Effective goal setting, make dreams come true

Arpit Shah (Accountant) (21438 Points)

15 October 2014  

Effective goal setting,
make dreams come true

Anyone can set a goal, but effective goal setting means that it will actually get done. Effective goal setting isn't difficult if you do it correctly. The following guidelines will help you to set effective goals and make goals become reality.

1. Write goals down

Success needs to take actions and this is the most important thing. By writing the goals down, you can remember each task that needs to be done and easily to check them off when you have accomplished them. You are better able to keep up with your scheduled tasks for each accomplishment too.

2. Set priorities for effective goal setting

When you have several goals, give each a specific priority. This helps you to avoid feeling overwhelmed by too many goals, and helps to direct your attention to the most important ones and follow each in succession. Setting priorities will force you into the step-by-step format above.

You can set priorities according to this:

Priority 1: Must Do – these goals must be achieved if you are to consider yourself successful. These are your highest priority goals.
Priority 2: Should Do – these goals should be achieved to consider yourself successful.
Priority 3: Nice to Do – self explanatory

3. Keep operational goals small

One of the characteristics of high achievers is that they get the big picture. At the same time, it can feel overwhelming to face a huge dream when you don't even know where to get started. That's why you need to break down your big dreams into small goals that are more realistic and believable from where you are now.

4. State each goal as a positive statement

If you want to express your goals in a positive way, you simply have to first think of a goal that puts a smile on your face when you imagine it completed. That is a key component to effective goal setting that you can attain. Think positive and you will get good results. You will have the power to clear all the obstacles on the way.

5. Being precise

Set a precise goal that includes starting dates, times and amounts so that you can properly measure your achievement. If you do this, you will know exactly when you have achieved the goal, and can take complete satisfaction from having achieved it.

Being precise in setting your goals is no more than setting them with exact details. It is easier this way because then you can follow a step-by-step format. That’s all there is to it.

6. For effective goal setting, set different kind of goals

There are three main types of goals: outcome, performance, and process, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages.To receive the best results, use the three types of goals. Outcome goals give you direction and a target to aim for, performance goals give you motivation and measurable results, and process goals help you focus on improvement and mastery.

7. Set realistic goals, do not set goals too low or too high

It is important to set goals that you can achieve. By being realistic you are increasing your chances of success.

Do not set them too low. People tend to do this where they are afraid of failure or where they simply don’t want to do anything. You should set goals so that they are slightly out of your immediate grasp, but not so far that there is no hope of achieving them. No one will put serious effort into achieving a goal that they believe is unattainable.

Don’t set them too high too. It’s nice planning to become a millionaire, but planning to do in three months is an outrageous claim. Don’t become a fantast. Your goals must be realistic and tangible. Otherwise you will be disappointed so soon and drop all your efforts.