Goal setting is the path to self-fulfillment. We are most happy and naturally do best when we are doing things that interest us and enjoy doing.
Taking charge of your life begins with careful consideration of your goals, the designing of a plan, and the self-discipline to carry out that plan.
A goal may seem overwhelming or complicated that you hesitate to begin because of confusion concerning what to do and, how to do it. Do not spend years regretting that you never had the opportunity to try to achieve something your heart was set on. Look at the possibilities to direct your life in accordance with your own goals. The results can be well worth the effort.
Categorize goals according to important areas of your life. For example:
-what you want to be
-what you would like to do
-what you would like to achieve
-family relationships
-health and well-being
-finance
-education
-hobbies and recreational activities
-job-related goals
-spiritual enlightenment
Goal setting can be classified as long, intermediate or, short-range depending on how long you think it will take to reach them. From your list choose your priority goals on which you can begin working immediately.
Long-range goals are those that can be reached after about five to ten years or more. Intermediate-range goals may include whatever must be completed during this phase so that a long-range goal can be reached.
Short-range goals may simply be steps contributing to the accomplishment of intermediate and long-range goals. In other words, they may be sub-goals.
A sub-goal aims at the completion of a particular phase of the overall goal by a specific time. Use a timetable so that you will know when to deal with each task. Each small gain will bring you closer to your ultimate goal.
Planning: The most important thing after setting a goal is to initiate action. Present actions determine future results. Goal setting requires proper planning to give you a direction, purpose, an idea of the resources needed and, determine the duties that are to be performed in advance. It also allows you to break the task into simpler units to reduce a project that seems overwhelming in its complexity to a sequence of steps.
Goal Setting The Path to Self Fulfillment
Finding information related to your goals may itself seem to be an overwhelming task if you do not know where to look. Consider the various search units possible and list them in order, putting the best possibilities first. The quality of your decisions will determine the success or failure of your goals. The stages of sound decision making are:
-define the goal
-obtain the relevant facts
-analyze all the facts
-decide what facts are important to you
-make your decision based on the correct facts
Scheduling: Prepare a written schedule for your daily activities. Daily scheduling will help assure that you accomplish priority tasks rather than drift through the day doing whatever seems convenient and agreeable at the moment.
Performance Reviewing: Frequent performance reviewing helps you keep your priority goals in mind, lets you know when corrective action is required, motivates you to try harder to reach your goals, and allows you to experience the ultimate satisfaction that comes with success.
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