How To Set Goals

Do you know that only 3% of people in our society know how to set goals? But do you also know that 3% accomplishes more than the other 97% combined! That drives the point home doesn't it? It's obvious...

If you want to be successful you've got to learn how to set goals and focus your life in pursuit of those goals.

How to set goals...

Next is to set more specific goals that will put you on the path towards your "WHY." If your goals are a proper extension of your WHY, they will be in harmony with your values, and you will have the ability to achieve them.

They are YOUR goals. They are not goals imposed through the "datasphere" or from other people. They reflect YOUR values, YOUR talents, YOUR mission, and they come out of YOUR chosen roles in life.

An effective goal focuses primarily on results rather than activity.

But it's still important to enjoy the process. The specific ways you get things done change over time, as you learn more. But your goals remain the same.

If you're constantly looking for the end result without consideration of the process you'll become inpatient and stressed. Then you'll feel less enthusiastic about setting goals in the future.

An effective goal identifies where you want to be. It gives you important information on how to get there, and it tells you when you have arrived.

It unifies your efforts and energy. It gives meaning and purpose to your life. It allows you to be proactive and take charge of your life.

You WILL make things happen each day. You WILL be more organized, as well as more productive.

When figuring out how to set goals keep in mind that they have to be achievable. By setting a goal that is too high, you'll often end up frustrated, stressed, and hopeless.

In contrast, repeated victories will result in higher self-esteem and more confidence in setting higher goals, which result in greater productivity. Your energy level will remain high and you'll feel content.

There will be times when the process is boring. At these times, it's vital that you have a strong commitment to the goal. Some people call this leverage.

For example, if you have a goal to make an extra $20,000 this year to pay for your child's heart surgery, I bet you'll find a way to make it happen. You've got the leverage - you have a big enough WHY.

Only with an exceptional commitment will you be able to take undesirable action to achieve what you want.

Approaching something with the end in mind allows you to keep your values and direction clear. There is less possibility of getting side-tracked or being reactive to momentary pressures.

Always finish what you start. Being committed to your goal from the beginning will help you to complete the process.

On May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister broke the four-minute mile. Prior to that, virtually every expert in the field said that it was impossible. They were convinced that this feat was beyond the physical capability of the human body.

Bannister didn't hear them. He had his own thoughts on the subject. The year after Bannister shocked the experts, 37 other runners broke the four-minute mile. The year after that, 300 runners did it.

Harvey Mackay, in his book Swim with the Sharks without Being Eaten Alive, elaborates on Mr. Bannister's accomplishments:

"A few years ago, in New York, the Fifth Avenue Mile was run and thirteen out of thirteen runners broke the four-minute mile in a single race.

The runner who finished dead last would have performed "the impossible" just a few decades earlier. What happened? There were no great breakthroughs in training technique. Human bones didn't suddenly improve. But human attitudes did.

It doesn't matter if others say you can't do something. What matters, the only thing that matters, is if you say you can't do it.

Before Bannister, we all believed in the experts. Bannister believed in himself. If you believe in yourself, there's nothing you can't accomplish. So don't quit. Don't ever quit."

You must want your goal more than anything and work every day towards accomplishing your goal.

(Even if you have no time during the day to take action towards your goal, you can take a few minutes to visualize it. Constantly visualizing yourself accomplishing your goal is a powerful way to help achieve it.)