A  goal is an aim or result that one is attempting to achieve.Having goals will prevent a person from exhausting  his energy and getting nowhere.Usually having goals will prevent people from feeling like they are their own worst enemies.

How To Make Successful Goals

1.Identify

Brainstorm Potential Goals

Write down whatever goal that comes into your mind.Even if the goals seem ridiculous just write them down.Do not try to evaluate at this stage.Do not give yourself a limit on the number of your goals.This stage must be enjoyable,so write down even the seemingly silliest small goals that comes into your mind.Remember that at this stage they do not have to be in order of importance.

Evaluate

It takes time and a calm person to be able to carefully examine the goals.So make sure when you are evaluating you are in no hurry and go through each of them slowly.Identify which ones are more challenging to carry out.Also take note of those that require long periods of time to be completed(be careful not to underestimate the time periods). Set a time limit for each goal for without it it will be easy for you to loose focus on the goals.The goals must be specific.At this stage,know exactly what you are to do to be able to reach your set goals.

Prioritize

At this stage you are supposed to arrange them in the order of importance.Or you can rank them in the order in which you would like to to achieve them.Remember that the best goals on your list are the most important to you.An example of goals one can set:

  • family- at what age you want to become a parent,how many children you are going to have
  • health-which exercise you want to start on and for how long
  • career-your dream job and the level you want to reach before retiring
  • financial-how much and how you would like to spent at a certain stage

2.Plan

a plan book
  • For each and every goal that you have written,do the following;

List Your Goals

Each goal must be written on a fresh and at the top of a page in bold and/ or capital letters.You can highlight using a bright color. The idea is for it o be eye catching when you open the page. Set SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound) goals that motivate you and write them down to make them feel tangible.https://www.mindtools.com/page6.html.

Set A Time Limit

Make sure to put a deadline at each and every goal for in that way,you can be able to assess how far you are from reaching your goal.It will also push you to keep acting on them.A goal without a deadline can never be a goal, it will only be but a pointless wish.

Plan The Steps Involved

It is advisable to number the steps.The steps for each goal are likely to differ in content and length.Think outside the box and try coming up with all the steps that can be involved.

Anticipate Obstacles

Anticipating potential problems will save you from becoming disheartened and giving up when you actually encounter them.Try to think of as many as you can for each and every goal that you have because they might differ from each goal.Jot them down.After this,think of the solutions for every potential obstacle that you have written down.

Make A Commitment

It would be good to keep reminding yourself the reason why you want to achieve your goal.If it means that you have to remove some of the  things you enjoy doing  from your schedule,do it, do not hesitate. You might even have to tell your family and friends so that they keep reminding you of your commitment and help you to keep it. Whatever happens, know that you alone are accountable for the end results.

An example to show these steps is this:

My goal is to learn Zulu before i go on the school trip in ten months time.

Steps involved

  1. get a phrase book
  2. learn at least ten new words every week
  3. listen to other people talk
  4. ask someone to help you with pronunciation
Potential Problems

There are no people close by who speak Zulu to help me with the pronunciation

Solution

Download Zulu audio files to help me.

Get Help

It is good to get help from others who have successfully achieved their goals on time.Compare the similarities between their goals and yours.Learn from their mistakes and be sure to not repeat them.Listen and do the helpful things they tell you.Tell family members and friends  to help you prioritize your goals above all else.Accept when they give good advice.

Act

Start Immediately

When you have done all the steps above , do not linger around to start.Use the saying, ”do not wait till tomorrow to do what can be done today,” as your daily motto.Find out what you can do today to start working toward achieving your goal.Another thing that can help you to start acting quickly is remembering the dead lines of your goals.Also remind yourself why you are trying to achieve your goals now; their importance to you.

Work Hard

At times it will seem as if the process of achieving the goals is so long and you may feel ready to give up.However ,know that nothing comes easy and there is no happiness more than enjoying the fruits of your own hard work.No matter how hard it may get, never give up easily.Be determined to have the best results from your goals.

Flexibility

Make the process of reaching your goals flexible. At times you might to adjust your goals a little and not make the process to hard to follow.But make sure you do not totally change them.

Review Your Progress Regularly

At the end of each goal or step,put a tick to show that you have completed it.This will help you assess your progress,help you see where you are going wrong and where to correct.See if you are able to meet the dead line for the goals.If you see you are not able to meet with the dead line make sure you find out in which area you need to improve and if need might be you must change a negative attitude and view the goals as attainable.

a person ticking in a box to show that she has completed a step

Use Your Imagination

Try imagining yourself in the future,how you will be feeling when you know you have reached your goals and are then enjoying the benefits.You can also visualize yourself in the future,when you have not been able to accomplish any of your goals, or have only accomplished a few but less important ones.Imagine how you would feel when you see your friends who have been able to accomplish their goals.This will motivate you to keep on acting and following up with your goals.

a person meditating on what his future will be like
Advantages of having goals

Edward Locke and Gary Latham (1990) are leaders in goal-setting theory. According to their research, goals not only affect behavior as well as job performance, but they also help mobilize energy which leads to a higher effort overall. Higher effort leads to an increase in persistent effort.https://positivepsychology.com/benefits-goal-setting/.

 

Having goals gives direction in life-you will know what you are supposed to do at a given time.Much time is not lost doing unproductive things that will not help you in the future.Rather you are able to focus on the most important things.It also gives ample time to perfect our focuses.

If our goals are achieved we feel happy so they give us a sense of personal accomplishments.One will be able to be confident among other people when they know that they were able to accomplish something.

Goals give a sense of purpose in life, knowing that you have something to look forward to achieving.Ones life will not be as boring and without sense when they have something to look forward to everyday.The bigger the goal,the more satisfying your feeling of accomplishment on reaching it.

Our motivation is boosted when we reach or accomplish our goals.We will look forward to more goals and be confident we will be able to meet them successfully.

 

Setting goals does not mean planning every single minute of  your life.There may be external unforeseen factors that may come between.Therefore allow for changes to take place when setting goals.

Can Goals Fail?

Yes, at times we might fail to accomplish our goals.However, never loose hope that all your planned goals will fail.Learn from that failed goal to better the ones to follow it. Take note of your mistakes as well as your strengths from the last goals.Use that to improve your coming goal projects.

Another reason why goals may fail is because we set unrealistic ones.Be sure that your goals are SMART(specific,measurable,attainable,realistic and time bounded).Your goal must be something you are equipped to do.Try not to make them based on the fact that it is something someone else did rather be sure you can accomplish them.

A person has to set goals that he can handle.Do not set too many goals at once that it becomes hard for you to act and keep track of them all.It is better to do a few and be able to accomplish them than to have lots and not be able to accomplish even one.