Goal Setting

We've all been at a point in our lives where setting realistic and attainable goals has been absolutely vital to reaching a desired outcome. Whether you're looking to make a change in your professional or personal life, successful goal setting is all about identifying your key strengths and using them to your advantage. However, unless you've got a knack for effective goal setting, everyone could use a refresher course on how to develop and implement a smart and effective system that keeps you and your goals directly in the driver's seat. No matter how big your goal is or how long it will take to reach it, you'll need these four secrets to help you create the ultimate plan that will see you finally reaching your goals:



Write Them Down. Goals are easy to ignore if they're cluttered in the back of your mind along with your grocery shopping list and looming office deadlines. However, once you write your goals down, you'll continually be reminded of your commitment towards achieving them. Many people need the daily motivation that a simple reminder can provide; take advantage of this small step that reaps significant outcomes.



Practice Makes Perfect. You've probably heard this expression about a million times, but it still rings true, even when it comes to successful goal-setting: the more goals you set and reach, the more likely it is that you'll achieve any long-term goals. Balance out any long-term goals with a few short-term ones; this will help you practice effective goal setting, which will be a useful skill you can use in both your professional and personal life. Additionally, reaching short-term goals can provide a much-needed ego boost that long-term goals rarely provide.



Make Your Goals Realistic. Sure, we'd all like to be famous rock stars or earn millions of dollars a year; but unless you're the best guitar player the world has ever seen or have an innovative business idea, these goals are unlikely to be accomplished. Experts agree that unrealistic goals only encourage feelings of failure and discouragement, which is detrimental to any goals that you may consider setting in the future. Instead, make sure that your goals are realistic and attainable. Don't forget to set up a realistic time frame for accomplishing your desired goals - this will help you stay on track while keeping yourself accountable.



Give Yourself Rewards. The sense of accomplishment you'll achieve when you finally reach your goal is a great reward; yet what about the milestones that you reach along the way? Reward yourself for making such great progress; for example, if you're looking to land yourself a promotion at work, treat yourself to a massage after a week of late nights in the office. You'll burn out less quickly - and that's crucial when attempting to achieve a long-term goal!



It's no secret that effective goal setting is the key to reaching both professional and personal dreams - and these four strategies are crucial to the success of any goals that you may have for your own life. So what are you waiting for? It's time to finally achieve those goals you've always desired to reach!

This is the first in a series of 3 articles about setting goals and changing your life. You can set and achieve your goals and change your life forever by following a few simple steps.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=J._B._Washburn