Some Thoughts On Goal Setting
July 31, 2007 by Jonathan Farrington
Always begin with long-term goals and work backwards. Your long-term goals are probably the most difficult to set anyway, so if you set those first, you accomplish the tough stuff right up-front.
Long-term goals should be five-year projections and three areas you may want to consider when you set them are personal accomplishments, status symbols and net worth.
Medium-term goals are usually three year projections and the same criteria can be used – but again think productivity not production and consider the activity that will be necessary to achieve success.
Short-term goals will demand most of your attention and these are usually a twelve-month projection although you can set ‘immediate goals’ which have a 90-day projection.
You must believe you can achieve all of your goals – otherwise you will not achieve them.
Setting a Well Balanced Diet of Goals:
It is essential to set personal as well as career goals to keep your life well balanced. If all your goals are connected to your commercial life, you will have trouble taking time out for family and friends because you will always be pushing towards the next career goal.
Remember:
Work smarter not harder. Setting personal goals gives you a life after business.
Put Your Goals in Writing:
Once you have formulated your goals it is time to make your final commitment to them by putting them down in writing. This is undoubtedly the single most important step in goal setting because until they are inscribed somewhere they are merely wishes and dreams.
After you have written them down, your mind will start seeking out whatever it will take to make them a reality.
Remember:
The moment you start moving forward towards a goal is the moment you start to succeed.
Tomorrow: Globally recognised networking expert, Andrea Nierenberg fills the Guest Author Spot.
Jonathan is right. The process of goal setting is well known but still, remarkably, few people actually put it into practice. The goal setting management tool that I use is one I found from the UK – with downloadable articles and useful links it is more than just a management tool. Find it HERE.