Today, appropriate to New Year's Eve day, I have been thinking about goal setting.
My first thoughts were jumbled. What is goal setting? What is important when setting goals?
One of the most important aspects of goal setting is to make sure you set any goal at an obtainable level. You know what hurdles you can jump, you know what you can achieve, and you know your own personal wants and needs. Your goals are just that, yours!
When setting goals, start with the largest of thoughts. Where do you want to be in life a year from now? Then begin breaking the big picture down into small pieces. The small pieces are what drives your daily life, what is important to you (family, friends, business, health). Prioritize the smaller pieces, and base your goals on what importance each places in your life, and what you can actually obtain. Be realistic.
When goal setting, it is best to use pen and paper. This allows you to see your progress throughout the year, and helps to keep yourself focused. One of the biggest obstacles in reaching goals is looking backwards. It is not a bad thing to have wisdom, to learn from mistakes, but never look back and allow the past to control your future. Set your eyes on the goal, and move towards it. Friends and family, with the greatest of loving intentions, can stray you from your goal setting path. Your determination will mean that you stay sure-footed, knowing what is good for you, and ensuring the end results that you are seeking are going to be met.
Again, make your goals something that you know you can obtain. Do not set goals that are not within your own grasp, meaning, if you know that there are outside influences (financial, physical, locality), reasons that make your goal impossible, then do not put yourself at risk of feeling failure. Start with goals that you know you can achieve, those that help you to move forward towards the "big" goals that you can eventually reach.
Have fun with your life, make sure you use your abilities. You are in charge of you! If something truly interests you, or if you have a talent, a niche, a creativity, reach for it! The more you allow your mind to open, the more open it becomes, and then you can begin to see end results that you, yourself, are truly happy with.
Happy New Year!
9 comments:
I want to make goats soap lotion. and Mary, let me know when the lotion is for sale on your website, I want to try it and some soap. I'll keep looking too.
Good post on setting goals;)
Great post on goal setting. I have a tendency to let others sidetrack me, and I know it is really a fear of failure to achieve something important to me....so that is kind of a contrary way of thinking! Last year I finally set a few goals that scared me, but were achievable...and I succeeded! 2009, whatever comes my way, will be another year of growing older, but hopefully wiser!
I agree. Writing goals down on paper is hugely important. Good post - very comprehensive.
Hi Joanna! I'll make sure I let you know as soon as the lotion is included on the website. :)
Thanks, Amy!
Kathy, exactly, I do the same thing from time to time. But then I remind myself that my life is in my hands. It is up to me to reach the place where I want to be. Isn't it wonderful to realize when we are growing wiser? I love it. I hope you reach your 2009 goals too!
Anne-Marie, good point. I began writing my list of goals earlier today, both personal and business. They will be done by tomorrow, noon! I keep a steno pad on my desk. It is not filled with long-term goals. It filled with the bits and pieces of things that I might forget that needs attention, new ideas, and things to research. The running list does two things for me, it keeps me on track, and by seeing accomplishments made, it gives me a sense of meeting goals. A list of important and reachable goals will act in the same manner.
What a great post. Does us all good to take time out and think what we want, when and how.
Loving your blog Annie :)
Happy New Year!
Corrie, it does do us good! I have come with new ideas, refreshing to myself, an entirely new outlook on both my personal and business side, all in the last few days. It is on paper. My notebook has been busy. Now, we must keep up this momentum! I read your blog this morning. Interesting how our traditions are different, yet very much similar, Happy Hogmany!
Great Blog! Check out www.mylifelist.org for a great website that uses a proven methodology and the power of social networking to help people achieve their goals!!
Bill Starr
CEO, My Life List
Post a Comment