free webpage hit counter

 

Goal Setting Home

SMART Goal Setting

Getting Motivated

Professional Goal Setting

Employee Goal Setting

Goal Setting For Teens

Goal Setting For Children

Goal Setting Process

Financial Goals

Personal Goals

Fitness Goal Setting

Time Management

Relationship Quiz

Visualization Tactics

Setting Career Goals

Smart Goal Setting

In Four Steps

GOAL: n. that towards which effort is directed; an aim or end.

By setting SMART goals and by measuring their achievement, you are able to see what you have done and what you are capable of.

The process of achieving goals and recognizing their achievement will give you the confidence and a belief in yourself that you need to be able to achieve higher or more difficult goals.

Providing that you have the self-discipline to carry it through, goal setting can be relatively easy. The following four steps to smart goal setting will give you effective guidelines to help you to use this technique effectively.
  • State your goal in very specific terms that you can accept

  • Plan backwards from your goal to achieve the best results

  • Confront your fears and expectations immediately and progressively

  • Put your plan on paper and into action as soon as possible

Using the example of planning a career move we'll take you through the four steps of smart goal setting ... and achieving your goals.

State Your Goal

Planning a career move is similar to mapping a route for a road trip.

If you don't know where you are going, you won't know how to get there, but if you do know where you are going, you’ll get there faster. Vague goals like “Go back to school” are too general and not specific enough. Translate these goals into specific statements such as "Enter a college accounting program by next fall" or "For the next two months, search for work in the computer securities field.” You have to know exactly what you want to do and set a timeframe to go about it.

Plan Backwards

One of the best ways to move forward is to plan backwards. Start by asking yourself if you can accomplish your goal today. If not, what do you have to do first? Is there something you have to do before that?

Keep thinking backwards like this until you arrive at tasks you can do today. This will lead you to the goal’s starting point.

For example, if your career goal involves taking a two-year business administration program, could you start today? No, you have to be accepted into the program first. Could you be accepted today? No, you have to apply first. Could you apply today? No, you have to decide which post-secondary institutions to apply to. Could you decide today? No, you have to do some research first and so on. Keep working backwards until you reach the starting point for today.

Don't worry if your list of things to do becomes several lists.

Deal with your fears and expectations

Look over the list of things you will have to do to achieve your goal. Do you believe that you can do it? If you have doubts, take some time to think them through now.

Are your expectations realistic? Have you succeeded or failed at tasks that were similar to this before? What can you do to improve your chances of success this time around? For example, if there is a good chance you will not follow through with your plans, you have to ask yourself why.

Are you a procrastinator? If so, what can you do to make sure that you will keep going until you reach your goal? Are you afraid of failing (and put off starting to avoid failure)?

If so, work at improving the skills you will need. Or test the waters by taking an evening or distance education course before you sign up for a whole program. If you are having trouble identifying your fears or figuring out how to deal with them, talk to people you trust. Ask for their suggestions, but always make your own decisions.

Put your plan into action from to do list

By now you probably have more than one list of things to do and, if necessary, some plans for avoiding or dealing with potential problems. Now you need to put them all together into one comprehensive plan. You must list tasks in the order in which they should be completed and set deadlines for the completion of each task. See section on time management for additional help. Successful goal achievers keep themselves on track using a variety of methods, such as:

  • marking tasks on a monthly calendar (noting important dates such as application deadlines or action plans)

  • making weekly or daily lists of things to do and cross off tasks as they are completed

  • using a computer program to create timeline charts which give you your time limits for task completion

  • Using a commercial appointment book, notebook or a PDA with a new page for each day or week.

  • Using visualization tactics to plant goals into their subconscious mind. Understanding the mind's role in motivation and behavior is one of the most critical elements in goal achieving success.

Use whatever method works best for you. If you find it necessary, ask a friend to check on your progress occasionally or question you on your successes because you are more likely to get things done if you know you're accountable.


about us   |   privacy   |   links   |   goal setting articles

© 2006-08 www.goal-achiever.com  --  4 steps to smart goal setting

website by Redwine