If this process sounds daunting and you are reading this with fear and resistance, then we have started on the wrong foot.  Take a moment and smile, think about the things you want to achieve and how you will feel when they are accomplished.  Imagine how empowering it will be to know that you were the master of your destiny, the decisions you made and the paths you chose to take led you to where you are.  It changes everything, doesn’t it – suddenly goal setting becomes an exciting journey to your success.

The ideas below will give you a stepping stone to begin the process of goal setting:

1. Ask yourself a few questions: These questions may help you discover the things that are most important to you.
• What are your values and beliefs?
• Are there things about yourself as a person you would never be willing to sacrifice?
• What aspects of life do you look at with longing and desire?
• Is there a specific person who inspires you and whose life you wish you could emulate? If so why?
• If you could have anything [tangible or intangible] what would it be?
• How do you want other people to see you?
• What do you want in life?

2. Start with the end in mind: Focus on different categories of your life - professional, personal, relationships, health, financial and spiritual or whichever may apply. In each category where do you see yourself in 30 days, 1 year, 5 years, 10 years – the end of this year- whether short term or long term it is important to have an idea of how you prefer things to turn out and how long you expect them to take. Make sure that each one of your goals are things that you want for yourself, not something that someone else wants for you – unless that someone is your manager!

3. Write your goals in a journal! Using a journal to track your goals gives you the opportunity to revisit them and revise them at a later date if need be.  You will immediately be able to see whether your goals are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. Remember to use positive and uplifting language when writing your goals and write them as if they have already taken place. 

4. Sort your goals in order of priority: Take a look at the goals you now have listed –which of these goals strikes you as being the most important to you at this moment – this goal gets assigned a priority 1.  Any goal that you think is critical – give it a 1, then 2 and so forth, you least important goal gets a priority 10.

5. Develop a step-by-step plan: How do you intend on achieving each of the goals listed? What is it going to take? What obstacles may stand in your way and how will you overcome them? If there are resources that you will need to achieve your goal, list them.  Break down each goal into blocks you can manage and then write down exactly what you will need to do to achieve your goal.

The commitment and discipline that you practice will ultimately determine your success.  You have to be willing to go the extra mile and make a few sacrifices to get to where you want to be.  If you stay positive, honest with yourself and do actionable items everyday to make your goals a reality, in the end, you will get what you want and have worked hard for.