Goal Setting And How To Achieve Your Goals – Tips From A Life Coach,
As a life coach, I specialize in helping people accomplish their goals. I would love to share some tips with you on how to achieve your goals and set them for the future.
Goal setting is about finding what you want out of life and then taking steps in the right direction to achieve it. The first thing that you need is a plan - write down your goal, make sure it’s aligned with what you want out of life, and break it into manageable pieces that will help get you there. Next up is starting small by making small but important changes like getting a good night’s sleep or spending more time with friends and family members every day. These small changes will help you get through the inevitable ups and downs life will bring, and the longer you stick to your goal, the more you will start to see results.
If you’re looking to set big goals that require a lot of work and time, think about how to make an achievable plan first. Think about how much time it will take and then break it down into smaller pieces that are easily accomplishable so that you can get started. You don’t want to beat yourself up if you don’t reach all of your goals during one lifetime; instead, take the lessons learned and build on them for the next one.
Once you have a goal, then and only then can you take a critical look at your life and make major changes to help get you closer to achieving your goal. As hard as it is to do, ask yourself the following questions:
What do I need to change about me or my goals so that I can reach them?
What would I have to give up if I really wanted those things?
How much time and energy would I have to put towards this goal, and how much time is left in my life? Could this be the last thing on my plate for me before I die? (This might sound morbid but it could very well be true for you. You never know when life will end, so take advantage of all the time you have left and make sure you are doing what you want to do)
What resources do I need to succeed at this goal? How can I get them? These could be financial or emotional. If it’s an emotional resource, think about ways that you might develop that within yourself so that you can achieve your goal.
Where will I start, and what will I do next? – Make a game plan on how to get started. You also want to remember that every good game plan has a fallback position meaning if it doesn’t work out the way you wanted it to at first, don’t give up. Figure out a new way or do something else to get to your goal.
You have to know the answers to these questions about you and about them. You must put this information down on paper and review it regularly. If you don’t, then you will be in danger of changing your goals because of life’s unexpected events. If this happens to you then you will never get where you want to go. You might switch back to your old goal and never get the results you wanted.
Now that you have a firm plan based on goals, ask yourself these questions:
How can I keep my goal alive each day? – What steps do I need to take every day so that it will be possible for me to achieve my goal at some point in the future? After all, if you are not taking action, how will you ever know if you did accomplish it or not? If you knew that even though you were not working on your goal it was still real then maybe a certain change would be made or a different action plan would be put into place.
How do I set up a reward system for myself now? – You want to look at rewards along the way, just not at the beginning or you could lose interest. Pick a few rewards along the way that will help you stay motivated, but remember that these are something that you can work towards slowly. If you have one big reward at the end of a long journey then it might not seem that special. Think about something small and silly like getting an ice cream after eating your veggies, taking a bath using your favorite bath salts once you have completed an assignment or buying some golf balls after completing another project on your list.
How much willpower do I need to keep pushing forward? You will need a solid amount of self-discipline. This means that you must have the kind of fortitude that is strong enough to push past obstacles and accomplish tasks. For example, in one decision making process, if there are numerous decisions to make or if the actions required could be difficult or time consuming then you will need more willpower from yourself. It’s a matter of finding the right amount for you.
How do I manage my time? "Prioritization" is a word that comes up often when we are talking about how people manage their time. We need to all learn to prioritize our tasks so as to best use our time and energy. Prioritizing can be difficult, but if you look at it as an investment then it will be easier to understand. Some people find it helpful to write down the things that they want to accomplish in a certain amount of time on their calendar and then choose those tasks that they feel are closest or most important. For those that are feeling overwhelmed and are struggling to be productive then the use of e-mail filters can help you manage your time and stay on track with your goals.
What kind of support will I need? Do I want a group of people around me to help encourage me and push me toward my goal? How many people would you like them to be? Is it just one person, or is there a group that you would like as well? If it’s just one person, how will they motivate you each day to keep pushing forward towards your goal? – Think about how much positive reinforcement or negative reinforcement the person will offer and how often the rewards or punishments would need to be paid.
How can I reward myself each day? Will you reward yourself with a treat or will it be something as simple as doing something that you enjoy?
What kind of push am I going to need from other people to keep me motivated? Think about the support group and how they might help you. Do you want someone to give you a call each day or do you want them to just check in on occasion. How much of your free time do they need?
What kind of obstacles do I face at this moment and how will I overcome them so that my goal can be achieved sooner rather than later? – You may have to look at obstacles in new ways.
Conclusion:
If you are not happy with your current situation and you are asking yourself “What is my goal?” then it’s time to do something about it. You need to know where you want to go in life and what your long term goals are so that you can achieve them. There is no use in just drifting around in your life thinking that someday things will turn out alright. They may, but they may not. Instead of just letting life happen, start planning ahead so that you can have a fulfilling and happy life filled with new possibilities for adventure and fulfillment. The process of making goals for yourself does not have to be a complicated one, but it does take some work on your part.