Goal Setting Course Part – 1

“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”

It is time to set goals and work towards them. Many people just keep day-dreaming and making false promises to themselves that they will start working towards their goals. However, they never see that day because they do not have a fixed plan. There is a difference between wishing and having a goal in life. Without setting goals, an individual will lack motivation and commitment. You need to have a game plan! Goal setting is extremely important and so, we have covered everything you need to know to accomplish your goals. Read on to find out more about goal setting and get the much-needed motivation.

What is goal setting?

Goal setting is basically the process of taking a stand and deciding what you want to do with your life. What do you want to accomplish in your life? Do you have a game plan? Devising a plan is important in this case. Whether it is a student or a business owner, everyone needs to set goals to achieve them.  Edwin Locke gave the goal setting theory that people, who set difficult goals perform better than those, who set easy and general goals. It is a popular theory in Educational Psychology and it has certain features which you need to understand.

• Clear and specific goal leads to better performance and greater output.
• Goals should be challenging and realistic. When the individual achieves their goals, they attain a feeling of satisfaction. Once the challenging goals have been achieved, it is worthwhile for the individual, who has achieved it.

Why is goal setting important? Let us find that out through the next section.

Why is goal setting important?

It starts with setting a goal but you will not achieve it through magical powers. You need to have a strategic plan to achieve those goals. When you have a dream in life, you do not sit and wait for it to come true. You have to ardently chase your dreams. Nobody will serve your dream on a plate and give it to you. You have to work hard to achieve goals and realize dreams!

Setting goals is important because it takes you closer to the destination. Your focus remains on the bigger aspects rather than the smaller joys of life. Many known individuals have worked their way up by setting goals. People, who have a plan to achieve their goals, are more focused and they perform better than those, who do not have any plan. It gives you the belief that you are capable of achieving something. What is your capability? You will understand that, by setting a goal, writing down the strategy and setting a deadline. If a person wishes to be like their favorite athlete or scientist, they will make a plan to achieve it. They will study harder, practice the sport all day and be determined to never give up on the bigger goals of life.

Benefits of Setting a Goal

What are the benefits of setting goals?

• It improves your focus. Your intentions and desires are clear through setting of goals and working towards them.
• You learn to prioritize. There are people, who are not able to focus on one aspect of their life. Setting goals can help you to prioritize.
• Time is precious and by setting goals, you will be able to save time and do what is important!
• You learn to make decisions because you start prioritizing the important aspects of life and work.
• You are able to use your creativity to find out ways to achieve the goals.

Setting SMART Goals

In order to understand Goal Setting theory, you need to understand the SMART goals.

S – Specific  – Define expectations and avoid generalities

M- Measurable – Quality, quantity, timelines and cost if involved etc.

A – Achievable – Challenging goals but should not be impossible

R – Relevant – Linking the goal to the higher purpose/goal etc.

T – Time Bound – working within a time frame creates pressure but also excitement.

Your goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. If you follow these 5 points while setting goals, you will be successful. The goals should be challenging, realistic and measurable. All you need is a game plan!

Making an ACTION PLAN

Most people are too focused on the outcome and they forget about the journey towards success. If you do not have an action plan, you shall never attain your goals. What steps are you going to take? What are the necessary steps that will help you to reach the goal? Well, you should create a goal setting worksheet to get the motivation. It should have simple questions that YOU need to answer and work on.

Did successful people set goals?

Success does not come easy and there are very few people, who get lucky but they have to work hard to remain successful. There was a recent study at Harvard Business School which showed that people, who write down their goals, are more successful than those, who are casual about it.

Successful people have gone through phases. They have tasted failure but they did not lose heart. They did not let one failure decide their entire life. Failure is a part of life and you have to accept it. The key is to never give up and keep working towards your goal. However, successful people have taught us that you should set SMART goals and work towards them.

Set daily goals that are achievable. Long-term goals shall happen but it is important for you to start with daily goals. Not everyone in this world comes with a silver spoon in their mouth. Some people have worked extremely hard to reach where they are.

Words from the wise

We covered the goal setting theory and other aspects. Understanding the theory is important but it is all about using it in your real life. You have to start writing down the goals and the steps that you will take, to fulfill them. If you are too late to act, the time will never come back again. It is wise to start early and set realistic goals. Do not give up at first because good things take time. People, who have the ability to join the dots and see the whole picture, will always achieve success. Just set SMART goals and stay devoted towards them. You have to commit and also, believe in yourself. Once you start believing that you have the abilities, you will be able to achieve the most challenging goals.