"If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time." –Zig Ziglar
It may seem difficult – and frankly unrealistic – to take time away from family and friends to sit down and write a list of goals. The payoff, however, greatly outweighs the burden. If you block out a bit of time to set goals, you will not only be more successful, but you’ll also save yourself a lot of time in the long run.
If you are thinking about what you want or intend to accomplish, here are some tips for writing goals:
1) Be specific.
Ask yourself, what do you want to achieve? A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal. To set a specific goal, you must answer the six “W” questions:
Who: Who is involved?
What: What do I want to accomplish?
Where: Identify a location.
When: Establish a time frame.
Which: Identify requirements and constraints.
Why: Cite specific reasons, purposes, or benefits of accomplishing the goal.
2) Make your goal measurable.
Ask yourself, how long will it take to reach my goal? Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each goal you set.
3) Make your goal attainable.
You can attain almost any goal you set when you plan your steps wisely and establish a time frame that allows you to carry out those steps.
4) Make your goal realistic.
Ask yourself, what is my ultimate objective? To be realistic, a goal must represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able to work.
5) Set a time frame.
Ask yourself, do I have a deadline for reaching my goal? A goal should be grounded within a time frame. With no time frame tied to it, there’s no sense of urgency.
Tomorrow, stay tuned for more tips for setting goals.
