How to Set and Achieve Realistic and Effective Goals (Part One
Updated)
Article Title: How to Set and Achieve Realistic and Effective
Goals (Part One Updated) Author Name: Craig Lock Line Space: 65
characters Category (key words): Self Help, Personal Growth,
Motivation, Goalsetting Web Site:
http://www.craiglock.com/books.html Articles by Craig Lock:
http://www.bridgeniche.com/clockarticles/index.html Publishing
Guidelines: We hope that the following article (an extract from
Craig's first published book HANDBOOK TO SURVIVE) may be
informative and helpful to your e-zine readers, or on your web
site. This article may be freely reproduced electronically or in
print. If it helps others "out there", then we're very happy.
"We share what we know, so that others may grow." * HOW TO SET
AND ACHIEVE REALISTIC AND EFFECTIVE GOALS (PART ONE)
by Craig Lock
Oh no, not another article on goalsetting!
Author's Note: This extract is from Craig's first published book
HANDBOOK TO SURVIVE - a collection of writings on various
subjects to help every man or woman survive in a rapidly
changing, uncertain world. An introductory look at the concepts
of success, motivation, attitude, goal setting and stress. *
It's well past half-way through the year already and have you
put all your January 1 2004 goals (business and personal) into
ACTION, or were they just New Years resolutions - merely WISHES?
Or perhaps just distant, long-forgotten memories in the deep
recesses of your mind! No matter, now is a good time of year to
reflect on life, our family's lives, our journey - where we've
come from and where we are headed. Who knows!
'There is one quality which one must possess to win, and that is
definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants and a
burning desire to possess it.' - Napoleon Hill (author of the
classic book, 'Think and Grow Rich')
'Nothing happens, no forward steps are taken until a goal is
established.' - David J. Schwarz (author of 'The Magic of
Thinking Big '- an excellent book by the way!)
' Your life is controlled by your thoughts. Your thoughts are
controlled by your goals.' - Earl Nightingale
' When we have no personal goal which we are interested in, and
which means something to us, we are apt to go round in circles.'
- psychologist Maxwell Maltz
'The key to peak performance is not potential or skill, but
motivation and dedication....having clear performance goals and
putting in the training effort to achieve them.' - Dr Sven
Hansen '
I would like to repeat the critical importance of committing
your plan to writing. It cannot be over- emphasised!' - Paul J.
Meyer of Success Motivation Institute
'Learn how to set your goals: a. Write down your goals b. Give
yourself a deadline c. Set your standards high.' - Napoleon Hill
and W. Clement Stone (co-authors)
UNDERSTANDING GOALS Setting goals is the first step towards
ACTION. They get you into motion. The energy of motivation
should be harnessed by being transformed into clear goals and a
clear PLAN to achieve them. Goals are dreams which come true
....and they are far easier to achieve once they are focussed.
Goals therefore help to fulfil one's PURPOSE in life by giving
expression to your core inner values, the 'real YOU'.
Psychologists have found that helping people to develop personal
goals has proved to be the most effective way to help them cope
with personal problems by:
1. Crystallising one's purpose in life - through adding meaning
. 2. Helping make difficult decisions. 3. Giving direction to
your life and keeping you on track by concentration. 4.
Resolving conflict 5. Building confidence and 6. Adding to your
self respect (or sense of value = self worth)
The power of imagination in goal setting comes from having BIG
HOPES AND DREAMS. I believe too often we underestimate our
capabilities. Use the amazing power of your CREATIVE IMAGINATION
to think what you REALLY WANT OUT OF LIFE.. Then visualise your
dreams actually coming to pass.
Albert Einstein once said, "Imagination is more powerful than
knowledge". Very true, as I believe the human imagination is our
greatest asset. Thoreau once wrote these beautiful words:
'If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams and
endeavours to live the life which he* has imagined, he will meet
with a success unexpected.' (Sorry ladies!) *
* Only joking - you can have dreams too and achieve them even
better than us "mere males" (and please don't beat up " Mr un-
PC" Thoreau for neglecting you).
'Be true to your ideals, no matter what may happen now. Then
things will take a turn and the very things you wanted to happen
will happen.' - anon
That one has just inspired me as I write this.
* Summary:
Set realistic, yet achievable goals. Ones that stretch you...
because we are all different, what is achievable for one person
might not be so easy for another. Also, because we are all
unique creations with different hopes, desires, aspirations and
dreams, what goal is important to you may be totally
inappropriate for another individual's life direction. I believe
setting goals is vitally important in achieving what we want out
of life ....and setting even small daily goals are a great help
in a daily action plan to move your life forward. I find it very
satisfying ticking off even small routine tasks, like paying
bills (well that is a big goal for a "starving" writer!). These
small immediate goals are stepping stones to our bigger goals "
down the track".
WRITE THEM DOWN, because putting them down on paper makes for
more COMMITMENT. It focuses your thinking on what you want to
achieve, like a magnifying-glass (that's called a simile, by the
way!). Doing this chrystallises (nice big word) our hopes,
aspirations and dreams. They keep us on track towards our
medium-term and long-term goals - the "grand plan or vision" for
our lives.This is most important... Re-evaluate your progress
from time to time. Doing this keeps you on track to see how you
are progressing towards the "big picture". I find it extremely
satisfying looking back and ticking off the goals I have
achieved. ( Of course , I don't achieve all of them, but am
working hard on that.)
It can be very encouraging seeing how far you have come , when
you look back at your first "teeny-weeny" goals and doing this
is a great motivater to me. Goals are the first step in a
positive plan of action. And always remember, every great
journey down the "river of life" starts with one small first
step.
YOU CAN ACHIEVE ALL YOUR PERSONAL GOALS.
So WHAT'S STOPPING YOU FROM TAKING THAT FIRST STEP RIGHT NOW?
Craig Lock
As the ancient Chinese philosopher said so well, "A journey of a
thousand miles starts with a ... broken fan belt and a flat
tyre"... er sorry... a single step.
"A wish is just a wish, A New Years Resolution is just a
resolution. Goals have deadlines and are the stepping stones
down the path, the stair-case to your dreams." - Craig Lock
About the author: Craig Lock has studied and written extensively
in the field of self help. Craig believes in the great potential
of every human being in the journey of life and loves to
encourage people to share their individual (and guiding)
spirits, so that they become all that they are CAPABLE of being.
To order 'Handbook click on http://www.craiglock.com/books.html
or email Craig at clock@paradise.net.nz
End of Part One
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