5 Steps that will make you a goal-setting guru!

The majority of people set goals at the start of the year.

But by the end of January, most of those goals have been forgotten. They’ve been cast into the bin of failed ambitions, only to be resurrected when next year comes around.

And then, the process of goal setting starts all over again.

So why do people make goals in the first place?

Well, we all have good intentions to improve our position, whether that be in our personal or business lives. But the way most people go about achieving their goals means that they’re never really committed to it or they just don’t know how to make it happen.

It’s a lot more fun setting the goal than actually working out how to do it. If you’re serious about fulfilling your goal, you need structure.

You need to put the following 5 step process into action.

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1. Set your goal and be specific

What do you want to achieve?

Set a goal and home in on exactly what target you would like to hit.

It’s very easy to say “I want to become wealthy”.

But if this is your goal, then come up with what sum of money you would consider to be wealthy.

Focus on a number.

Then write it down.

Then set a deadline to achieve it.

So, you may write down:

“My goal is to earn £250,000 in no more than 18 months from now.”

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2. What’s the why?

It’s not enough to just write down what you want, as above, and then just leave it there.

After all, you’ve really got to want it and fully understand WHY you want it.

What are the reasons for wanting to earn £250,000 in no more than 18 months?

If you say “Well, I just want to be a lot wealthier than I am now so I can buy a Ferrari”, then it won’t work. It can’t be superficial. The reason for doing it needs to mean something to you.

Is it:

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• To fund a new business venture?
• To put your kids through private education because you believe the other schools in your area aren’t up to scratch?
• To provide strong financial security for your family because you understand how hard it was for your parents when you were younger?

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The reasons have to run deep and the deeper they are the more powerful they will be in pushing you further when the going gets tough.

Write it all down, get excited by it and look at it every day.

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3. Goal setting needs a plan

Say you’re on holiday abroad and wish to see a number of historical sites on your list that day, but you don’t know where they are. You decide to leave your map at home.

Will you see get to see some of the sites on the list? Perhaps. Will you get lost? Probably. Will you, therefore, achieve your goal of seeing all the sites on your list for that day? Highly unlikely.

You see, without a plan, you’re simply going to veer off course or fail miserably. You need a plan to be successful to achieve your goal. Without it, you’ll find it extremely difficult.

That doesn’t mean you need to meticulously plan out every step of how you’re going to get there. Over time the path will change anyway. But you do need to have a general idea of how it will work. Set weekly, monthly or even quarterly milestones, so you can break down your goal into smaller more manageable parts.

Your plan needs direction; ensure you’re able to see and target what’s ahead of you.

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4. Action!

You can write down your goal, understand your why, generate a plan and targets but if you don’t actually do anything about it, you are still going to fail before you start!

Staying motivated is key here.

It’s very easy to start well but even easier to become lethargic in your thinking and take the gas off the goal pedal.

You need to cut out any bad habits that will derail you from your target. Procrastination is one of the most dangerous behaviours that will do everything to stop you from reaching your goal and you need to cut it out from your life!

Manage your time better. Erase any bad habits.

Stay on course, maintain your motivation and remain inspired by the reasons why you’re doing this.

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5. Adapt and track

As you progress through your plan, take the time to review your position. Set specific points along the way for you to understand what is working and what isn’t.

While your end goal may remain the same, the action plan that you set out at the start is likely to change, possibly radically.

That’s okay.

You may need to find new ways of obtaining your targets. Your quarterly targets may change to weekly or even daily ones. You will likely need to challenge the way you think about achieving your milestones.

Adapt and track your progress as time move on.

The process of goal setting isn’t always a straightforward path. But whatever you do, don’t give up. If you’re committed to reach your goal, you’ll find a way.

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