Life is nothing but an obstacle course, it’s all about getting through that obstacle course to your desired goal that most people seem to have a problem with. The last two years have seen us all on a roller coaster of obstacles with COVID-19 lockdowns, working from home, home schooling, and a number of other challenges, it’s only normal to encounter obstacles in the pursuit of your goal.

However, when these obstacles start to become a barrier to the point of almost putting a stop to your goal(s); or worse, making you completely abandon your goal, you must take action.

Why Goal Setting Is Important

While it can be fun to live without direction in the short-term, in the long-term human beings are wired to need a purpose and direction. Goals give a sense of direction and purpose to life.

It is often easy to let others set our direction for us. We take a job because family or friends point us in that direction and then we follow the dictates of our bosses. We move in other directions because popular culture or the media tells us to do so. The simple truth is that if we do not set our own goals then we will find it too easy to follow a path set by others. This can lead to stress and unhappiness. We have a greater chance of happiness and fulfillment following our own path and pursuing our own goals.

While goals certainly give our lives direction, they also provide the motivation to get us through challenging times and choices. Perhaps studying at night while working full-time may be stressful and difficult in the short-term, but in the long run being able to pursue the professional goals we desire will make it worthwhile.

Goals also serve as the destination for what we really want out of life. For some people, goals are measured in money or material goods, while for others, goals are measured in time or freedom. If we do not have goals outlined that suit our unique perspective on life it is easy to become side-tracked by life and people.

Goals can also help save time. When your “To Do” list becomes too long and your calendar too full, then you can simply compare your goals to the list. What actions or tasks help you achieve your goal? What actions or tasks are necessary to your goal? Scratch off the rest as unimportant.

Finally, goals give you a measurable sense of accomplishment. Every goal you achieve, in fact every step you make toward that goal, can give you a boost of energy and momentum to keep going. Each success powers you toward the next level of success.

So let’s break it down further so we can get you back on track with setting your goals.

1. What is a goal?

A goal is a target which is achievable in measurable attainable steps. It is more than just a desire or a need, and has an existence of its own. A desire or a wish is less tangible and often just fleeting. Who doesn’t desire or wish to win the lottery? A goal is a desire, wish or need achievable by actions you can take. It is more than a mere wish or desire.

2. How to set a goal?

Setting a goal is a process which starts with an achievable need or desire. First you must decide on the following:

What do you want?

Where do you want to be?

Your status, business, career, or qualifications?

A goal can relate to any desire, wish, or need, achievable by actions you can take.

You then break down the goal into small individual steps or actions. Achievable goals are goals where you can influence their realization and measure your progress towards them. Achieving long term life changing goals is a process of achieving, step by step, short and medium term actions.

3. What actions are required?

Goals require action on your part. You first need to decide what action is required to achieve the goal. Your first action is to always write your goals down. Putting pen to paper (and this is one time when a real pen and paper really help with the thinking process) gives your goals an existence of their own.

Writing a plan is an essential step in achieving your goals – without it you will, over time, amend the long term goal to fit your reality. You will eventually reduce the goal to a wish, and wishes only come true by chance.

4. Analyze the results

You then need to analyze, and work out in detail how you are going to accomplish each individual goal. This means writing a detailed plan of what tangible actions are required to achieve each individual goal.

These actions then become smaller shorter term goals leading to major longer term goals.

5. What steps do I need to take today?

Every day ask yourself “What steps do I need to take today?” By now it should be all planned in advance so check your plan and make sure you take each step every day. If you discover additional steps are needed add them to the plan.

6. Review your achievements every week and month

Every week review your progress for the week. Check what you’ve done and what you may have missed. Adjust your plan for the next week or month.

Your plan should always take into account what you will do today, tomorrow, this week, next week, before the end of the month, in the next 3 months, 6 months etc. Always write down your results.

7. Reward yourself along the way

Every Time you have some success or reach a goal, make sure you reward yourself. It will help keep the desire and enthusiasm burning. It will also tell your subconscious mind you’re achieving your goals.

What if things go wrong?

So, with that said, here are some helpful, tested pointers that will keep your attention focused in achieving any goal that you put your mind to.

1. Think Positive

This means…DO NOT quit. Especially when you’re midway in working for a goal, there should be no room for quitting.

To quit is tantamount to going back to the starting line of goal accomplishment. That is time, energy, money, and a whole lot of things wasted and lost. It is often more costly to quit than to find a solution to the problem, not to mention the frustration you will feel.

 2. Keep a clear, open, and tense-free mind

Always be ready to receive new ideas. Focus and concentrate. Think broadly and always be open to new options to eliminate the particular obstacle you are currently dealing with.

3. Persist and Persevere

Be sure to exhaust every possibility, even to the point of trial and error, just to be sure that there is a solution to correct the problem you’re dealing with.

4. Simulate

Try to picture inside your head a possible solution to help overcome and/or solve the obstacle that’s setting you back.

5. Ask for Help

If all fails, get assistance from others you know and trust who are more knowledgeable on the work being done. Their suggestions might not necessarily be the exact ones you were hoping to hear, but they may trigger some NEW ideas in finding the right solution to your problem.

Goals are difficult because they move you outside your comfort zone to do things differently. To be successful you have to face your own fear of failure and take risks. There will be setbacks, expect them, they are part of the process.

If you need help with setting your goals, let’s book in a power session to get you on track for an amazing year ahead! Contact me – debbie@debbieroberts.com.au or 0477 999 796.