Goal Setting Tips for Success

Goal Setting Tips for Success

Goals are a person's objectives that they want to achieve. They're a critical component of professional development and success because they provide direction and motivation for action. Knowing how to set goals can help you realize your potential and live a more fulfilling life. In this article, we list seven goal-setting tips to help you create goals and grow personally and professionally.

Set SMART goals

The SMART method has long become a common approach to goal setting. One reason is, it's easy to remember and provides a structure that helps set and achieve both short-term and long-term goals.  

Specific: Clearly define your goals and their purpose. To create a specific goal, it's important to know exactly what you want to achieve.

Measurable: It's helpful to measure your progress toward your goal with a specific metric. This can help you determine if you're on track, motivates you to stay focused, and determine if you need to adjust your plan.

Attainable: A goal is attainable if it's realistic and achievable instead of setting yourself up for failure.

Relevant: Set goals that align with your values and priorities, so it's important to you and you're passionate about it.

Time-bound: Set a clear deadline for your goals. This is especially crucial for short-term goals because it gives you a sense of urgency and encourages you to focus.

Wake up each day and choose to start your day with intention. With intention comes focus which helps you to stay centered. You may want to set a few reminders that say something like, “Today, I intend to be positive in every situation. The best part about setting intentions each day is that it gives you a reminder that you are the master of your day. You get to determine how to approach your day instead of just letting it happen.

Reward yourself as you achieve your goals. Choosing to reward yourself will be a powerful motivator to achieving your goals. You can choose small or large rewards, and they can look different from anyone else because they should be things that are meaningful to you. Otherwise, they won’t be motivating. When you reward yourself, you are training your brain to crave the feeling again, which encourages the same behavior and getting the same result.

Need some ideas for rewards? We’ve compiled a fun list.

1. Order food in or go to your favorite restaurant.

2. Go to the movies and buy popcorn!

3. Have a game night.

4. Enjoy a bubble bath with fun.

5. Take a day off from work.

6. Splurge on something new, like a shirt or new shoes.

7. Go to a concert.

8. Get your car detailed.

9. Go to the zoo.

10. Try a new food from a different country you have never tried before.

There are many ways to reward yourself, and they don’t always have to cost money. Stay focused, stay motivated and strive towards those goals!

“People with goals succeed because they know where they're going.” — Earl Nightingale