We have already established that you can’t truly achieve your dreams if you don’t spell out the exact outcome you desire. Setting goals helps you to clarify what it is you want and what it will take to get there. It takes your vague hopes from day-dreams to action steps. Setting goals helps you channel your energy in the right direction and make choices that are in line with where you want to end up… on purpose. Setting short-term goals makes your long term goals a reality!
3 Characteristics of Strong Short-Term Goals:
1.Set a specific goal. Keep in mind the exact outcome your are aiming for. Creating a goal with no measurable end in mind is useless.
2. Set a time frame to complete the goal. The key to setting goals is to make them bound by a limited time frame. When a “goal” doesn’t have a time stamp on it, it is nothing more than a wild ambition. Putting a time limit on your goal, helps you to get into the mode of living more consciously with your daily choices.
3. Write it down. Why is this small step so important? Because writing it down cements the goal in your mind and your “inner self”. The simple act of putting words to the goal and
The next step is to begin crafting your goals.
Start with the result in mind and work backwards to find out what steps will be needed to get you there. Then choose two goals to set for yourself personally and professionally. Limit your time stamp date to no more than 90 days. Set up some standards for your goals that will apply to the management of your time, money and relationships. These are the three most improperly managed areas of our lives that cause us to veer off our determined course of action and into that bumpy road often called “limbo”.
2 Personal Goals: Set 2 goals for yourself personally that will make you feel good about yourself. As a matter of fact, ask yourself that question. What goal can I set that will make me feel better about myself? The reason is that when we feel as though we have accomplished something personally, we stand taller, we act with more confidence and make stronger, more stable decisions. These goals are meant for you only. You don’t need to share them with anyone.
2 Professional Goals: Ask yourself and possibly your team mates in your professional world how they feel about your goals. Share these goals with others and let them know you have set a 90 day limit on the action plan. These goals are for your betterment professionally. What can you do to improve your knowledge, skill, connections, or performance in your workplace over the next 90 days?
Setting goals is the only way to end up somewhere on purpose. Take your dreams from ambition to reality with theses simple steps to setting goals.
Once you know where you want to go, it can be much easier to determine how to get there. Take time to reflect on where you’ve been and where you want to go. Then set some personal and professional goals to help you get there!