concrete criteria helps everyone stay W r i t i n g

SETTING GOALS IS THE KEY TO A  COMPELLING FUTURE

Having goals is the fundamental key to success. Goals let us create our future in advance of it actually happening. Setting goals help us grow and expand, pushing ourselves to transform in ways that, just maybe, we never imagined. Many times people think they understand how to set goals, but then they never quite achieve what they were after.

One common reason is that their goals aren’t compelling or inspiring. You’re much more likely to put time and energy into something that excites you.

Think of a goal as a dream with a deadline.

So how do you create a compelling goal?

Read this first: (disclaimer:  I “borrowed” this from Anthony Robbins) J

CREATE AND MAINTAIN MOMENTUM WITH S.M.A.R.T. GOALS

When setting goals, make sure they follow these principles. We use the acronym

S.MA.R.T. (https://

to precisely map out measurable, attainable goals. A S.M.A.R.T. goal should be:

Specific: The more detailed you can be, the better. How specific can you be if your goal is to lose weight? “I want to lose 20 pounds” is a good start, but “I want to lose 20 pounds so that I can wear my favorite clothes again this June” makes it easier to visualize and achieve what you want.

Measurable: Precision is your friend when it comes to goal setting. When you can measure, you’ll actually see your progress and know when you achieve it. Concrete criteria helps everyone stay on track. For example, “get better at money” is not a measurable goal; it’s unclear what “better” means here. You need to have solid metrics in mind! Have the goal to understand your current spending patterns, pay off your credit cards and start saving 25% of your income per month by the end of the year — now you have benchmarks that you can use to check your progress on the way to success.

Achievable: If you can’t actually attain your goal it will only serve to frustrate and dishearten you. You’re not going to create a billion-dollar business or become a worldclass concert pianist overnight. Many times when we’re creating big goals we get too lofty, making them seem impossible. This leads us to the next element…

Realistic: Perhaps in an ideal world you’d have 6 hours a day to work on your golf swing or tennis game. You live in the real world, not an ideal one, so make sure you’re setting goals that match up with reality.

(In a) Time frame: Having a clear idea of your timeline creates a sense of urgency. You’ll be working toward what you want more quickly. Perhaps your goal is that you want to learn Spanish because it will help you communicate better with your clients. What’s a realistic time frame for yourself? Do you have a trip to Spain coming up in six months for which you need to be prepared? Set a timeline for your goal so you can check in with yourself along the way.  Having this level of clarity puts power behind your goals and ensures you can  measure your progress more often and take new actions. As Tony says, “Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.”

ACTUAL ASSIGNMENT AND WHAT YOU WILL TURN IN:

Goal Setting Step 1: Take 6 minutes and brainstorm a list of anything you’d like to achieve, create, do, have, give and/or experience in the next 20 years. Write as many things down as fast as you can in this time.

Goal Setting Step 2: Now go back through your list and write 1, 3, 5, 10 or 20 years next to each goal to indicate how long it will take to achieve them. You have a minute and a half to get this done, so be quick and go with your gut.

Goal Setting Step 3: Review your list. Choose your top four 1-year goals. These are goals that make you really excited. Write a paragraph for each goal explaining why you will absolutely achieve this goal within the next 12 months. This should take you about 15-20 minutes total.

AFTER YOU SUBMIT, BUT BEFORE YOU FORGET THIS CLASS, CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING: 

Goal Setting is the Secret to a Compelling Future

There are 3 steps in Personal Power:

PUT your goals where you’ll see them daily,

WRITE down and take at least one action towards achieving your goals,

AND THE ROCKING CHAIR TEST:

VISUALIZE yourself older and looking back.

CONSIDER: What is the pain from not achieving, and what is the pleasure from having achieved your goals?

i sincerely hope that you take this last assignment as more than just an assignment, but as an OPPORTUNITY to plan and truly consider who and what you want to become.