When consciously and actively utilized, Goals, ideally, represent the targets or objectives toward which we are actively working to fulfill.

Goal setting is the conscious, active process of identifying your goals.

How we go about identifying and setting our goals will, to a very large degree, determine how successful we are in our attempts to achieve those goals. Goals and goal setting are common themes in Personal development and the intent of this lens is to serve as an introduction to the concept.

What Do You Want in Life?

Start by Making a List

If you are new to Goals and Goal Setting, start by making a list of what you want in life. This is a list of the things YOU WANT, not your spouse, not your parents, not your friends, not your Boss, etc. Make a list of the things YOU want in life.

Divide your life up into its major phases. For example, your family, financial, work, friends, hobbies / recreation, education, etc. The categories you use are up to you, however, realize that your life does have separate phases, it can be divided (and sub-divided) into categories. Choose an initial set of categories and get to work. You can always add or subtract categories as you progress.

In each category, compile a list of things you would like to do, skills you would like to learn, places you would like to see, awards or other forms of recognition you desire … in short, a WISH LIST of what you want in each category. Be as creative, bold and imaginative as you wish. Compile your “Bucket List” in each category. The only restriction at this point is your imagination.

If you are married and have children, include YOUR list of what you want to do with your spouse, your goals and wishes for your children. Ideally, they would similarly prepare their respective lists involving you.

Prioritizing Within Each Category

Organizing your Wish List

Now you must decide what is realistic and within what timeframe.

If you are single and not dating, getting married in the next week is, arguably, not a realistic goal. However, perhaps it might be a reasonable goal over a year or two. If you have just started work at your first job, it may be unlikely that you will be the President, with a six figure income, by next month. However, perhaps a 5-10 year timeframe is realistic.

Prioritize the items in each category according to a timeframe, from those that can be achieved within a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly timeframe. You might also want to create sub-categories. For example, some goals might pertain to your current job, which is a stepping stone to your future ideal job. Perhaps you have some Personal Development items on which you wish to work in order to pursue other objectives.

Identify any items within your varous categories which require preceding steps. For example, if you are just finishing High School and you want a Ph.D., you will need a B.Sc. first. If you currently work in a research station in the Arctic and want to live in Florida, you might want to look for another job and a residence of some sort in Florida.

In addition, identify those items in any category about which you are extremely motivated to achieve, for which you have a Burning Desire to fulfill.

What are Goals?

“A Goal is a Wish with a deadline“

- Author Unknown

So, now we need to convert the items on your “Wish List”, item by item, into their corresponding “Goals”.

At the outset, be aware that it is very important to realize that in many, perhaps all, of your goals, you will encounter disappointments and even defeats in your attempts to realize those goals. However, it is you that will determine if a defeat becomes a failure to achieve any goal. How deteremined are you to reach your goal? How persistent will you be in pursuing your goal, in overcoming adversity and opposition? How badly do you want your goal? Those items on your wish list for which you have a “Burning Desire” are the items you are most likely to achieve.

Goal Setting

There are many ways to establish Goals. The method we will use here is in the form of a written contract with yourself. The intent of a written contract is to make it more formalized and to demonstrate a level of commitment to your goal(s).Goals should be SMART:

• SPECIFIC
• MEASURABLE
• ACTION ORIENTED
• REALISTIC
• TIMEBOUND

SPECIFIC – Your Goal should be stated clearly and unambiguously. The sub-conscious mind is very literal and simple and your instructions to the sub-conscious should similarly be simple and literal. In a manner similar to “Affirmations“, your goals should be in the “PRESENT TENSE“, POSITIVE AND WRITTEN DOWN, SPOKEN ALOUD or, ideally, BOTH.

MEASURABLE – The Goal you develop should be measurable, should have some means of determining if you have achieved it.

ACTION ORIENTED – Your Goal should involve a component of Action. You need to do something in order to move yourself closer toward your goal. The action required might be Direct or Indirect, but there must be some form of input from you toward realizing your goal.

REALISTIC- The Goal yu identify must be a realistic goal. You, personally, must be able to achieve the goal you set for yourself. Carefully review your WISH LIST to determine if it can realistically be converted to a corresponding Goal.

TIMEBOUND- Set a timeframe within which to accomplish your goal. The timeframe must also be realistic and it must be definite and unambiguous.

Your Contract with Yourself

Given the above “SMART” guidelines for setting yur goals, each goal will consist of about a paragraph or two, depending upon how specific you have made it.

It is easy to set up a template which you can “Cut” and “Paste” around your goal.

1. Date – Place Today’s Date above your Goal
2. Goal – Paste your goal below the date
3. Signature – Print out and Sign your goal (It is a contract after all)

You may group similar or related goals together but each should be signed separately.

Working with Your Goals

Keep Them Fresh in Your Mind

You have converted most of the items in your Wish List to Goals and, having done so, you must now keep them in front of you.

Two very useful tools are the Vision board and Mind Movies. They are highly visual methods for keeping your goals in mind and for motivating you.

Review your goals on a regular basis, once a week or once a month, and modify / revise your goals as your circumstances and/or progress changes. Most important of all, should you encounter obstacles or adversity in achieving your goals, PERSIST!. If it is a realistic goal and one you desire, persist until you overcome the adversity or find a way around the obstacle

(Note: see Randy Pausch – The Last Lecture with regard to achieving Childhood Goals and Overcoming Adversity).

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