Setting goals in all aspects of life is an important process.
Many people feel that life goes by with great effort (!) and all of the effort made leads to nowhere worthwhile. And that happens on all levels, personal, professional, financial, social… And how wrong they are! The reason behind this is that these people had not set specific targets, sought from the bottom of their heart compatible with their values.
Trying to accomplish something without having set a target initially, is like practicing archery with alternating moving targets! Can you imagine Robin Hood trying with his arch to shoot a deer… no a duck… no… the sheriff… not the money chest, no… eh … I don’t what I want …
Placing targets in all aspects of life is an important process that motivates, inspires and offers us a sense of direction. Yet as simple as it may sound, setting targets is a tough task that requires devoting time and thought, with no distractions or external influences.
Your target has to be the light that lights up your life and to match the following BE criteria:
BE Optimistic
BE Specific
BE Identical with my values
BE Within a certain time
BE Realistic
BE Measurable
Optimistic: An optimistic target is a positive one. Your goals have to always be expressed positively. If you want to quit smoking it would be more helpful to write: “My goal is to have clean and healthy lungs”
If you want to lose 20pounds, you can focus on your desired weight: “I want to be 62 pounds”.
If you want to change jobs: “I want a job that fulfills me, that values my qualifications and pays a fair salary”.
Specific: A specific target has greater possibilities to be reached than a vague one. To define a specific target you will have to answer the following questions:
- Who: If your target involves people who are they?
- What: What do I want to achieve?
- Where: Define the space / area
- When: Define a time limit
- Which: Demands or restraints you will encounter
- Why: Special reasons, goals and benefits for reaching the target
Identical with my values:
In order to reach our goals, they have to incorporate our values. When our actions are in line with our values we live with integrity and are more content.
Yet each target has to have a time frame to be completed. By when do you wish to accomplish it? The answers to this question usually determines targets from wishful thinking.
Realistic: For a target to be realistic, it has to represent something we are willing and able to work for. It could be highly realistic. A target that today seems too high, can be realized: don’t forget every step we take, brings us closer to it, thus makes it realistic. Often high targets are more achievable than low ones, only because low ones exert a less motivating drive.
Measurable: It has to be measurable. In order to measure our progress we need to establish some criteria. A helpful question is “How will I know I have reached my target?”. It is important to measure our progress every now and again. This is how we remain on track, achieve our intermediate targets and experience happiness at our success which in turn motivates us to continue.
So think well, dream, evaluate your needs and targets with honesty, inspiration, commitment and an appetite for work! Remember that every three months it is necessary to re-think our goals so as (a) not to forget them and (b) to confirm that they still exist.
