Goal Setting 2009 - Part II

In our last article we discussed the first steps in goal setting: prioritizing the areas of your life by importance; writing down wants and needs; defining obstacles and then listing solutions, which are “bite size” action steps that you start today. We wrote about the importance of writing down your goals and of charting your progress. This is where we’ll start today.

So, go pull out that list you were working on. Remember, writing down your goals provides clarity of thought and that is what stimulates motivation. As you examine your goals, focus on one at a time and review the small action steps you listed. How many action steps have you taken so far? Be sure to record your actions and the results. Did your action work, if not, think about why it didn’t work. Here you will need to think of yourself as floating above your situation, think outside the box, as a separate person. Evaluate your actions. Did you really try? Do you need to make some modifications to your solution list? Go for it! Remember, the solutions are supposed to be actions you can do today.

When thinking about your goals, first consider your intentions? Did you know that goal setting and intentions are linked? Intentions actually precede goal setting. If you fall short of intention, you will not likely achieve the goal you set. What a concept! Intentions are the thoughts behind your actions and the justification behind your words. Get these in order and your actions will follow.

See yourself having accomplished your goal. Do you feel the satisfaction? Think about it. Feel the success?

Spend two to five minutes each day reviewing your goals and the steps you are taking to reach them. If you see yourself in a new life’s work, know that you must learn what is necessary to be able to perform this work. Did you do your daily homework? If your goal is to learn to play a musical instrument, you must set aside time every day to study and practice. A little success everyday will provide the motivation you need to keep working on it.

Now, back to charting your progress. Write out your goals, obstacles, suggested solutions and any changes to those solutions (you can expect to make some changes). You can keep this outline in a journal or on Post-It notes, stuck to your bathroom mirror. Looking at them every day will help you take those action steps. If you choose the Post-It note idea, after you complete achieve your goal, take it off your bathroom mirror and put it on your bedroom mirror. Each day as you dress you’ll be able to relive your success.

Your assignment is to write out your goals with “I intend to” at the beginning of each one, and accomplish one action step each day. Next month we’ll cover time management and the feared “TO DO” List!