Goal Setting

Getting Organized About Life

Why do we need Goals?  

Goals give you direction in all areas of your life – Personal, Career, Spiritual, Material, and Contribution

Goals give you a purpose in life.  A reason to get up early in the morning and go to bed late at night

Goals will put drive and passion into your life Not having goals is similar to sailing a ship

across the Atlantic without a map.  Goals, like maps, help you get to your destination much faster than sailing though life aimlessly

What Are Goals?

Goals are something that you want to achieve in the future. You set goals so that you can get better at more things, aim for something in the future and achieve more during your life.

Goals are the specific things, tasks or accomplishments you must complete in order to achieve the kind of life you desire.

Types of Goals

Long Term ultimate goal

Intermediate milestones leading to ultimate goal

Short Term smaller steps to be completed

Example

Long Term Graduate High School with a 3.7 GPA

Intermediate Maintain a B and A average from now

on

Short Term Pass all my 6th grade classes with A’s

Setting Goals  First you must dream! Write your ideas down on paper and decide

which ones are the most important to you. Review what you have written down on paper. Prioritize

Which of these goals are most important to you, and why?

On a fresh piece of paper, write down one goal at a time. Beside the heading, write down a deadline for achieving that goal.

To help achieve the long term goal, set a timeline using short term goals.

Getting Started

Where are you now? Take a current inventory. You will never know how far

you have to go if you don’t know where you already are.

What obstacles do you need to overcome? Is there something that may make it difficult to

achieve your goal? Be aware of the obstacle so you can make plans to overcome it.

Begin with the end in mind

Know Yourself Strengths Weaknesses Likes Dislikes Passions What makes you Complete

Goals should be“SMART”: Specific,

Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely

Specific

A goal is specific when you know exactly what is to be achieved and accomplished. A simple goal is easier to understand. Imagine your goal as specifically as you can. Ask: Who, where, what, when, how…specifically?

Measurable

Goals should be quantifiable. Think of the evidence that will let you know you have achieved it. For example, words like ‘better’ or ‘faster’ are

not quantifiable. “Raise my D’s to A’s,” provides a clear measure for a goal.

Instead of, “I want to do better in math,” try, “I will listen as Mr. González corrects the math homework to learn from my mistakes”.

Achievable

Goals are self-maintained; the achievement of the goal is up to you alone. Your goal should clearly speak to things that

you have control over.

Realistic

Goals are practical and possible. Set goals that are realistic for your situation,

your skills, talents and interests. Realistic goals are a balance between what is

hard and what is easy to achieve. You are the key person here so don't set a goal

that you don't believe in. Make sure that you believe you can do it and that it is

possible to do in the time you've set aside.

Timely

There is a finite duration to your effort, a deadline. For example, “by the end of June” is more

specific than “toward the end of June”. However, the most precise statement is: June 16, 2005.

Secrets for Achieving Your Goals

Be flexible Constantly Evaluate Your Progress 

Sometimes our plans change; sometimes we get sick. Be prepared to reassess and revise your goal if necessary.

Never Lose Sight of Your Goal  review your goals every morning when you get

up and every night before you go to bed.  Don’t Procrastinate 

Procrastination is a “silent killer”.  Understand that the only way to achieve your

goals is to take action! 

Secrets for Achieving Your Goals

A goal can not contradict any of your other goals. For example, you can't get straight A’s if you

continue to talk and not listen in class. This is called non-integrated thinking and will sabotage all of the hard work you put into your goals. Non-integrated thinking can also hamper your everyday thoughts as well.

Secrets for Achieving Your Goals

Write your goal in the positive instead of the negative. Work for what you want, not for what you

want to leave behind. Part of the reason why we write down and examine our goals is to create a set of instructions for our subconscious mind to carry out.

No no’s or not’s!!

Secrets for Achieving Your Goals

Write your goal out in complete detail. Instead of writing “Get an A in math,” write

“Get an A in math by listening in class, working with my team, asking questions, and doing my homework on time.”

Secrets for Achieving Your Goals

By all means, make sure your goal is high enough. Shoot for the moon, if you miss you'll still be

in the stars. If you shoot for a B, you might miss and get a

C, while if you shoot for an A and miss, you’ll get a B.

Put A Date On It - Determine when you want the goal to be completed. 

The Benefits of Goal Setting

You will notice an increase in your energy level as you begin to live your life with passion – the passion that having a meaningful goal will give you.

You will be in control of your life and the direction you are heading.  Your life does not have to be determined by fate alone.  With goals, you create your destiny.

Goals give you a purpose in life.  A reason to get up early and go to bed late.

Remember the motto, “The road to Someday, leads to the town of Nowhere”.  Someday

is today!