A GOAL WITHOUT A PLAN IS JUST A WISH

We all have goals in life. Each one of us wants to achieve something, whether great or small, at some point in our lives. We have deep-seated hopes and dreams for the future and a burning desire to accomplish some great feats. It is stitched into the very fabric of our society, woven into the core of who we are, deep down inside. It is emblazoned in our genetically pre-dispositioned, not just for mere survival, but also with a yearning passion to thrive.  

In fact, it is part of what has made us as a culture into who we are. Our species has more than just survived; we have literally thrived, achieving outlandish results thanks to the wild-eyed innovations that have sparked the possibility to make the seemingly impossible a reality in our lives. Not only have we wished for the moon, but we have also shot for the stars. 

Clearly, we have achieved some tremendous goals in life. Across the planet, we have accomplished what was once thought to live only in the realm of human imagination, or merely the topic of science-fiction fantasy. Yet, while our society and culture seem to be making astronomical leaps forward and achieving outlandish goals, as individuals, we find it harder to see things through when it comes to our personal goals.   

It is not easy to achieve your goals in life. That much is certain. But couple that with our insatiable thirst for instant gratification and our proclivity to run on the seemingly endless hedonic treadmill - where we are always reaching for something better than we have today - it is no wonder that we get frustrated while trying to achieve great things. When failure rears its ugly head and we suffer the ridicule of public humiliation, it is no wonder why we find it so hard to achieve our goals in life. 

Yet, there is a simpler way. The greatest problem that most people face is that they fail to set their goals the right way. And once they do set their goals, their approach is all wrong. The best way to achieve any goal in life is to not only set them the right way but also to plan and execute their actions in accordance with achieving those dreams over time. 

THE 7 STEPS FOR ACHIEVING ANY GOAL. 

Undoubtedly, achieving any goal requires acute self-discipline. It involves a conscious awareness of our actions and the ability to overcome some of the bad habits that might be holding us back. Instilling self-discipline into our lives is no easy task. It requires unwavering attention to our actions and an unrelenting drive for wanting to achieve something big.  

However, moving beyond that, there is a proven system for achieving any goal. It involves seven separate steps and a system called 'SMARTER' goal setting. 'SMARTER" goals, an acronym, will allow you to achieve nearly anything your heart desires. It allows you to breakdown the process into distinct steps, doing a little bit each day towards the attainment of your dreams. 

(S) -- Get (S)pecific about your goals 

The first step in the SMARTER method of goal setting is to get highly specific about what you intend to achieve. You have to ensure that it is measurable so that it can be tracked, but you also have to put a great deal of detail into what it is you intend to achieve. You cannot just say you want to be rich. It does not work that way.  

If you have money goals, they need to involve a specific amount of money. For example, you intend to have a million-dollar net worth in the next 24 months, you plan to earn $20,000 per month in the next 12 months by building up a service business, or anything else for that matter. But you need to be acutely specific about it.  

When you get specific about a goal, it materializes. It moves from the abstract into reality. To do that, it must be written down. It must move from your mind to a piece of paper or a screen. What do you want to achieve? What does your life look like at that point when you reach that goal? Who are your friends? What are you doing during the day? What habits do you have? What time do you wake up? You literally have to describe your goal and your life in a great deal of detail. The more specific you get, the better.  

(M) -- Ensure that your goals are (M)eaningful 

Goals cannot just be specific. The second step for achieving your goals is to ensure that they are meaningful. We will always do more to achieve a goal that has a deep-rooted meaning to us than we will to achieve something that is superficial. So, if you want to have a million-dollar net worth because of the status it affords, you can forget about your chances for success.  

Instead, if you have money goals, and you associate a deep enough meaning to them, then they are more likely to be achieved. You cannot just want things for the sake of wanting them. You cannot just want to lose weight or make more money because those are goals you have always wanted.  

We will always do more to achieve things that are deeply meaningful to us. When those meanings involve things like family, freedom, security, country, and love, we will go out of our way to see things through. We would not throw in that proverbial towel and give up after we hit a few stumbling blocks or fail repeatedly.  

Take a moment to write down the meaning that you are associating with your goals. Dig deep. It has to be a profound meaning. It has to be something that you are willing to sacrifice everything for. Write this down on a piece of paper or a screen. This is one of the most important steps in the process.  

(A) -- Pick goals that are (A)chievable.  

It is correct to pick lofty long-term goals. Ten years down the road, we can achieve anything as long as we work hard during that entire period. But, when it comes to your one, two and even three-year goals, ensure that they are achievable. Do not say that you are going to make a billion dollars in 12 months if you are currently heavily in debt.  

When you pick goals that are achievable, not only are you more likely to achieve them, but you can also develop some momentum in the process. It is exciting to accomplish a goal that is currently out of reach, no matter what that goal is. Once you get there, you are fueled by the zeal and enthusiasm of reaching your goal.  

Find goals that are big, but not impossible to achieve, at least for your shorter-term goals. Plan your 12-month goals so that they act as milestones or markers towards the longer-term, much bigger goals. Then, be sure to create a massive action plan that will help you see things through. 

(R) -- The goals must be (R)elevant.  

How relevant are the goals that you have selected for your life and your future? Are they aligned with who you are? Do they resonate with your core values and beliefs? Or, do they go contrary to everything that you believe in? When we pick goals that go against the grain of who we are, we find it much more difficult to follow through.  

So how do you pick relevant goals for your life? One way is to take a moment to jot down everything that you value and believe in. For example, if you value honesty, yet you think that all rich people are crooked and somehow got that way through some stealthy or underhanded methods, you might find it difficult to achieve big-money goals.  

What we believe in is also the product of things we have heard while growing up. Things like "money doesn't grow on trees," or "more money, more problems," and "all men cheat and lie," and so on, become ingrained in our minds, influencing our every thought, emotion and resultant behaviour.  

Take the time to jot down the things that make you into who you are. Then, pick relevant goals that are in harmony with what you believe in and value. You will find your goal-setting journey to be much more harmonious and fluid when you pick relevant goals in your life and who you are deep down inside. 

(T) -- Make sure the goals are (T)ime-bound. 

Goals must be time-bound in order to be achievable. When do you plan on achieving this goal? Do not just say you want to get rich in the future or make a million dollars in the next few years. You have to pick a date on the calendar if you are serious about achieving that goal.  Select an actual date on the calendar for your specific goal to the very day of the week. When your goal is specific and measurable, it is trackable. When you give it a real date on the calendar, you can break it down into monthly and weekly goals. This way, you can chart your progress to determine how far or close you are to achieving that goal. Then, do whatever it takes to achieve it.  

(E) -- You have to (E)valuate your progress along the way. 

When goals are time-bound, they can be evaluated, allowing you to track your progress along the way. The more meticulous you track your goals, the more likely you will be to follow through. Pick a system for tracking your goals, and do it every single day. This will give you a barometer towards success.   

When you evaluate, you get a better understanding of the current situation. When you fail to chart your progress, it is easier to ignore things and you are more likely to revert back to detrimental patterns and bad habits. Chart your progress every single day if you want to achieve your goals in the long term.  

(R) -- Always (R)e-adjust your approach to reach your goals. 

If you evaluate your progress, and you realize that you are getting further away from your goals rather than closer to them, you can re-adjust your approach. This gives you a moment to correct things. You might not notice this if you fail to evaluate your progress on a daily basis.  

For example, when a plane sees that there is a storm or air-traffic congestion, it can adjust its approach to reach its intended target on time. If there is major turbulence ahead and it needs to veer slightly off course, it knows what to do in order to correct that so it can make up for the time lost and to ultimately reach its destination on time.  

Our goals are very much like an airplane's journey. We are trying to reach our final destination, and in order to do that, we need to be clear about what that destination is and when we will reach it. Then, all we need to do is plan, take action and modify our approach along the way in order to get to where we are going in the long term. Simple sounding, but clearly far harder to implement.