8 Steps On How to Set Goals

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Earl Nightingale once said -“People with goals succeed because they know where they’re going.” This is exactly the reason why you should set a goal for yourself and put it at the top of your priority list. But the tough part is not just setting a goal but setting the right goal for yourself. There are a few simple steps to follow in order to ensure that you have chosen the right goal for yourself.

1. Look at the bigger picture

Decide what you want in your life. Try to have a vision of what you want to achieve in the long run. It is never too late to set a goal; you just have to be sure that this is what you want. Only when you want something will you be able to pursue it in all earnestness.

2. Don’t worry about others

It’s sometimes necessary to consult your friends and family but that doesn’t mean that your goal should be something that they approve of. Your goal is not what other people want you to become but what you want to achieve in life.

3. Be realistic

Don’t set your goal so high that you get frustrated on the way and then don’t achieve anything. It’s true that there is no limit to what you can achieve, yet it’s better to set something that you know is achievable and then the more you achieve the better.

4. Don’t underestimate yourself

Just as it is important not to set extremely high goals, it is also important not to stoop too low. If you are not good in Mathematics then it is definitely not advisable to aim for the Fields Medal but that also doesn’t mean that you should just aim to pass the subject somehow.

5. Break it down

Once you have decided what you want in life, the next step is to break it down into short term objectives that you have to achieve. Set a timeline for each and in this way you will have a clear idea of what you must achieve in the short run to finally realize your main goal.

6. Write it down

You are not a computer who remembers everything. So make a clear roadmap of what you want to achieve and how you will set about achieving it and write it down. Then go back to it from time to time to check if you are going in the right direction.

7. Don’t procrastinate

It is good to think before you embark on something. But at the same time, excessive brooding is also not good. Don’t keep on putting something off for the future. If you do that, finally you will never do it.

8. Review

More important than setting goals is to review your progress. It is but natural that you will get off the track at some point in time, but it is vital that you come back on track at the earliest. So periodically check where you are standing with regards to your goal and make necessary improvements and corrections.