Benefits of goal setting

January 1st….must start the new year off with a whole list of resolutions that I am going to achieve this year. January 8th…..well seem to be back to my old ways and have broken all of my resolutions already! Have you heard this before? Are you guilty of this? If so you aren’t alone research has shown that only 9% of people see their resolutions through until the end of the year.

Why is it that we pick possibly the most depressing time of the year to set new goals and resolutions for ourselves, in the northern hemisphere anyway? Why do we find it so difficult? Shouldn’t we be given a manual on how to set goals and accomplish them?

Instead of setting resolutions, we should be setting ourselves goals. Now many people may see goals and resolutions as the same thing, they are both assertions of making a change after all.

The difference is that a resolution is a statement of what you would like to change, ie “I want to lose weight”, whilst a goal is a statement of what you want to achieve, how you are going to do it and a time frame.

A goal means that you are far more likely to see it through than just setting a resolution. It would therefore seem that you should be setting yourself goals if you want to make changes in your life. Setting goals will offer you many benefits such as;

• higher levels of motivation

• increased productivity

• increased focus in your life

• a sense of direction and purpose

What is the secret to goal setting?

If you don’t want to find that come the middle of the year you have drifted through 6 months aimlessly, then you need to start making some goals and sticking to them.

Goal setting isn’t complicated at all, it is the goal that you set and the way that you set it that will determine your success rate.

If you just set a destination goal, ie “I am going to be my ideal weight by the summer,” you aren’t giving yourself the best chance of success. Why?

Because your goal isn’t specific enough, you need to plan how much weight you are going to lose, a plan for losing weight, and a time frame which, above all, has to be realistic and attainable if you are to have any chance of success.

This is the secret to setting goals and completing them.

How do you set personal goals?

Everybody is going to have goals that are particular to them. Yes many of us may want the same things in life, a good job, a new home, good health, a life partner or no financial worries but we don’t all want the same things at the same time.

You need to look at the things that you want from life, not what society tells you you should be chasing. You may have large goals or small goals.

You may have a goal that could be accomplished in a very quick time frame and you may have a goal that will take you years to complete.

What you need to do to set your personal goals is to decide what it is that You want from your life.

Think of the areas of your life that could be improved or that you would like to change. It could be that you have always wanted to travel to a specific country or you want a better handicap at golf.

Whatever it is just make sure that it is something that you really want to achieve.

What are the steps in setting and achieving goals?

Following the tips below will help you in setting out your goals and in seeing them through to completion.

1. What is your passion in life?

What is it that you really love and that you would like to do more of? When you follow your passions you will discover that your life is happier and more fulfilled. You will be engaged and excited about your life and will be committed to doing more of what you love.

2. Find your reasons why

Why are you setting the goal? Is it for you or is it for someone else? Is it something that you really want to do or is it something that you feel you should be doing? Discovering the reason “why” you are setting a goal will determine whether it is successful or not.

3. Commit them to paper

To make successful goals you need to commit them to paper. Treat yourself to a beautiful journal and start writing down all of the goals that you have. This way you are far more likely to achieve them.

When they are committed to paper they will already be starting to take shape and you can build on them from here. Whilst they are in your head, they are only thoughts that haven’t begun to take shape.

4. Identify your most important goals and prioritize them

If you have a big project in mind and have many goals to accomplish then start to prioritize them in order of importance.

5. Use the SMART method

The SMART method of goal setting is one that most coaches will use with their clients when establishing goals. It is a simple yet highly effective tool for setting goals.

• S - Specific

• M - Measurable

• A - Attainable

• R - Relevant

• T - Time measured

  Using this model will allow you to set a goal, and a time frame, and measure your progress along the way.

6. Break your goals down into smaller steps

Another tool used by coaches for goal setting is chunking. This is a way that you can break down large goals into more achievable and realistic steps. It can stop you from becoming overwhelmed by a large goal and can help with your time management and achievability.

By breaking your goals down you can check on your progress and make any necessary changes as you go along.

7. Get started and don't procrastinate

Once you have set a goal get started straight away. Leaving a gap between setting a goal and beginning could mean that you don’t start or lose motivation and commitment. The phrase “striking whilst the iron is hot” is definitely something that applies to goals.

8. Set up a check-in time with yourself

As you are working through your goal set in a check-in time with yourself to evaluate your progress. Constantly checking in with yourself will mean that you are aware of the direction that your goal is going, your progress and any tweaks that you may need to make.

It will also help you to stay focused and will help if your motivation starts to dwindle. Being able to assess your progress can give you a boost and help you to stay on track.

9. Make your environment conducive to achieving your goals

The right environment can have a large impact on the success of your goal. Before starting your goal make a list of anything that you may need, tools, accessories etc.

Although motivation and focus will be key factors in your success, your environment will also play its role.

If you are wanting to lose weight, for example, having a larder full of high-fat processed food is unlikely to help you make the correct choices. Having a space full of clean foods is far more conducive to you losing weight.

Paying careful attention to your environment and aligning it with the goals that you have set will give you a much higher success rate.

10. Revise and adjust your goals after a certain period of time if needed

As you move forward with your goal, make sure that you revise your progress so far and adjust if needed. Goals shouldn’t be set in stone, they should be fluid and change and adapt as you need them to.

Never judge having to change and tweak your goals as a failure, this actually shows a sign of strength and confidence in yourself that you are prepared to make the necessary adjustments to see your goals through to their completion.

11. Persevere when the going gets tough

There can often be a time partway through your journey when the going gets tough and you may feel that you want to give in. Be prepared and understand this from the beginning. Nothing in life that is worthwhile ever comes easy.

You need to acknowledge this fact to yourself and be prepared to persevere when the going gets tough.

Knowing in advance that this will be the case will help you to mentally prepare for such times, thus ensuring you a greater level of success.

12. Be flexible in your approach

Flexibility is a great tool to have at your disposal when setting and executing goals. There can be many instances when plans will have to change and you need to be flexible and ready to adapt to these changes without them throwing your plans off kilter.

The more flexible you can make yourself, the more likely you are to be successful.

13. Reward yourself for the completion of small steps

As humans, we work very well to task when we are offered a reward. When goal setting, make sure you factor in various rewards that will motivate you towards your goal end.

Of course. your goals have to be appropriate. If you are on a weight-loss goal, rewarding yourself with cream cakes is not going to be the best one to apply. You could book yourself a spa day or treat yourself to some new clothes as a reward though.

Rewards will act as an incentive and will help to keep you motivated, especially if you are finding the going tougher than you imagined.

14. Use the power of visualization to see yourself achieving your goals

Visualization is another very powerful tool when setting and completing goals. Use either a visualization board or an app on your phone to mark down the goals that you have set.

Study the board every day or several times a day and really see yourself completing your goals.

This is a very powerful tool that will trick your brain into believing that the goal you have set has already been completed, meaning that you are far more likely to reach your goal.

15. Use a coach to help you stay on track and help you to be accountable for your actions

Coaching is an excellent resource for goals. Coaches are trained in the best tools and tips to help you to set, organise, structure and reach your goals.

Many people find that working on goals alone can often lead to failure, they get easily distracted, give up part way through or can never get the focus and motivation to bring about positive results.

A coach can help with all of these pitfalls. They can offer you accountability. they are there for you 100% offering you guidance and support. They have no judgement of you, they only want you to achieve what you have set out to get and they can offer you tools, tips and tricks to make sure that you are successful.

if you would like further information on working with a coach click the link get coached.

Final Thoughts

You will discover that there are many benefits to having goals in life and understanding how to set goals and accomplish them is valuable to your success.

Setting goals can aid in your self-confidence, career, health, and personal life. They can transform how you think and act and the results that you get from your life.

A life full of completed goals can be rich, rewarding and satisfying. They can give you more energy and focus and can help you to progress through your life.

If you want to make serious changes in your life then you have to be serious about making and accomplishing the relevant goals.

You have the power to be or do whatever you want in your life, it’s up to you to make it happen.

If you would like to listen to the audio version of this blog post click below;

If you have found this blog post helpful please comment and share below