Can you believe 2015 is gone and we are rapidly approaching February of 2016? I have no idea where 2015 went!
Many people begin the year with goals in mind and before they know it, years have gone by and the goals are yet to be achieved. This usually happens because they have failed to accomplish one or more of the steps necessary to achieve their goals.
Did you have goals in 2015 you wanted to achieve, but didn't? Don't let 2016 be the same way. Make 2016 the year that you achieve all your goals by implementing the goal setting steps I've laid out below.
1) You must have goals in all areas of your life.
- Spiritual
- Health
- Financial
- Social
- Love
- Professional
- Recreational
2) Don't create too many goals.
- Only have five to seven goals or you will lack focus.
- Less goals allows you to remain laser focused on completing the ones you've created
3) Write goals down.
- List goals in order of priority.
- Creating a list creates a record of your good intentions.
4) Make goals specific and concrete.
- Goals must be actionable.
- Be crystal clear about your goals.
- List action steps for your goals. Action steps set you up for success.
5) Goals must be measurable
- Lose a certain amount of weight (20 lbs / 2 lbs a week).
- Pay down a certain amount of debt ($5,000 / extra $200 a month.
- Write so many pages (50 pages / 5 pages a day).
6) Need a deadline for each goal.
- A deadline creates a sense of urgency. Without a deadline, it is possible you will never reach your goal.
- Deadlines help you balance your workload.
- Deadlines help you prioritize your daily tasks.
- Examples: Lose 20 lbs / 2 lbs a week by May 31, 2016
Pay down $5,000 debt / $200 month by December 31, 2016
Write 50 pages / 5 pages a day by June 30, 2016
7) Must stretch outside your comfort zone.
- Nothing great happens inside your comfort zone.
- You want to make sure you set your goals outside your comfort zone, but not in the delusional zone. When you set goals in the delusional zone, they are no longer achievable.
- Evaluate your goals to see if they push you into discomfort.
- Remember that negative emotions are positive indicators that you are going in the right direction of discomfort.
- Fear (Either afraid of failing or succeeding.)
- Uncertainty (Don't know where to start.)
- Doubt (You are not sure you have the resources.)
8) You must persevere.
- To be able to persevere you must be able to answer the following: "Why does this goal matter to me?"
- If you have connected to why it matters, you will not quit in the middle.
- If you don't have that emotional connection of why, you will lose your way and not obtain your goal.
- Does the goal have a spiritual significance?
- Is it going to help your health and if so, how?
- Will it help your business, and if so, how?
- Will it help your relationship(s), and if so, how?
- Completed book to help people.
- Have extra money every year for a nice vacation.
- Be able to look fit in my clothes.
- Have a meaningful relationship.
- Have extra revenue from new business services.
9) Must identify the next action so you don't procrastinate.
- Don't spend too much time planning (this is procrastination-not action.)
- Break goals into bite size pieces.
- Just focus on the next step, not the entire path. The path will become clear when in motion.
- Remember that perfectionism is the mother of all procrastination.
- Need one plan of action for each goal to start.
10) Keep goals and action plans visible.
- Post goals where you will see them every day.
- Read goals out loud and connect with the "why" of achieving the goals.
- Visualize goals being achieved and completed.
