Posted on: 26 November, 2001
Author: Greg Slavens
Years ago, I attended a seminar about goal-setting thatI've never forgotten. The leader of the workshop presentedthe participants with tried-and-true steps to reachingevery one of our goals. At the ti... Years ago, I attended a seminar about goal-setting thatI've never forgotten. The leader of the workshop presentedthe participants with tried-and-true steps to reachingevery one of our goals. At the time, I thought "It can'tbe this easy ... can it?"Well, the simple steps I learned then are still working forme today, and I'd like to share them with you. Whether yourgoal is to lose ten pounds, or to retire ten years early,these basic principles can be applied to almost any lifesituation or challenge.The first thing to do is to define the goal -- in specific,measurable terms - and write it down. This helps you toclarify what your goal really is, and gives it some life.So, for example, instead of just saying, "I'd like to retireearly,' your goal should be stated as "I'd like to retire nolater than the year 2004." When the leader of that workshoptalked about this step, she said, "Having it written downallows you to stay focused, and to keep your eye on theprize."The next thing to do with a goal is to 'make molehills outof mountains.' In other words, break the goal down into moremanageable segments - either by time frame, or some othermeasurable unit. For example, if your goal is to lose twentypounds, you would 'make molehills out of mountains' bydeclaring that you will lose four pounds per month.And keep your eye on the prize.Now that you have a measurable goal down on paper, andyou've broken it down into manageable parts, you need tolook at all the obstacles that are stopping you - or havestopped you in the past - from reaching it. Write them down.Then, for each obstacle you define, figure out whatresources are available to you to get over, or past, orthrough, that barrier. Negative self-talk in your way?Create affirmations you can use, daily, to counter-act it. Awell-meaning friend or relative tries to stop you? Make alist of all the folks you know who support you! For everyobstacle, there is a solution. Find yours, record them - andkeep your eye on the prize.Finally, you need to determine ways that you will rewardyourself. And don't wait until you get over the mountain -build in a suitable reward for each way-point, each timeyou push past an obstacle on the way to your goal.All of these steps WILL move you closer to reaching yourgoal if you follow them. What's stopping you now?Is your eye on the prize? Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com