A Small Illustrated Guide For Achieving And Setting Goals
What if someone comes to you and suddenly asks you, “What are your plans for the coming five years?” You might not be prepared for answering such a big question that is related to your career, goals, and purpose of life. But to ask you personally, are you really clear about having an objective in your life?
Do you really know what you want to achieve? Can you define your own definition of success? If you are clear or not about your objectives, the first thing you want to do is to set goals. Without setting goals, you won’t be able to find a direction which leads to a lack of focus. To accomplish or achieve your goals, goal setting is important. In this blog, I have constituted a small guide for achieving and setting goals on the basis of personal experience and with the help of some leading psychologists in the industry. So, let’s get started.
Goal-Setting Theory
The goal-setting theory was developed by the ideas of Dr. Edwin A. Locke. He mentioned in his article (Toward a Theory of Task Motivation and Incentives) the requirement of specific and clear goals that are monitored and challenged with regular progress and feedback. In this article, he introduced five principles of setting goals effectively. Those five principles are:
1. Clarity : In clarity, he mentioned that goals should be well-defined and clear.
2. Challenge : In the challenge, he mentioned that goals should be achievable but should also challenge your inner-self.
3. Commitment : In commitment, he mentioned that there should be full commitment towards achieving your goals.
4. Feedback : In feedback, he mentioned that you should always get regular feedback and evaluation to stay on the right path.
5. Task Complexity : In task complexity, he mentioned that you should give proper planning, time, and space to achieve goals that are complex.
Golden Rules for Setting Goals
1. State your goals positively
Whenever you set a goal, try to reciprocate the negative thoughts related to it. Try to replace them with positive statements like, “I know I can do it”, “I will find positive things about my goals and will reflect on them.” By stating your goals positively, you will be able to achieve your goals without any hassle.
2. Focus on the procedure
One thing which is so bad about humans is that we tend to focus on the outcome rather than focusing on the process. Therefore, do it your way but always keep your focus on the process and do not think about the outcome. Just simply believe in the power of the process.
3. Make a contract of commitment
While you are stating your goals, make sure you have a full commitment towards your goals. Make a contract with yourself regarding the timeline, process, success, and everything related to it.
4. Keep making room for new challenges
In order to start new, we need new challenges to keep us motivated. If you will not make room for new challenges, you won’t be able to clutter your mind. Therefore, keep challenging yourself and keep moving towards your goals.
5. Keep visualizing your goals
Always keep a visual of your goals; it will help you in motivating in those gloomy days. A psychologist appropriately mentioned, “Visualization and mental workouts stimulate many of the same neural networks that connect the brain’s intentions to the body, so, take some time to properly train your thoughts before you begin setting your goals.”
6. Make a clear and specific plan
While you are setting your goals, make sure your plans are clear and specific. Make sure that they are not complex and break your plans into small achievable steps so that they can be completed within a timeline.
7. Seek support when required
Seeking support from parents or loved ones is not a sign of weakness; instead, it provides accountability and reassurance to your goals. Therefore, whenever you feel stuck, seek help from them.
8. Reward yourself
Whenever you achieve something (does not matter big or small), do not forget to reward yourself. Take yourself on a small date or reward yourself with something memorable so that you can keep yourself motivated throughout the journey.
9. Begin with small
Always begin with small, no matter how complex or long the procedure is, make sure you have divided all the steps into small achievable tasks. It will help you in staying active for the long run.
10. Take the help of S.M.A.R.T
Developing goals according to the S.M.A.R.T is important and beneficial in many ways. To read about S.M.A.R.T, click here:
I hope this blog helps you to understand how to set goals and tips for goal setting. Comment down and share your experiences after setting your goals. For more such content, connect with us on all social media platforms.
Thanks for reading.
More power to you!
