5 Important Things To Consider When Setting Goals
5 Important Things To Consider When Setting Goals
You have heard of the mantra about setting smart goals. I have lost count of how many times I have heard about it. You will hear of it in seminars, conference rooms, meetings, and workplaces. Yes, our goals have to be SMART, specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.
I have always set goals, and most of the time, they are smart goals. And yes, I do achieve them. But one day, I realized that as much as I was making progress, I was not equally satisfied in life. I was on a path of progress but not the kind of progress that I wanted.
To the onlookers, I was successful, and yes, I was, but inside I knew something was not right. I had to take a break to re-examine my life. I realized that my progress was not feeding my purpose or my mission. I decided to make a turn around in my goal setting. Below are factors that I have successfully employed in setting my smart goals. They will help you achieve success and personal growth to a life of fulfillment.
Be Clear About Your Purpose in Life
First, be clear about your purpose in life. Having a clear vision in life gives you direction. You know where you are coming from and where you are going. The destination is definite, and this gives you a foundation for your goal setting.
Why These Goals?
Having a foundation for goal setting gives you a destination. The next step is to look at the goals you have in mind and ask yourself why these goals in specific. Let’s say you want to get from Nairobi to Mombasa. You can walk, run, hire a taxi, take a bus, take a train or take a flight.
In the end, you will have to choose one means of transport to get you to Mombasa. If you take a bus, ask yourself why the bus? Why not walk or take a flight? If you can answer the why in your goals. And hopefully, your answer will not be because everyone is doing it, then you are on the right path.
Do The Goals Motivate You?
Do you get motivated when you look at your goals? Remember your why. If the answer to your why is because everyone is doing it, the motivation is going to low. When challenges set in and everyone gives up, you will give up with them or give up when others are still on the move.
Set goals that motivate you. Motivation has to come from the heart. Remember, this is a journey. It is not a destination in itself. Your inner drive will keep you moving when the going gets tough.
You Goals Must Be Specific To You
Your goals have to be specific to you. Do not set random goals just because that is what is expected from you. Let’s say you have a target to meet at the end of the month set by your company. The targets are not specific to you. In most cases, they are distinct to your department but general to you and your colleagues.
A Simple Guide To Setting Achievable Goals: Take Control of your life
A successful person will take the targets set and personalize them. What is it you want to achieve at the end of the month as far as the goals set for your team are concerned? Do you want to meet the exceptions, or do you want to exceed them? Set your weekly and daily goals to reflect what you want to achieve as an individual.
Goals Have To Be Relevant To Your Higher Purpose In Life
Your goals must be relevant to your higher purpose in life. If not, you will deviate from your purpose or vision. Set goals to reflect, and feed your cause. The danger in working on plans that don’t align with your purpose or mission, you end up working for other people.
Now you understand why your life is unsettled. You forgot about your mission along the way, while working hard for others. You feel used, unappreciated, and unfulfilled. Understand that you are the only one who knows, will know, and understands your purpose in this life. That makes you the only person in the world who will bring the purpose to existence and see it through.
As always, I love hearing from you, leave a comment or two below and let’s learn from one another. If you like what you see and have read, share it with a friend. You may change a brother or a sister’s life, and I will be eternally grateful. I love you all, and let’s keep growing with Motivelead- Motivation with a purpose
Proverbs 16:3 New International Version (NIV)
Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.
Nice