Tips for Goal Setting

None of us are completely happy with our lives. We all have aspects of our lives that we would like to change. If it were easy to affect changes in our lives, everyone would keep those New Year’s resolutions instead of forgetting them a week after they were made. With a few simple tips, we can make healthy permanent changes in our lives.

Many families spend a minute or two around their New Year’s dinner feast telling one another about their resolutions. Most are very vague like to be a better person or to spend more time with the family. These resolutions, while admirable, are too vague to be attainable. That’s why they are so easily forgettable. Goals should be very specific. For instance, you could say that you are going to spend more time with the family by limiting your golf to one Saturday a week rather than every Saturday. That is very specific and everyone will expect you to uphold your end of the bargain. That pressure will help you to keep the goal.

The resolution to become a better person becomes a goal when it is presented in a specific manner. A goal would be I am going to begin attending church with my family rather than staying home. Another personal goal might be to stop cursing. Obviously, this is a great change. With some planning this goal is easily attainable. Many people have a cursing jar. Every time there is a lapse, you have to put in a dollar or some other monetary amount. This very specific goal will make for a better person.

One way to make a goal seem more real is to write it down. The act of writing the goal down makes an impression on your psyche. Reading the goal each day also helps you to keep your motivation going. You might even put the goal on the refrigerator door. We all know the refrigerator is everyone’s favorite place in the house. Read the goal out loud each time you see it. Be sure to add details that help you plan how you are going to keep your goal. Without a plan, you have little chance of success. The more detail the better.

A goal should always be written in the present tense. If you write your goal in the future tense, the goal will always seem to be far away. Writing in the present tense gives the idea that you are already achieving your goal. For instance I am losing weight or I am talking free of profanity. These goals show that the changes are taking place immediately.

Another great tip is to involve a friend in your goal. Especially if your goal is exercise or eating healthier, having a friend or family member to be your buddy is crucial. Having an exercise buddy helps put a little extra pressure to succeed. If family members also agree to eat healthier, food planning is so much easier.

Having goals are crucial to affect change in our lives. With a little planning and work, goals are attainable.

Copyright 2007 Janice D. Sterling - All Rights Reserved

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