Don’t go forth; live your life your way. Many people feel adrift in the world.
They work night and day, but progress remains elusive. A key reason they feel this way is that they haven’t spent enough time thinking about what they want out of life and haven’t set formal goals for themselves.
After all, would you set out on an important trip without having an accurate idea of your destination? Probably not!
How to set a goal
First, determine what you want to achieve, then make that your ultimate objective. Set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) goals that motivate you and write them down, so they feel tangible. Then, plan the steps you need to take to achieve your goal and check off each one as you work on them.
Effective goal setting enables you to think through and struggle with the obstacles that prevent you from achieving your goals.
Setting goals allows you to explore how you want to live. By comprehending where you want to achieve, you’re better able to direct your efforts. You will also quickly notice distractions that will lead you to stray.
Why set goals?
Top athletes, successful entrepreneurs, and achievers in all fields set goals. Setting goals gives you both long-term and short-term vision: motivation. In addition, it focuses on your knowledge acquisition and helps you organize your time and resources to make the most of your life.
By creating clear, well-defined goals, you can evaluate and realize your accomplishments. You will see the substantial progress you have attained in making vague, long-term goals into concrete and specific objectives.
You will be able to boost your self-esteem as well, considering that you have come to recognize the extent and quality to which you are capable of reaching those goals that you thought were beyond the scope of your abilities and interests.
Beginning to set personal goals
Set your goals on several levels:
First, create a “big picture” of what you want to do with your life (or for the next 10 years) and identify the large-scale goals you want to achieve.
Then break them down into smaller and smaller goals that you must achieve for life.
Now that you’ve created your plan start taking steps to make it happen.
That’s why we begin the goal-setting process by looking at life goals. Then we work on the things you can do in the next five years, then next year, next month, next week, and today, to start moving toward them.
Step 1: Set Life Goals
The first step in setting personal goals is to consider what you want to achieve in your life (or at least at a significant and distant age in the future). If you are planning for the future rather than just getting through the day, it generally helps to frame life goals in a larger context by providing a broad perspective.
To provide broad and balanced coverage of all the critical areas of your life, try setting goals in some of the following categories (or other categories of your own, where they are essential to you):
Personal
Finance: How much money do you want to earn? Where do you want to start? How does this help you reach your long-term goals?
Free Time: How do you want to have fun? What’s your plan of use for your free time? (You must ensure that part of your life is for you!)
Emotions: How do you want to feel in the future? What emotions do you want to dominate in your life?
Energy: How do you maintain adequate energy levels to achieve your goals?
Mind: Is there any knowledge you wish to acquire in particular? What information and skills will you need to have to accomplish other goals?
Body: Is there an athletic goal you want to achieve, or do you want to stay healthy well into old age? What steps are you going to take to achieve it?
Relations
Membership: What social groups would you like to join to achieve your goals?
Family: Do you want to be a father? If so, how are you going to be a good father? How do you want your partner or extended family members to see you?
Partner: Do you have a partner, or are you looking for a partner? What would you like to share with your partner? What would you invite your partner to live?
Friends: Does your group of friends bring you closer or further away from achieving your goals?
Meaning
Purpose: What would be essential to achieve beyond money?
Integrity: Are there things today that you feel you have neglected? Is there something you’ve thought of more than 3 times and haven’t said? How are you going to ensure that your actions will represent your values?
Spirit: What does spirituality mean to you? Do you feel any spiritual connection to your religious affiliation? Do you consider that religion and spirituality are different, how? What are your spiritual goals?
Professional
Relationships: What people would be vital for you to bring closer to your network of acquaintances to enhance the possibility of achieving your goals?
Work: Are you at work that contributes to your life plan? What kind of job would you like to do for the rest of your life?
Career: What level do you want to reach in your career, or what do you want to achieve?
Form several goals, focusing on the most important categories to protect against falling short and losing interest. Prioritize your goals so that you don’t burden yourself with too many goals you cannot meet.
In doing this, make sure that the goals you have set are the ones you want to achieve, not the ones your parents, family members, or co-workers might want. (If you’re in a relationship, you’ll probably want to consider what he wants, but stay true to yourself!)
Step 2: Set smaller goals
Once you have set your life goals, set up a five-year plan of smaller goals that you will need to complete if you want to reach your life plan.
Then, create a one-year plan, a six-month plan, and a one-month plan of progressively smaller goals you must reach to achieve your life goals. Each of these should be based on the previous plan.
Then create a journal or to-do list of things you need to do today to work toward your life goals.
At an early stage, your smaller goals may be to read books and gather information about achieving your higher-level goals. It will enable you to enhance your goal setting’s quality and realism.
Finally, review your plans and make sure they fit the lifestyle you want.
Stay on course
Once you’ve declared your first set of goals, continue the process by reviewing and updating your to-do list daily.
Periodically review longer-term plans and modify them to reflect your changing priorities and experience. (An excellent way to do this is to schedule regular and repeat reviews using your computer calendar.)
SMART goals
Using the SMART methodology is a useful way to make goals more powerful. While there are many variations, SMART generally means:
S – specific (or significant).
M – measurable.
A – Achievable (or action-oriented).
R – Relevant (or rewarding).
T – Time-bound (or traceable).
For example, instead of having the goal “sail around the world,” it is more powerful to use the SMART goal “Have completed my trip around the world by December 31, 2027”. This will only be possible if much preparation has been done beforehand.
More tips for setting your goals
Keep in mind the following pointers as you set goals for yourself:
State each goal as a positive statement – Affirm your goals – “Execute this technique well” is a much better goal than “Don’t make this stupid mistake again.”
Be precise: Set precise goals, and enter dates, times, and amounts so you can measure achievements. You will be able to know precisely when you have achieved the goal, and you will feel satisfied with this achievement.
Prioritize: When you have multiple goals, prioritize each one. This helps you avoid feeling overwhelmed by having too many goals and helps you direct your attention to the most important ones.
Write down the objectives: this crystallizes them and gives them more strength.
Keep operating goals small: Keep your goals small and achievable. If a goal is too big, it can feel like you’re not progressing toward it. Keeping goals small and incremental provides more reward opportunities.
Set performance goals, not outcome goals: You should be careful to set goals over which you have as much control as possible. It can be pretty discouraging not achieving a personal goal for reasons beyond your control!
If you base your goals on personal performance, then you can maintain control over achieving your goals and gain satisfaction from them.
Set realistic goals: It is of the utmost importance to set goals you can attain. All kinds of people (employers, parents, the media, or society) can influence you to set unrealistic goals for yourself. They will often do this while ignoring their desires and ambitions.
It’s also possible to set too difficult goals because you may not be aware of obstacles in the way or understand how much skill you need to develop to achieve a particular level of performance.
Completing goals
When you have achieved a goal, take the time to bask in your satisfaction. To assess progress toward other goals, assess the effects of success on previous goals.
If the goal was crucial, reward yourself appropriately. All of this helps you develop the self-confidence you deserve.
With the experience of having reached this goal, review the remainder of your goal-setting strategies:
If you achieve the goal too quickly, make your next goal more difficult.
If the goal took a daunting time, make the next goal a little easier.
If you learned something that would lead you to change other goals, do it.
If you noticed a deficit in your skills despite achieving the goal, decide if you want to set goals to address it.
Key points
Goal setting is an essential method for:
Decide what you intend to accomplish in your lifetime.
Determine what is of more excellent value to you and dismiss the rest.
Motivate you.
Build your self-confidence based on the achievement of your goals.
First, set life goals. Then set out a five-year plan with small goals you must accomplish if you want to reach your life plan. Keep the process on track by regularly reviewing and updating your goals. And remember to take the time to enjoy the satisfaction of achieving your goals when you do.
If you haven’t set goals yet, do it; start now. As you make this practice part of your life, you will find that your career accelerates.
FAQs | Making dreams a reality
How can I make my dream come true in real life?
There’s no one answer to this question, as everyone’s dreams are different. However, some tips on how to make your dream come true might include setting realistic goals, taking action towards your goal, and staying motivated along the way. If you keep your dream in mind and put in the hard work, you can make anything happen!
How do dreams become goals?
Dreams can become goals by turning them into action items. Once you have a goal, you need to break it down into smaller steps that you can take to achieve it. Make a plan and take action!
Will I be able to achieve my dream?
Yes, you can achieve your dream. However, it may not be easy and it will require a lot of hard work. You will need to set your goals and put in the effort to achieve them. Stay focused and don’t give up on your dream.
How do you make an impossible dream come true?
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best way to make an impossible dream come true may vary depending on the individual’s circumstances and goals. However, some tips on how to make an impossible dream come true include setting realistic goals, breaking down the goal into smaller steps, and staying motivated throughout the process. Additionally, it is important to be patient and persistent, as achieving an impossible dream can often take a lot of time and effort.
Can dreams predict your future?
Dreams can sometimes predict the future, but not always. They are often a way for the subconscious to communicate with the conscious mind.
What steps will you take to make your future self into a reality?
There are a few things you can do to make your future self a reality. First, start by picturing what you want your future to look like. Next, set goals and make a plan of action to achieve them. Finally, put in the hard work and stay focused on your goals. By doing these things, you’ll be well on your way to creating the future you desire.
How do I discover my dreams?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the best way to discover your dreams may vary depending on your unique personality and interests. However, some tips on how to discover your dreams include studying what you’re passionate about, brainstorming what you’d like to do with your life, and writing down your goals and aspirations.
