Have a vision
When you were setting goals, you must work according to SMART Goal Setting Worksheet; your goals start with a vision. That means an idea of what you want your life to be like and a ‘picture’ of your perfect future.
Checklist:
Visualize your perfect life and ask yourself where you are, who you’re with and what you’re doing
Don’t force it – let anything come to mind
Nothing is unacceptable – even if it is seemingly unachievable at this point
Don’t visualize dreams that others have told you to have
Don’t picture something because you don’t think it can be done
Consider drawing the vision to put onto paper what it is that you want
Don’t be afraid to dream big – in fact; we tend to be more driven when we aim toward a bigger goal and to inspire others more.
At the same time, there are some more tricks you can use to create your image of the perfect future and know where your passions lie:
Ask yourself what you always wanted to be as a child
Think about your role models and look at what they have in common
Look at your hobbies – what do they have in common?
Think about the times in your life that you have been your very happiest
Write a Mission Statement
Using this vision, you’re going to write a mission statement. This is a statement that defines you, your goals, and who you are.
A mission statement should be short and punchy
It should be abstract – not I will do this, but I believe this, or I do things that
Look at business mission statements for an idea
The real aim is to express your passion and to explain the common features of all your passions. Passion is crucial because:
Passion makes us driven and keeps us walking toward our goals
Passion inspires others and makes us more persuasive – leaders are passionate
Passion makes us more attractive!
Passion even makes us more charismatic through our gesticulations and the way we talk
Come Up With a Plan
Now you have your perfect life pictured, and you know what you’re ‘all about’, it’s time to come up with a concrete plan to get there. This is like a road map, and it will involve the big steps you need to get there. What needs to change?
What are your current resources and what are your current connections?
In other words, what goals are the easiest for you to accomplish right now
If you can’t accomplish your goal, then what is the underlying emotional drive behind the goal?
In other words, if you can’t be an astronaut, could you instead be an astronomer?
Are there any alternative ways you can accomplish your goal?
How about making a YouTube channel if you want to become a famous musician?
If you want to be an actor, what about taking bit-parts?
Don’t assume that the only way to accomplish your goals is through your career
It can be just as rewarding to be successful and to gain recognition for a hobby
Stop thinking you need more money, more time, or more space. If this is important to you, then you can
make it happen – so what’s the fastest way to make it a reality?
Make Small Steps
Now take the bigger steps that lead toward that goal and ask yourself what the smallest incremental steps are that will get you there.
If your goal is to get into great shape, then the small steps might be:
Eat under 1,800 calories a day
Workout for 15 minutes 4 days a week
If your goal is to be a best-selling author, the small steps might be:
Write one page a day
This is what too many people get wrong. Long-form, abstract goals are too easy to put off and too easy to reinterpret. Come up with goals that are fully within your control and that you can pass or fail immediately. These are small steps that will take you nearer to your objectives each day.
Use this SMART Goal Setting Worksheet
Step 1: Write down your goal in as few words as possible.
My goal is to: _______________________________________________________________________________
Step 2: Make your goal detailed and SPECIFIC. Answer who/what/where/how/when.
____________________________________________________________________
HOW will you reach this goal? List at least 3 action steps you’ll take (be specific):
1. _____________________________________________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________________________________________
Step 3: Make your goal is MEASUREABLE. Add details, measurements and tracking details.
I will measure/track my goal by using the following numbers or methods:
________________________________________________________________________________________________
I will know I’ve reached my goal when
_______________________________________________________
Step 4: Make your goal ATTAINABLE. What additional resources do you need for success?
Items I need to achieve this goal: _____________________________________________________
How I’ll find the time: _______________________________________________________________
Things I need to learn more about: ________________________________________________________
People I can talk to for support: ___________________________________________________________
Step 5: Make your goal RELEVANT. List why you want to reach this goal:
______________________________
Step 6: Make your goal TIMELY. Put a deadline on your goal and set some benchmarks.
I will reach my goal by (date): ___/___/____.
My halfway measurement will be _____________________ on (date) ___/____/_____.
Additional dates and milestones I’ll aim for:
