Reaching your goals

| October 6, 2015

Reaching your goals

From motivation to values to goals

Change is everywhere in the world. People will need to change to keep pace. That means constant learning and updating -a continuing adjustment of your skills and knowledge. Learning to work towards your goals can be important in change-management. Remember that it takes only one person to change your life – YOU!

Duke Ellington said: “A goal is a dream that has an ending.”

Many people know how to dream but they have never achieved the satisfaction of seeing the ending.

In previous articles we looked at motivation and values and how they can help you to set your goals. Motivation can come from knowing that you can control your destiny and that you also know what is important to you – you have thought about which values are desirable and significant to you. This provides you with focus that helps you to reach the end of the dream.

Now we are going to look at how to work with goals. Many people turn off when they hear the words ‘goal-setting’. However, I would dare you to read on and see if the following information is practical and useful. I am going to follow the WHAT, WHY, WHEN AND HOW scheme. This can sometimes be easier than the popular SMART schedule that you see often portrayed.

Before you invest your time and money, carefully investigate your options regarding the value and appropriateness in regards to what you want and what you need.

Now that you have thoughts about your motivation and values, you can write down your goals. They are your destinations in the self-development journey. We begin with WHAT and they may include things like:

• I want to go become a Sales Manager instead of Sales Assistant
• I want to give up smoking
• I want a trip to the Himalayas
• I want to improve my relationship
Or
• I want to finish my degree
• I want to find a job
• I want to become more caring
• I want to…

Write a purpose alongside each goal

WHY do you want it?

Think about: Why do you want to do it? Unless you know the purpose for doing something you might let things drift away as you get further on the journey.

Goals should not be too easy.  Few worthwhile goals are achieved effortlessly. Which goal do you value most when you have reached it; it is those that were hard.

H. L. Hunt advised us so well: “Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Establish your priorities and go to work.” Excitement begins the process of achievement. Commitment sees it through to completion.

To accomplish a goal you often sacrifice a lot. When things get tough, as they will, it might be that knowing the reason you want something that will keep you motivated to go on.

WHAT                                                   WHY  
Become a sales manager               For career improvement
Trip to Himalayas                               For adventure

Now we come to the next part of planning our journey; how are you going to get there – looking at all the steps to take to get to your destiny.

How are you going to achieve your goals?

What do you need to do to become the Head of the Sales Department?
• I need to improve my qualifications/finish my degree

As you can see, that is really a goal in itself.

To improve your qualifications you need to receive training and widen your experience.  To reach that goal, you might want to do online or evening classes.

Goals can have sub goals. You may plan long-term and short-term goals:

• I plan to earn a Business Degree. (Long-term)
• I plan to pass my current subject. (Short-term)

To plan a trip to the Himalayas you may want to break it up into stages and long-term or short-term goals:

• I have to start saving money
• I have to research various travel agencies
• I have to prepare my luggage
• If it is a walking trip, I need to get or keep very fit

Step by step planning will also allow you to measure your performance.  You travel better if you know the end of your destination.

Write down when you will achieve your goals

THEN WE COME TO WHEN – when are you going to finish your journey?

When – is the time schedule that is involved in reaching the end of your goal. Without a time element there is no real commitment. Losers make promises, winners make commitments. It’s easy to find something you are interested in but it takes commitment to stick with it and to finish it. Anyone can get excited and enthusiastic, given a sufficient amount of stimulation or inducement. Excitement will get you going, but it is not enough to keep you going. Excitement, by its very nature, wears off.

By setting a time schedule you can calculate how far you are away from your accomplishment. You can assess how far you have come. When climbing a mountain it’s wonderful to stand still once in a while and look back. It great to see how far you have come already and that will encourage you to keep going.  That dedication keeps you going long after the novelty has worn off. To have a time schedule will keep you on track. It helps you to keep moving with steady perseverance and resolution towards your planned goal.

Success demands a schedule

There is one other thing you have to consider when setting goals. You must count the cost before you begin. Work out the price you have to pay. This can be time, effort or money.

Write down the cost involved.

It is much better to know the price before you start.  If it is too high you can come to a decision to pull out before you begin.  That is much better than to stop half way through and have wasted the effort.

Consider the price! 

Don’t wait – that will leave you nowhere. You can change from NOWHERE to NOW HERE!

I will finish with a quote by Noel Bushell:

“The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something. It’s as simple as that.”

A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now.

Not tomorrow. -Not next week. -But today. Be a doer, not just a dreamer.