In this short article I am going to lay out a few components that every goal must have so that it is not just another “New Year’s Resolution” that get tossed inside the “wish bin.” These components are key pieces in personal goal setting and will make the difference between getting “there” and wising you were “there.” So, do not take these free goal setting tips lightly.
OK, let’s get right to it.
Key Components In Personal Goal Setting
* Write it in a way where your personal DESIRES are included in the goal.
For example, if you want to make more money without having to continuously put in working hours and you dread dealing with customers, state your goal in the following way:
I will search for and read about how an Affiliate Marketer makes at least $2000/month and complete this within the next 10 days so I have an idea on how to create passive income without dealing with any customers.
If there is no real desire included, it is just a wish.
* Make sure you know when the goal has ended and that it is a realistic time frame. (If it is a big goal, create many mini time frames and goals).
Using the example goal above, the goal will end when either you finish reading a successful Affiliate Marketer’s “How To …” book or after the 10 days expire. It is quantifiable and measurable. Intensity is built in when you know there is an ending
point. If you really need the intensity to keep you “in your goal”, tell your friend or family member you will give them $1000 if you do not complete this goal within 10 days, provided you do not become seriously ill or get into any serious accidents.
Look at all the games you participated in so far. You knew when you won or loss and/or there was a definite end. As you got closer to the end of the game, your intensity grew too. This is why it is critical to include quantifiable measurements.
* Make sure you consider your goal BELIEVABLE and achievable.
If you have never played football and measure 4’7″, 70 lbs, and hitting your 60th birthday tomorrow, making a goal to play in the NFL is a little unrealistic, in my opinion (if you believe you can make it after doing some research, then it fits this criteria and I say go for it).
* Make your goal PERFORMANCE oriented and not outcome oriented.
This slight adjustment is very effective so make sure you use this one in all your personal goal setting. In the example above, notice your goal was to READ 1 Affiliate Marketing book (performance oriented) of someone who makes at least $2000/month. Your goal was NOT to make $2000/month (outcome oriented). This is very important for a couple reasons:
1. You have MORE CONTROL in reading a book than controlling people to buy through your links on your website (this is how you generate income).
2. When you actually finish the goal there is a sense of accomplishment and now you have created momentum on your side.
3. If the you finish each goal (which is easier to accomplish because of the control factor), results will take care of themselves.
Warren Buffett, the richest stock investor in the world, runs his company Berkshire Hathaway in this fashion. He rewards his executives if they complete each goal, NOT if the company makes $2 Billion in sales. He cannot control the business environment and other extraneous factors, but he can control what he and his executives do. If it works for a billionaire, why not use it for your personal success?
It’s Important That YOU Create Goals
If you feel you are not good at completing goals, you are wrong! You are successful at completing goals already. Look at all the (major) accomplishments in your life so far, i.e. job promotions, awards received, savings goals reached, graduations,
making the high school baseball team, etc. Now granted you may not have come up with these goals yourself (some of them chosen by your parents, teachers, friends, etc.) or even written them down, they were goals that were successfully completed.
This is why YOU must start choosing what you want to accomplish because you can and DO complete goals.
Now your parents, friends, teachers, etc. planted these goals in your mind with good intentions, but did it actually get you to where you wanted to end up?
-you went to school for a degree…goal accomplished.
-you got a high paying job…goal accomplished.
-you bought a nice car…goal accomplished.
-you bought a nice house…goal accomplished.
Now, you have to WORK until ____ years old so you can pay off debt (as opposed to, for example, not having to WORK but still have income coming in through passive means).
Now if that is where you wanted to end up, then all those goals you accomplished were right in line with getting you to your “nirvana.” Congratulations on a well laid out plan and all your successes.
If it was not the “nirvana” you visualized, then start writing down goals that WILL get you to live a blissful, fulfilling,and satisfying life.
“Do not wait; the time will never be ‘just right’. Start where you stand and work with whatever tools you may have at your command and better tools will be found as you go along.”
-Napoleon Hill
And yes, there will be struggles along the way, but you actually WANT that. It is overcoming those struggles that will get you many (addictive) natural “highs!”
Have you ever solved a problem that other (family members) could not solve, even
though it took you hours or days to solve it? That sense of accomplishment after trying and trying is such an awesome feeling!
If you haven’t experienced this feeling, I suggest you look for something that another family member or friend cannot solve and solve it for them. The harder it is for you, the better the “high” will be. No drugs needed to get “high,” plus you can profit from getting “high” at the same time. What a deal!
“We find no real satisfaction or happiness in life without obstacles to conquer and goals to achieve.”
-Maxwell Maltz
Personal goal setting is fun when you know what components to include and know that you are planning to go where YOU want to go.
If you do what all the rest are not doing (writing down goals), you will get what they are not getting (a successful and fulfilling life).
Make USE of these free goal setting tips and start creating a goal, now!
If you are having problems getting what you want in life, steal some of the best techniques and advice from the top professionals in the field of self-improvement. Learn how to get what you want at http://www.influenceyourself.blogspot.com.
©Copyright 1997-2010, Vocus PRW Holdings, LLC.
