A Short Guide to Entertaining Goal-Setting

Goal setting is something most people take for granted. Not only does this help with one’s motivation to be more productive and intentional with their actions, but also it helps in building one’s character.

If you struggle with how to set goals and achieve them, this short guide is for you.

Why set goals?

The process of goal-setting allows you to take the time and reflect on what you want for yourself across different aspects of your life (i.e. family, career, love/relationships). This opportunity of self-contemplation lets you evaluate whether what you have been doing has meaning. One should set goals in order to put their life into perspective. This is beneficial to people who feel like they don’t have direction in life.

How to set goals?

Goal-setting can be overwhelming and intimidating. To know if you’re properly setting your goals, evaluate whether they are SMART.

What is SMART?

Specific

Having specific goals makes your life’s direction a lot clearer because you know exactly what you want. The more specific your goals are, the better.

Measurable

Whether your goal is to run at a certain pace or to reach a financial milestone, you should be able to visualize what you want to achieve. This will help scale your progress when you monitor yourself.

Attainable

One reason why not all people achieve their goals is that the goals they set for themselves aren’t realistic. You must account for your capabilities while goal-setting. If you know that your goals aren’t attainable, you will feel discouraged to act on them.

Relevant

The goals that you want to achieve must be in-line with the long-term vision you have of yourself. If there is a disconnect between your goals and vision, then that goal may not be relevant for you. By identifying what you want for yourself, you’ll know where you should be putting your time and energy towards.

Time-bound

Goals can be either short-term or long-term. Once you’ve classified whether your goals are short-term or long-term, you can now plot a timeframe that is appropriate and feasible to your resources and capabilities.

How to achieve goals?

Goal-setting is only one part of the journey. After you set your goals, it is now up to you to achieve it. Whether your goal is geared towards physical, financial, or any other forms of personal growth, these are some tips to keep in mind:

Write down your goals. 

By writing your goals, you make them more real. This also helps you identify what’s important to you and how you spend your time.

Monitor your progress. 

It’s helpful to have forms of documentation such as journal entries, photos, videos, etc. Being able to visualize your progress can help motivate you to continue.

Make time for rest and re-evaluation. 

The journey towards your ideal-self is not easy. It takes a lot of time to figure out whether you’re on the right path or not. It’s important to pause, re-evaluate your goals and actions, and adjust accordingly.

People should not undermine the power of goal-setting. Learning how to set goals and achieve them is an essential tool everybody should have.