what it is you want
M: Measurable, can you quantify the goal, can you measure it. If you can’t measure it,
how will you know when you have achieved iy.
A: Achievable, can you do it, is the goal within your control to manage it.
R: Realistic, it this goal a foreseeable reality for you
T: Time bound, it is important to include timeframe for your goal, otherwise you will kick the can down the road and never get there.
2. List the benefits to yourself
“What is the real purpose behind your goal and what will that mean to you? Are you truly willing to make the effort?”
Unless you are clear about your reasons for achieving the goal(s) you have defined, you will not be able to sustain the effort takes to achieve it.
3. Affirmations
Affirmations work! They expand your thinking and shift your perspective. Take this opportunity to document the
affirmation(s) you can say out aloud that will make you feel absolutely incredible, in support of your goal(s).
4. Where are you today?
It is important to analyse where you are today in relation to your goal(s). Using techniques like the SWOT analysis will allow you to fully understand your Strengths,
will allow you to fully understand your Strengths, your Weaknesses, your Opportunities, and your Threats. It is important to identify
important to identify where you need to put the work in, where your extra focus needs to be.
5. Identify investments and sacrifices
Take this opportunity to list out all the investments you will need to make in order to
- achieve your goal(s). Investments include items like time and money.
Take this opportunity to list out any sacrifices that you will need to make in order to
- achieve your goal(s). Sacrifices include items like giving up time with your family.
6. Levels of knowledge
It is important to understand what knowledge, skills and information that you have; and what you need to gain in order to achieve your goal(s). Take a moment or two to
order to achieve your goal(s). Take a moment or two to list out the knowledge and/or skills and/or information that you need to gain in order
you need to gain in order to achieve your goal(s).
7. Support
What resources do you need to assist you? List out all the people who you would need; the technology that you would need; and any other resources.
8. Design and develop your plan
“Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now.” Alan Lakein
It is important that you develop your plan, identify your milestone and take one action(however big or small) every single day, until you reach your goal(s).
It is in this step that you will use all the information found in the previous tips.
List in chronology order each milestone that you need to reach. Once these are clear, set against each milestone it’s
target date for achievement. Now that the milestones are clear, break each milestone down into it’s individual tasks,
activities, learnings and actions that you need to complete to achieve the milestone. It is important that the early
milestones are broken down into detail now.
Take this opportunity to add the task to make reminders for not only your goal(s) but also for your milestones. Think
about where these reminders should be – whatever way this works for you will be important as these reminders will
keep you on your toes.
9. Set your deadlines
In tip 1 you set your timeframe for your goal(s). It is important when you are determining your milestones, your tasks, and activities that you set clear, realistic, and achievable deadlines. Working through each milestone, each task and activity; will allow you to fully understand whether the timeframe you have set is achievable – if not, now is the time to review and update it.
Deadlines allow you to track your goals. There are a variety of ways in which you can track your goal – project plans,
gantt charts, keeping a detailed journal, working with your coach. It is important that, whatever method you choose, you make sure that it
you make sure that it works for you and follow it through.
10. Celebrate – how will you reward yourself?
Identify how you will recognise your achievement on the success of your goal(s).
Once achieved – celebrate!
On achievement, take some time out to enjoy the satisfaction of your achievement.
Learn from the experience, absorb the implications and observe the progress you may have made towards achieving other goals.
Celebrating and rewarding yourself is motivating. It enforces the learning and the
achievement. It helps us identify our success(es)!
Margaret Daly, Life Coaching Advice.