The key to successful goal achievement is to begin with the end in mind. Why? Because in order to set powerful goals that are achievable, will require you take some time to actually research the dreams you have to determine if they are doable. You do want to challenge yourself some, but you don’t want to make the goals so hard that you experience failure, thus becoming demotivated. To ensure maximum success, utilize the goal achievement blueprint that literally brings your vision into fruition!
"To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you're going so that you better understand where you are now so that the steps you take are always in the right direction."- Stephen Covey
Match Your Core Values
The more any goal fits into one of the four main areas of life - Family, Financial, Physical or Personal - the more likely you are to be able to set a realistic goal that you can achieve. If a goal for some reason doesn’t fit into one of your core values, it’s not likely you’ll experience much success.
Be 100 Percent in Control
While goals that rely on others aren’t wrong, they are harder to achieve. Any goal that you control 100 percent is a goal that you can reach. Do ensure that you’re not letting fear get in your way or blaming fate for your failures, though. Self-limiting beliefs can get in your way on this one. Be realistic about whether you do have control or not and give yourself more credit. For example, if you think you do not have control over your financial future because “that’s just how it is,” you are mistaken and need to eliminate this line of thinking.
Be Able to Envision the Goal
If you can’t see the end result, it will be very difficult to move forward toward achieving the goal. If you need to draw a picture, make a vision board, or take a day out to fantasize about your big dreams and see how they all fit together in the big picture of your life, do so. You need to see the end to be able to truly achieve it.
Be Specific
Every goal you make needs to be very specific in nature. If you really want to be sure to reach the goal, you have to know when you reached it. Instead of saying “I want to start a business,” state exactly what type of business you want to start, who you want to be your clients, and other information that makes the goal more concrete.
Be Measurable
At which point have you achieved the goal? If you can’t give a number or something that is quantifiable (measurable), then you won’t have a real goal. If you want to use the business example, you might include that you want to earn x amount of dollars each week by a certain date and then how and why you are going to do it.
Be Actionable
To achieve any goal there has to be steps that you can take to get there. Like using a map to reach a destination that you want to go to on vacation, you need to draw a map to your vision of success with the steps and paths you’ll take along the way. Put not only what but when, and how you’ll accomplish the step.
Be Realistic
You don’t want to write a goal that is too hard to achieve or worse, impossible. Be sure that it’s scientifically possible to do it by researching everything realistically. For example, you’re not likely going to start a business today and earn six figures by tomorrow or even the first year in business. Look at the research and determine what is doable and how you’ll do it.
Be Timely
Every goal has to have a time limit otherwise you may never achieve it. Start with the end in mind and work your way back to today, creating the list of things to do each day to finally reach the end result. But, do set a time limit. You can adjust as you get into the project if it works to be more realistic, but resist the urge to change the time because you’re not sticking to your task lists.
If you use this method to create powerful goals that you can achieve, you will learn that it helps towards staying the course. You can always adjust your time line and your goals as you learn more. The important thing is to give each goal a lot of thought, consideration, and study before setting it.
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-Coach Jo
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