Setting and Achieving Goals

I worked for fourteen years in manufacturing. I was upper

management, but I was terrible at setting and achieving goals. The biggest problem I had was understanding a few things about them. Here is what I have learned since then!

Goals are not written in stone; they can evolve. In fact, it is my opinion that they should evolve. They should constantly be is a state of redefining. The more defined your goals are, the better chance you have of seeing them happen.

Setting and Achieving Goals the SMART way

You can read lots of posts on using the acronym SMART for setting goals, but I want to just run over it briefly here as it really says it all.

Your goals must be Specific. Having a goal, “to be thinner,” or “to be rich” is not specific. “I will weigh no more than one hundred twenty pounds” is. If your goal is not specific you will never know when you get there. You will never achieve your goal!

Your goals must be Measurable. In the previous example, the goal ”to be rich” is not measurable. Is a thousand dollars rich? A million? “I will have ten thousands dollars of disposable income in my savings account,” is measurable. Either you have it or you don’t.

There are different ideas about what A stands for, but I like Action oriented. If your goal is to have that ten thousand dollars, how will you get it? If you say that you will have that ten thousand dollars by working at your job and saving twenty percent of each paycheck until the total is reached, then you have an action plan.

Realistic goals are important. “I will have ten thousand dollars by having Bill Gates send it to me,” is not realistic. He might! You might be his cousin and he might give you that money, but if you aren’t, then a better plan is needed. Saving the money out of your paycheck is Realistic.

Your goals must be Time bound. You will never feel a sense of urgency or a need to work at your goals if they are not time bound. “I will have that ten thousand dollars by New Years Day three years from now,” is time bound. You have three years to get that money together and, depending on your paycheck, you better start now!

Setting and Achieving Goals with Passion.

The last thing I will mention is having some passion or a burning desire about your goals. Setting a goal that you really care nothing about does nothing. Let’s say you live in the middle of the desert and your goal is to find some sand. How much do you think you will care about and work toward your goal? Your goals must have some point to them that is important to you! You must have a burning desire to see them happen, or you will not be motivated to work at them and they will go by the wayside.

The only sure way to success is by setting and achieving goals that you are passionate about and you have a clear understanding of what they are and what it takes to get them. Try it out! If you stick with it you cannot lose!
Here’s to You!

P.S. Here’s a little video I did on this topic. If you like videos, check it out! Setting and Achieving Goals. Check the goals page!