How to Set Effective Goals?
We are all walking our own life path. All of us have wishes, desires, dreams, aspirations. Life is a path and on this path, at times we stumble on stones, other times the path just flows by.
What about you? Do you stumble on stones in the way of life, or do you have stones that guide you? Do you place the stones in your path to observe where you came from and where you are going? Or are the stones scattered in a random fashion and you are stumbling and struggling to move forward?
Regardless of how you move forward, I am sure you will find significant points regarding yourself in this blog post. In this post, I will focus on how you can achieve better progress on your life path and how the steps you take can guide you towards your vision. I will do that by introducing you to the method of “effective and SMART goal setting”, which I have just mentioned with the metaphor of stones.
As we journey towards the best version of ourselves,
We take on responsibilities in life in different areas. These are the responsibilities we take towards our family, our circle, our work and our friends, and of course, the responsibility we have towards ourselves, which I have not overlooked but saved for last, is one of our most crucial responsibilities in life.
Our responsibility towards ourselves is to fulfill the best of our potential, to bask in the highest version of the miracles that the universe and our existence in it can bestow upon us.
Progressing to our highest potential starts with setting a path for ourselves that is in line with our life purpose and walking that path. It starts today. To succeed in this progress, you first need to define your life purpose accurately and set the right goals that will lead you to that purpose.
What are goals for?
There are many rewards to be reaped from moving forward with goals in life. Goals will determine how you navigate your way to your destination. The goals also enable you to see how far you have journeyed, how you are progressing, where you are stumbling, and to better assess your current situation. Goals are a great use of your time. They enable you to move towards your vision without losing your direction. They provide you with a long-term framework to achieve your vision.
Goals are the stepping stones the individual sets for him/ herself to realize the best of their potential. They define the points of focus for the individual. They supply the motivation to keep them on track and to fulfill their vision.
If we had no goals, we could be throwing our time and energy away down the drain. We would then complain about the time that flew by, and with no energy to spare, we would have to give up on our dreams. Perhaps you have a dream that you cannot achieve, either because of a lack of goals or because of wrong goals? Come on, keep reading. And starting today, let’s witness you reaching that dream in the way that is right for you.
How are you going to set your goals?
In today’s world, where things are rapidly changing, there is a constant bombardment of stimuli and information, perhaps you, too, are disoriented and want to be well in all areas while aspiring to reach the best version of yourself. Who knows, maybe you already know what your actual dream is and what the ultimate version of you looks like, but today you have things to do and you prioritize them over every wish and every desire because of different obligations.
Yes, there are so many areas around, so many things you would like to pursue, therefore there are so many goals. Unless you live your days differently from the rest of humanity, you have 24 hours every day, an average of 6-8 hours of sleep and limited energy. Do you think it’s possible to do everything in life in the best way when you have 24 hours a day and limited energy?
You can experience the best version of yourself, but unfortunately, it is not possible to do everything in life best. I may be a MCC master coach, a very good mentor or a successful entrepreneur, but I am not a very good singer. Some of my skills are okay, but some of them stand out more than others, in some areas I may be unskilled. The version of myself that I lead as a master of life is the best version of myself, not a version in which I do everything best – that would not be possible – but a version in which I make the best use of my own qualities to the fullest.
As you can tell, as you move towards the best version of yourself and set your goals in this direction, you should first get to know yourself quite well, identify your life purpose, i.e. your vision, and prioritize the goals that serve this vision the most among the goals aligned with it.
Advantages of clarifying your prioritized goals
The right and clear goals are the key to a better quality of life. When you prioritize and set your goals in the right way, you can walk more confidently on the path of life. You can also provide mentoring and leadership to those who want to walk in your footsteps, and inspire those who are striving for the same goal.
Moving forward with the right and clear goals ensures success in your life, your circle, your work and social life. It will instill self-confidence in you. You will acquire reputation in your life. And as you walk your path, you will welcome new opportunities.
How can I set more effective and smart goals?
Up to this point I have shared with you the numerous benefits of goals. But to reap these benefits, you need to set effective and precise goals. I will walk you through the criteria for setting effective goals, but first I would like to highlight some things you should consider.
First, you may need to start by identifying the places you would like to be aligned with your vision in your living spaces.
You will need to prioritize your potential goals in the right way. The goals that will provide the greatest added value to your life and vision, the goals that will bring value to your life should be your first priority.
All the goals you set in the respective areas should lead you to your vision.
Your goals should not contradict, challenge or hinder each other. All your goals should be facing in the same direction, expressing a unity.
For some of your goals you may also require support from other sources, and you should take this into account when setting your goals.
You can set your goals on a daily, weekly and yearly basis.
You will always have short-term immediate goals that need to be accomplished, but you have to make sure that they don’t distract you from the long-term vision.
You should also recognize the fact that these goals can change.
You may sometimes give up on some goals.
You will always have goals in life and your goals will always change. By walking this path of dedication, you will continue to experience the best version of yourself.
SMART Goals
As I mentioned in my book The Future Starts Today, you need to frame your goals so vividly and clearly that you can feel them with your senses. You have to lay them out in such a way that when they happen, what you will see, what you will hear, what you will feel, what you will experience will come alive in all your senses. Choose to frame your goals in positive sentences so that all the positive possibilities of life fall into your path. And have goals that are written down; write them down so that you can observe what you have achieved and what you have not achieved, and so that you can make your own assessment objectively.
When setting effective goals, you need to make sure they are SMART. SMART represents the 5 key criteria for an effective goal.
In this context, it is used as a representation of “smart targets”.
So what do you think a “smart target” might look like?
A smart goal should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely.
S – SPECIFIC
M – MEASURABLE
A – ACHIEVABLE
R – REALISTIC
T – TIMELY
According to these criteria, a SMART goal is: specific, in that it tells you what to do; measurable, in that you can assess whether the goal has been achieved after you have completed it; achievable, in that you are likely to achieve it within the given timeframe and in line with your resources and competencies; realistic, in that it can be rationalized in terms of your competencies, time and available capabilities; timely, in that you can achieve it within a given timeframe.
You can apply the SMART criteria from the smallest goal to the biggest vision goal that defines your life purpose.
Let me show you an example from everyday life. Let’s say you are exhausted at work and you want to go on a vacation.
If you say, “My goal is to go on vacation,” is that a SMART goal?
It isn’t, right? You don’t know when you will go on vacation, you don’t know where you will go, you don’t know anything. Then how can we make this goal SMART?
Once I complete the project, I will take my family with me in April and go on a 2-week trip to France and visit three cities in France.
Now, this goal is SMART, indeed. But before I can wish you a nice trip, I would like to mention a few important points.
Implementation of SMART goals
Once you have the right goals that are in line with your priorities, you should think about them in depth. Some goals – many goals – require small sub-goals to be achieved. Big goals can be challenging and require certain steps to be completed before they can be achieved. Compartmentalizing goals both motivates and promotes a greater sense of achievement. Plus, some enabling goals on the way to your goal – such as asking someone to help you – can help you reach your main goal much more quickly.
It is equally important to review and evaluate your goals as you move towards them. What did you do, how much? What was it that you couldn’t do? If you failed to reach your goal, what were the reasons behind it? What are some of the goals that you have achieved with ease, and what are some other goals that you would like to pursue in the future?
Accurately assessing your goals can also provide you with information about yourself and your environment that you may not have otherwise realized. Through these goals, you can explore your different needs. You can identify events and people who stand in the way of achieving your goals.
Aspiring high and rewarding goals that contribute to your life are essential for progress and for realizing the highest version of yourself. Identify them so that you can maintain progress in your life.
And as you continue on this path you walk through life, always celebrate your achievements, appreciate yourself, reward even your small steps and small successes. Have compassion for what you failed to achieve, find the root causes of failure and be flexible enough to set new goals. Embrace your goals and walk the path of life with dedication.
Competition and change are in every part of life. But your time and energy are limited. How would you like to use this time?