GOAL - SETTING

Goal Setting
Do you know what makes life different? The answer is goal setting. There is a famous Harvard business school story. They evaluated a group of students in college, and then re-evaluated them 10 years later. The study found out that the students who had been the most successful in life werent the ones who had achieved the highest grades. They were the ones who had specific goals, 10 years ago.

Goal-Setting
What is the difference between a mission and a goal?
are a statement of intent Goals are specific and always measurable
Missions

Why set goals

1. You take control of your life Goal is like a GPS in life. It gives you direction and helps you choose where to go in life. It makes you vision about your ideal future and to turn it into reality. 2. You focus on the important things Goals help us to sort out what is important and what isn't. You will only focus on the things that you want to achieve and spend precious time on them. 3. You will make good decisions Goals help you identify and establish your priorities and make the right choices based on the long-term view of what is most important to you. 4. You can finish the task efficiently You will focus and concentrate your time and energy on the task. Keep away all the distractions and this makes you work efficiently.

Why set goals

5. You will be self-confident and enthusiastic When you set a goal and measure the achievement, you are able to see what you have done and what you are capable of. This process of achieving goals gives you the confidence and a belief in your self. And you become enthusiastic too. 6. You will make progress After you have achieved one goal, you will try to achieve higher goals. 7. You are closer to success Goals are the starting point of success. A good start makes half the success.

How to set goals

1. Identify your personal values and mission statement. Your personal value is the big direction. If you can identify your personal values, your personal goal will not go wrong. The starting point of all achievement is desire. 2. Figure out the goals you want to achieve. After you know your personal values, find out what you really want to achieve in every life aspects. Life has many aspects and in order to lead a happy life, you should set goals in every aspects. Personal SWOT analysis is a look at you and your life. It is a tool to help you find out if the goals is achievable. 3. Write your goals down. Make sure the goals are SMART and they are top quality goals. Write them down. You should limit your goals to between 5 and 6 at any one time. To achieve your goals you have to focus your efforts and energy. 4. List the skills and knowledge required to reach your goal. Success needs a lot of preparation. If you want to be successful, you need to prepare well. Nothing happens just by accident. You also need to find out the people or group you need to work with to reach your goals. Fully mobilize all the factors to help you achieve the goals.

How to set goals

5. Develop a personal action plan. You need to make a detailed schedule according to your goals. Develop a personal action plan and follow it. 6. Review your progress and update your goals accordingly. Make sure you are making progress. If not, analyze why the goal is not being met. Find a coach or friend to help you if you have trouble. Realize your goals step by step. 7. Celebrate your success At last you would have achieved your goals. 8. Start the process all over again. When you have achieved a goal, you may set a new one from the beginning. Cultivate good goal setting habits.

Lifetime Goals
Imagine you are at your retirement party/60th Birthday Celebration. Your boss, subordinate, family and friends make speeches about you. What would you want all of them to say?

The comments that you want to receive are your real desire and life goals. Start by writing down a few words or sentences that best describe your aspirations, meaning or guiding principles OR revising the goals you have already set.

The Goal Setting Hierarchy

Dreams Values
Mission/ Vision Statement

Long Term Goals Short Term Goals

Task list

Goals

Long term goals

Lifetime Goals

25 year plan

10 year plan

5 year plan

1 year plan

Principles of Goal Setting

Seven Principles For Setting Goals

Desire Written Plan to deal with resistance Deadline Planning Mental Picture Persistence

1. Desire
Have you set personal or business goals and failed to achieve them? WHY? Because we did not have a strong enough desire. We need INTENSE desire - a PASSION. How do you intensify desire?

Desires start in the mind. Keep your mind focused on it. When you stay focused, the desire becomes strong. Then? Action follows right after. Detail makes the difference.

By listing benefits! This is the first step of goal achievement and the foundation.

2. Write it Down
Why is the mechanical act of writing so important?

Writing transfers those expressions onto something tangible. Now when we read and re-read that phrase or sentence the impression on the mind becomes deeper and deeper.

Don't be content with a first draft. Rephrase it, compact it, add motivating adjectives. Keep on fine tuning. Putting it in writing breathes life into it making it a force which cannot be easily stopped. To put it succinctly, "Write Goals Down To Tie Them Up!"

3. Dealing with Resistance

Bypass Resistance

When you set a goal, write down a list of potential obstacles. Then, develop a strategy. If and when you reach the obstacle you know what to do. You have already made up a contingency plan! Research the subject and educate yourself. Become knowledgeable on what you are trying to achieve.

Preparation is invaluable.

Gather Assistance

Do you personally know people who have accomplished what you are seeking?

Talk to them. Get input. How did they do it?

4. Deadlines
Deadlining your goals:
1)

Break them down into manageable stages. 2) Work out a reasonable time frame for the accomplishment of that stage and factor in a safety margin for unexpected delays.


This prevents disappointment and discouragement through missing the deadline.

3)

Put the deadline date for each stage in your computer planner or diary. 4) Get the deadline date from the last stage.

When you have a set of reasonable stages, your focus is clear.

5. Planning
Achieving goals requires planning.
In Step 3 we discussed the importance of identifying obstacles and acquiring help. In Step 4 we saw the need for deadlines and the need to make another list of manageable slices or segments.

Now Step 5 involves using all the information gathered from these two previous steps.
Combine all these lists and put them in a logical order Lay out the manageable steps in order of progression interweaving the details from your obstacles list and help list. Get a large sketch pad and play around with the order of things until the plan begins to flow.

5. Planning (cont.)
Make sure your plan is not too rigid!
So

factor in room for the unexpected. If one deadline is missed it should not jeoparize the rest of the plan.

Once this session is completed you now have an action plan. (But were not through yet.)

6. Mental Picture
Think in pictures. Imagine yourself as a movie director.
Visualize

the script Guide the production crew and actors.

Visualize yourself enjoying the benefits of having reached your goal.

7. Persistence
You will find that most successes come from more attempts and spending longer hours than anyone else. They just keep on striking out, often against all odds. Persistence is absolutely essential. The previous six steps are also essential and crucial BUT if you do not persist your wonderful plan can go down the drain.

Specifics of Goal Setting

Steps to Goal Setting

Understand (and believe in) the organizations mission
Goal

MUST support the overall mission of the organization!!

Believe in yourself
Is

this goal something I really want? Does this goal serve me in my life right now? What will I need to bring this dream into reality?

Steps to Goal Setting

What actions must I take to achieve the mission?
These

actions become the goals.

How will I know when the mission has been achieved?

When

all the goals have been accomplished.

Lets make some goals!

Personal SWOT Analysis

Strengths: What are your core competencies in this area? What are your abilities, skills talents in this area? Do you have any specialist knowledge in this area? What resources do you have that support this strength? Who can you ask for advice, support or help? What personal behavioral traits do you have that are strengths in this area?

SWOT Analysis
Weaknesses: What are your main limitations in this area? In what areas could you improve? Are there any resources (money, time, help) that you don't have? What is not working in this area right now? What personal behavioral traits do you have that are weaknesses in this area?

SWOT Analysis
Opportunities: What opportunities have you been considering in this area? Who could support you to help you achieve your goal? What could you improve in this result area for you? How can you take advantage of your strengths to pursue these? What major change do you need in your life to improve this area? Are there any special tools you can use or develop to help?

SWOT Analysis
Threats: What external influences may hinder your success? How could these affect you? What obstacles or roadblocks are in your way? Do any of your weaknesses increase the level of these threats or the impact? What strengths do you have that could help you reduce the identified threats?

SWOT Analysis

S.M.A.R.T. Goals
Specific

Is it clearly defined? For example, "I will be fitter than I am now " is a general goal. Instead, "Jogging five miles once a week " is a specific goal. If you dream of a new car, what dose the new car look like? You decide on an "Audi A4, red, including navigation system". This is a specific goal How can I measure when I achieved it? ask questions such as How many? How much? How do I know when the goal is achieved?

Measurable

Achievable

Can I actually achieve this goal? It doesn't mean easy, just that you can have a reasonable expectation of achieving the goal.

Realistic

Is it possible and realistic at this time?

Time Bound

How much time will it take me? Put a deadline on achieving your goal.

Goal Setting: Who

Once you have set your mission and vision statement, you have to consider five compenets whenever setting a goal. First, Who. You are the one setting the goal but in what role? Father, brother, friend, sister, team member, income provider, neighbor, sportsman, employee, project leader etc Which role will you play to achieve your goals?

Goal Setting: What

Second component is What. what is your goal, written in the framework of a performance rather than an outcome. Example, you might achieve a personal best time in a race but still be disqualified because of a poor judging decision. For each of your dream that you wish to set a goal to achieve, first write who followed by the role you will play as you achieve that goal. And then beneath each who write what. Then rewrite the dream that you wish to set a goal to achieve, in the framework of a performance.

Goal Setting: Why

Third component is why? Finding your why means finding your purpose. Whys can be viewed as the list of benefits to you for reaching that goal. If you have strong enough whys for your goals you will pursue your goals till you reach them Beneath each who and what write why or the reasons/benefits .

Goal Setting: How

How are you going to achieve your objective? To do so you must have the necessary strategy and resources in place. strategy is the specific steps it will take to achieve your goals Resources are required to carry out a task. They can be people, equipment, facilities, funding or anything else capable of or required for completing a goal. Doing a SWOT Analysis will tell you what resources are available to you, and what you need to acquire. Based on the SWOT analysis, write: HOW: Resources I will need to obtain.

Goal Setting: When

All goals must have a deadline Without no end date, there is no sense of urgency. When gives you the impetus to get started.

Writing Goals
Big picture goals your end destination as defined by the Big Picture Statements for your various life aspects. Milestone Goals these are the series of goals that will take you to your destination. Mini Goals milestone goals may need to be broken down into bitesize chunks to make them more manageable. You milestone goals can be achieved through many mini goals. And your big picture goals can be achieved through many milestone goals.

An Example
If you want to climb Everest, your big picture goal will be climb Everest. Then you subdivide it to several milestone goals: -find climbing school -take lessons -practice climbing on other mountains And your milestone goal of "finding climbing school" can be achieved through many mini goals such as: - Buy climbing magazines - Find local mountaineering society - Make phone calls - Choose course - Reserve place on course of choice

Personal Action Plan

Your personal action plan can be daily plan, weekly, monthly, quarterly or yearly plan. As we discussed before, you should have yearly plan first. Then subdivide your yearly plan into each of the four-quarter plan. Resubdivide the quarter plan into monthly plan, weekly plan, at last the daily plan.

Process of goal setting

The process of goal setting is dynamic. It needs to be measured so that you can monitor progress. You should start monitoring the process at the beginning. In this way, you will see clearly if you are progressing towards your goals. Allow yourself the flexibility to change the action plan. Sometimes things happen and we can not follow our action plans. For example, we plan to jog 30 minutes this morning but it rains. We can follow other action plans instead. Your goals are based on your own situation when you first set them. But over the long term, your situation will change. You may already achieve some goals in advance. You can then set higher goals according to your big picture. Some goals that you set before are not relevant to you now. Ask yourself if the goals are still important to you. If not, adjust the goals. Goals must be relevant otherwise you wont have the motivation to achieve them.

Examples of goal setting

Big picture for the aspect of my life : Always in good health, be strong, live to over 80 years old. Specific Goal Statement : My goal is to lose 40 pounds weight in six months Measures of Success : Now my weight is 180 pounds and my goal is 140 pounds. Reason the goal is important to me: I want to be healthy. Task Choose diet. Re-stock kitchen cupboards with appropriate food. Buy a digital scale. Attend one local athletics club and do some exercise. Time-line for each task Choose diet: One week to research diet Re-stock kitchen cupboards with appropriate food: Two days Buy a digital scale: One day Attend one local athletics club and do some exercise: Six months Require skills and resources Knowledge and advice on weight loss Diet knowledge A digital scale to weigh myself Local athletics club membership New sportswear

Evaluate The Goal

1. Smart goals Go through each of the SMART characteristics and see if they fit with the example plan. Is it Specific? Yes, the goal relates to weight loss 40 pounds. Is it Measurable? Yes, I will buy a digital scale and weigh myself. Is it Achievable? Yes, I am confident I can achieve it. Is it Relevant? Yes, it motivates me to do exercise and train regularly, keeping me fit and providing relaxation. Is it Time-bound? Yes, the weight loss is set in six months and each task has been scheduled.

Evaluate The Goal

2. You list the skills and resources that are required. 3. Then you work on the action plan and make a schedule. You will have a monthly plan, weekly plan and daily plan. Put the tasks into your daily plan and split the tasks into your everyday work.

Monitor and Record the results

March - Researched weight loss diet on the internet and local library. Buy a digital scale and restock kitchen cupboards. April - Attend one local athletics club. They helped me improve my training schedule. Lose 7 pounds this month. May- Keep on the diet and lose 8 pounds. Make a new friend at the local athletics club. June Had a bad fever, can not go to the local athletics. Lose only 2 pounds this month. July- Recovered from the fever. Stick with the diet and do exercise every day. Lose 8 pounds. August- Everything is going fine this month. Continue the schedule and lose 10 pounds. Now that you have lost 35 pounds. Though you haven't lost 40 pounds, just continue with your action plan and next month you will succeed. As you see in the end, in June you didn't follow your plan due to sickness. It doesn't affect your final result. You just need to continue your goal. You can celebrate your achievement with you friends. Share them with your experience and they will be very happy about your progress.

Effective goal setting

1. Write goals down By writing the goals down, you can remember each task that needs to be done and easily to check them off when you have accomplished them. You are better able to keep up with your scheduled tasks for each accomplishment too. 2. Set priorities for effective goal setting When you have several goals, give each a specific priority. This helps you to avoid feeling overwhelmed by too many goals, and helps to direct your attention to the most important ones and follow each in succession. You can set priorities according to this: Priority 1: Must Do these goals must be achieved if you are to consider yourself successful. These are your highest priority goals. Priority 2: Should Do these goals should be achieved to consider yourself successful. Priority 3: Nice to Do self explanatory 3. Keep operational goals small One of the characteristics of high achievers is that they get the big picture. At the same time, it can feel overwhelming to face a huge dream when you don't even know where to get started. That's why you need to break down your big dreams into small goals that are more realistic and believable from where you are now.

Effective goal setting

4. State each goal as a positive statement If you want to express your goals in a positive way, you simply have to first think of a goal that puts a smile on your face when you imagine it completed. That is a key component to effective goal setting that you can attain. Think positive and you will get good results. 5. Being precise Set a precise goal that includes starting dates, times and amounts so that you can properly measure your achievement. If you do this, you will know exactly when you have achieved the goal, and can take complete satisfaction from having achieved it. 6. For effective goal setting, set different kind of goals There are three main types of goals: outcome, performance, and process, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. To receive the best results, use the three types of goals. Outcome goals give you direction and a target to aim for, performance goals give you motivation and measurable results, and process goals help you focus on improvement and mastery. 7. Set realistic goals, do not set goals too low or too high It is important to set goals that you can achieve. By being realistic you are increasing your chances of success.

Personal Goal Setting

Career goal setting Choosing the right career goal to achieve financial security. Financial goal is important for every one of us. Without financial goals and specific plans for meeting them, we will just drift along and leave our future to chance. Find out how we can reach our financial goals. Family goal setting Do you want to have more quality family time? Or take a fantastic vacation together with your family. Every one of these worthy goals can be easily achieved in a somewhat remarkable and FUN way. Diet fitness goal setting Diet fitness goal setting helps you improve your appearance, your physical skills, build endurance, flexibility and strength. Make sure the activities that you pick meet the goals for what you want to get out of it.

Career Goal Setting Plan

The following provides you with a simple outline of the factors you may want to consider and identify when setting your career goals in a step by step format. 1. Career goal you must define and write them down in order of priority. 2. Benefits and advantages of achieving this goal. Listing these may help to motivate you. 3. Key steps that you need to take 4. When will I do this? Give yourself deadlines 5. Support and resources. What support and from whom do I need, what resources, such as time, money, contacts. 6. Outcomes and reflection. Record whether you achieved the goal and what worked or did not work along the way for future reference. The above shows you the who, what, where, when, and how of career goal setting. It is just like finding the facts for a story. Journalists have to answer all of these questions in order to get the full story.

Career Goal Setting Plan

That is the same thing that you have to do when setting career goals. Who Who will I ask for help? Who will benefit from my career goal? Who will I work with to accomplish my goal? What What do I want the outcome to be? What will I do to get started? What will really make me happy? Where Where should I start? Where will my career goal put me in 10 years? Where will I apply my resources? When When should I begin? When do I want these goals to be reached? When will I apply my knowledge to begin attaining my goals? How How should I begin? How will these goals affect my future? How do I really feel about the goals that I have chosen? All of these questions have to be directed before you can begin to work on your career goals. They will take some real thought and honesty to set them properly. When you have answered these questions, you need to develop an action plan.

Professional goal setting

Start to write your long-term professional goal setting first. Invest some time to plan your career. The time you spend here is worth million of dollars. When you figure out long-term professional goal, then divide the long-term professional goal into several short-term professional goals. Usually your professional goals are related with your financial goals. You should take into account your financial goals too. Maybe you want to buy a house, take care of your family. So you need to increase your earnings. Consider your situation when setting goals. Make your goals SMART. For example, if your professional goals are too hard to achieve, you will probably get frustrated. Rome was not built in one day and you can't become the company president in one year. Be realistic. You also need to set you goals to be fairly challenging, rather than just sticking to simple and easy to achieve. You will probably need to update and change your goals as time passes by. So it is important to be flexible in your goals and to continue with the process to adjust your professional goal setting. The next step is to take action. When you set up your goals and write them on the paper, you make your promise. Remember to keep your promise. It is important that you realize your commitment to the goals you have set for yourself. You will be highly committed if the goals you set are something you really want to accomplish. So, what's next? Take out a piece of paper and figure out your professional goal. Follow your plan and that will drive you to career success.

Financial goal setting

Financial goal setting Step 1: Identify and write down your financial goals, whether they are saving to send your kids to college or University, buying a new car, saving for a down payment on a house, going on vacation, paying off credit card debt, or planning for you and your spouses retirement. Financial goal setting Step 2: Break each financial goal down into several short-term (less than 1 year), medium-term (1 to 3 years) and long-term (5 years or more) goals; which will make this process easier. Financial goal setting Step 3: Educate yourself and do your research. Read Money magazine or a book about investing, or surf the Internet's investment web sites. Financial goal setting Step 4: Evaluate your progress as often as needed. Review your progress monthly, quarterly, or at any other interval you feel comfortable with, but at least semi-annually, to determine if your program is working.

Goal setting exercises

Exercise One: The Million Pounds Giveaway If I was given a million pounds today but I have to spend it immediately. I would buy the following ten things. Take out a piece of paper and list them. Remember, you must spend it and buy stuff with it. You can't invest it in stocks or put it in the bank. List ten things that you truly want.

Exercise Two: Long lost friend

You come across a good old friend today. You lose contact with this friend and haven't seen him for three years. Both of you are delighted to see each other again. He says:" I havent seen you for three years! How are you doing recently?" You answer his questions: I live in (town, city, village ): The car that I drive is: I am making a living by (job title/job role): I am earning (USD per year): My hobbies and interests are: I have given up/I have taken up: Since Ive last seen you a new skill that I have acquired is: My partner is: Other:

Exercise Three Charity Giveaway:

If I had US$100,000 to give to a single charity I would give it to: Write it on the paper.

Exercise Four: The last time I felt was

The last time that I felt success was: The last time that I did something that I really, really didnt want to do, but did it anyway, was: The last time I felt truly happy was: The last time I felt truly at peace was: The last time I felt really proud of myself was: The last new skill that I developed was: The last time that I felt totally focused was:

Exercise Five I am financially free

You have won the lottery and acquired millions and millions of dollars. You don't have to worry about bills coming, loan repayments or other payments. Picture this incredible wealth. Now, what are you going to do? How are you going to fill each day?

Lets Take a Look.

Goal setting exercises One: The Million Pounds Giveaway gives you your long-term goals. All of these you want to achieve in your lifetime or even in the next decade. Goal setting exercises Two: Long lost friend gives you the answers to what you want to achieve in three years time. This will be your short-term goal. Exercise Three Charity Giveaway shows how you would like to contribute to the society, and to help others. Exercise Four: The last time I felt was helps you to appreciate life and enables you to know when you are experiencing certain feelings. It gives you a point of reference for the future to feel that experience again. Exercise Five I am financially free. This exercise indicates how you would like to spend your time and what you really want to do. Could you do more of this in your life? Could you even do this for a living? Just think it. If you do these exercises honestly, you will know your purpose, passions, needs and drivers.

Goal setting activity: Emulate someone you admire

Imagine somebody that you admire and respect. What qualities do they have that you admire? Often the characteristics that you admire in another can say a lot about the type of person that you would like to be. Take a blank piece of paper and write down the qualities of this person in each life domain: career, finance, family, personal relationships, community citizenship and any others that you can think of. Write a paragraph on the type of person that you would like to be in each area of your life. Practice 'no limit' thinking. Don't limit yourself by your fears, lack of money, or a lack of time clarify a vision of your ideal self.

Goal Mapping
Step 1: Dream What do you want? Vision for future Step 2: Order- Whats most important? Identify THE MAIN GOAL: the one that would most help in achieving others (write in positive, personal and present tense) select four sub-goals one from each area in your life such as health, wealth, adventure, work or home. Step 3: Draw-What does it look like? Place your right brain template next to your left brain template and draw images, pictures and symbols that represent your goals

Goal Mapping
Step 4: Why- why do you want it? What are the benefits? Capture both words and feelings on your templates Step 5:When- When do you want it? Step 6: How- how will you achieve it? New habits, skills etc? state them in pictures and words Step 7: who- whose help will you require? Who will have responsibility for the major actions of the goal? What roles will you play? Record names and qualities of character in pictures and words

An Example: Main Goal I am on top of the world

Why: freedom, love, family Sub goals: My career is taking off, I create a happy home When: achievement date Who (the bank, my teacher, myself) How: arrange investment, become qualified, arrange time off

Sub goals: I exercise regularly, I live a balanced life