GOAL SETTING
By: Gunther Allen

2009 is quickly creeping up and before you know it the New Year will be upon us.  Instead of waiting until the last minute to set some goals and trying to come up with a plan for 2009, wouldn't it be smarter to organize and make decisions you know need to be made now? 

How many times have you made lofty goals and New Year’s resolutions, like losing weight or making tons of money, only to see those dreams never get close to being accomplished?  Constant failure of reaching your goals will only make you frustrated and discouraged.  Instead you need a Goal Setting plan that will help you to organize your thoughts and ideas, so next time you will have a fighting chance!  
 
Wikipedia defines Goal Setting as “goal-relevant activities which involves establishing specific, measurable and time targeted objectives.”  Goal setting can be extremely powerful for accomplishing defined objectives, but it requires more than just writing down your goals to realize them being achieved.

Besides writing down your goals you need to breakdown your goals into manageable steps, so you will be able to track your progress.  It is important to take a step by step approach toward your ultimate goals, from an organizational perspective, in order to stay motivated, reminded, and accountable.

A good way to start Goal Setting is by using the SMART acronym used by many experts. SMART stands for:  Specific — Measurable — Action-Oriented — Realistic — Time and Resource Constrained.

1. Specific
Every goal should be specific enough to have a clear understanding of what you are striving for.  Understanding what you want is half the battle!  The more specific and narrowed down your goals are, the better your chances are of achieving them.

2. Measurable
A well organized time-line is necessary to measure how your goals are progressing.  It is also a way to validate your efforts when a goal has been reached.

 3. Action-Oriented
To make sure desired results are attained, you must confront your goals.  You must attack them with a conviction and a belief that your goals will indeed be attained.  A course of action must be realized.

4. Realistic
Your goals have to be practical and realistic.  You need to establish confidence, which can lead to a higher level of motivation and push towards loftier goals.

5. Time and Resource Constrained
This simply means that a definite deadline for completion needs to be addressed with a limited availability of resources.  Know what your limitations are as well as what your potential is.  Be positive and track your progress.

It is important to understand that Goal Setting is an ongoing process that is accomplished over time. At first, trying to write down your goals and creating a plan of achievement may prove to be a daunting task, but over time it really does become much easier. It requires a great deal of patience, persistence, faith, and dedication to master a successful Goal Setting Plan. 

Make sure to keep track of any set backs as well as marking down major achievements on your calendar.  Be sure to celebrate and reward yourself, your staff, and all who helped in reaching important goals; it will reinforce your efforts the next time you set goals and provide a map of the steps taken to achieve them.

Soon 2009 will be upon us. Why not put into action a strategy to give you piece of mind that your goals will actually be implemented? Goal Setting can be the missing link turning your past failures into successes and frustrations into realizations.  Discover the power of planning your goals and actually seeing them achieved.