How to Set Achievable Goals
Introduction
Setting goals is a crucial aspect of life that affects every aspect of our lives. From our personal to our professional lives, everything we do revolves around a goal that we set for ourselves. In this article, we will take a closer look at the process of setting achievable goals.
Step 1: Define Your Goals
The first step in setting achievable goals is to define what you want to achieve. Be specific when defining your goals as this will help you know exactly what you want and how to go about achieving it.
Example:
- Bad Goal: I want to be successful in life
- Good Goal: I want to start a business and grow it into a profitable venture
Step 2: Make Your Goals SMART
SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. When setting goals, make sure they meet all the criteria above. This will help you set goals that you can achieve within a specific period.
Example:
- Specific: I want to increase my business sales by 30% in the next six months
- Measurable: I will measure my progress every month and make adjustments accordingly
- Attainable: This goal is achievable as I have a good customer base and can leverage my marketing skills
- Relevant: Increasing sales is crucial to my business success
- Time-bound: I will achieve this goal in the next six months
Step 3: Create an Action Plan
Once you have defined your goals and made them SMART, the next step is to create an action plan. This plan will help you break down your goals into smaller achievable tasks.
Example:
- Task 1: Research and analyze the market to identify new sales channels
- Task 2: Set up a social media account and provide valuable content to drive traffic to my website
- Task 3: Attend networking events and set up coffee meetings with potential clients and partners
- Task 4: Offer limited-time discounts and promotions to attract new customers
- Task 5: Measure and analyze the success of each task and make adjustments accordingly
Step 4: Hold Yourself Accountable
It's easy to set goals, but holding yourself accountable to achieve them is another story. One way to hold yourself accountable is to set deadlines for each task and track your progress regularly.
Example:
- Task 1 Deadline: Within the first two weeks of starting my action plan
- Task 2 Deadline: Within the first four weeks of starting my action plan
- Task 3 Deadline: Within the first six weeks of starting my action plan
- Task 4 Deadline: Within the first eight weeks of starting my action plan
- Task 5 Deadline: Ongoing throughout my action plan
Step 5: Celebrate Your Successes
When you achieve a task or a goal, take the time to celebrate your success. This will give you the motivation to keep going and achieve more in the future.
Example:
- Celebrate reaching your 30% sales increase goal by rewarding yourself with a small trip or a nice dinner
- Celebrate achieving Task 1 by treating yourself to a relaxing day at the spa
- Celebrate achieving Task 2 by spending the day doing something you enjoy
- Celebrate achieving Task 3 by taking a short weekend getaway
- Celebrate achieving Task 4 by buying yourself a special treat
Conclusion
Setting achievable goals is an essential aspect of success in any area of life. By following the steps above, you can set goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound. Remember to create an action plan, hold yourself accountable, and celebrate your successes along the way. With these tips in mind, you can achieve anything you set your mind to.