Goal setting is a powerful tool that can help you achieve your dreams and live the life you want. It allows you to focus your energy and efforts on specific, measurable objectives, and gives you a sense of purpose and direction. By setting and working towards your goals, you can create a vision for your future and make it a reality.

You don’t need to be good at setting long term goals, at seeing the whole vision all at once, most people aren’t. Take a look at the short term, at the day to day, week to week things you need to be doing in order to work towards achieving your goals and living the life of your dreams.

Identify what you want to achieve

The first step in goal setting is to identify what you want to achieve. This may seem like an obvious step, but it is important to take the time to think about what you truly want in life. Ask yourself what makes you happy and fulfilled, and what you would like to accomplish in the short-term and long-term.

This step is often hard for people because we hardly stop to figure out what it is that we want. We are consistently bombarded with external stimuli, with people doing all of these things that are making them all of this money or making them look happy and it’s easy for us to think that that is what we want as well. Be able to take a step back, do some self reflection and see if that’s REALLY what YOU want.

Set SMART goals

Once you have a clear idea of what you want to achieve, you can start setting specific and measurable goals. Specific goals are those that are clearly defined and have a specific outcome in mind. Measurable goals are those that can be quantified and tracked, such as increasing your income by a certain amount or losing a certain amount of weight.

It is also important to set realistic and achievable goals. Setting goals that are too ambitious can be disheartening, and may lead to feelings of failure and discouragement. Instead, set goals that are challenging but attainable. This will give you a sense of accomplishment, positive reinforcement, and motivation to continue working towards your goals.

In addition to setting specific and measurable goals, it is important to set a deadline for achieving them (timely). This will give you a sense of urgency and help you stay focused and motivated. But it’s also important to be flexible and open to adjustments, redirections and changes as necessary.

Create a plan of action

Once you have set your goals, it is important to create a plan of action. Break your goals down into smaller, more manageable tasks and set a schedule for completing them. Identify the resources and support you will need to achieve your goals and make a commitment to take action. Once again, don’t try to do everything at once as you will just get overwhelmed and burnt out. Take small steps in the direction of your goals.

Find an accountability partner

Another important aspect of goal setting is to stay motivated and on track. One way to do this is to find an accountability partner or mentor who can support and encourage you along the way. It’s important to be internally motivated and have discipline but it’s also nice to have someone else who is rooting for you. You should also track your progress, reward yourself and celebrate each success as you work towards your goals.

Visualize the future

In addition to setting and working towards your goals, it is important to create a vision for your future. A vision is a clear, compelling image of what you want to achieve and the person you want to become. It’s a powerful tool that can help you stay motivated and focused on your goals.

To create a vision for your future, take some time to imagine the life you want to live. Think about the relationships you want to have, the career you want to have, and the person you want to become. Write down your vision in a journal, on a piece of paper or create a vision board (my favorite) and keep it somewhere visible, such as on your wall or in your wallet. Constantly seeing the life that you want to achieve not only motivated you to get there but it also programs your mind to recognize that as your reality.

Conclusion

Goal setting is a powerful tool that can help you achieve your dreams and live the life you’ve always wanted. By setting specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely goals, creating a plan of action, and staying motivated, you can create a vision for your future and make it a reality. Remember to stay focused, positive, consistent, disciplined and be open to adjustments , redirections and changes that may come along the way. With the right mindset and determination, you will turn your dreams into reality.