The Power Of Goal Setting

A wise philosopher once said: “success is goals and all else is commentary.” Indeed, success in any area of your life—either in business or personal, begins with a clear-cut goal. Your ability to set and achieve goals will provide you with a sense of direction and is the master skill of success. Becoming a goal setter will do more to enhance living your dream. Below is a ten-step formula for achieving your set goals in line to utilizing your potential.

1. Decide What You Want: Decide exactly what you want in each area of your life. This is a very critical step in getting yourself started to achieving success in life. According to Ben Stein an American law professor, “The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: decide what you want.” Remember, no one will make this decision for you. Therefore, you should internally reconcile with yourself on what you want to achieve and resolve to stick to it.

2. Pen Down Your Goals: It is not enough to have a mental picture of what you want to do. Write down your goals on paper. The Holy Book says “write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that reads it.” Putting down your goals on paper enables you to have a broader view of all you want to achieve.

3. Set Deadlines: Set a deadline for achieving your goal. Setting targets enables you to be on your toes to see your goals accomplished. It also helps you to monitor your progress and evaluate yourself for peak performance in achieving success. There is no room for complacency or procrastination when you have a set decline for achieving your goals, unless you are not serious in achieving success.

4. Spot The Major Obstacles: Identify the major obstacles that can hold you back, and learn how to overcome them. This will enable you to be proactive rather than reactive. Being proactive, helps fortify you to face the challenges ahead. Never allow your mistakes and failures to rob you of your strength. Make failure your teacher, not your undertaker. Do not dwell in your mistakes or short-comings. See beyond your errors, and march forward. Build on your strength, not on your weakness. Let every failure and defeats you face become a ladder to your top most top. Les Brown, a notable motivational speaker, said, “Anytime you suffer a setback or disappointment, put your head down and plow ahead.”

5. Information Gathering: Secure all relevant information needed in achieving your set goal. For example, when I discovered that I’m gifted in motivating and making a difference in the lives of others, I began to learn more by gathering information on how to speak effectively, and I also started reading about the lives of great motivators in the world. “Every vision is at the mercy of information”, said David Oyedepo. Information is the vehicle with which you drive your vision that ultimately unleashes your potential.

6. Seek For Support And Assistance: No man is an island, and neither can a tree make a forest. Seek out mentors who will help you nurture your potential in living it to the fullest. You cannot do it alone. When someone is wrapped up in himself, he makes a pretty small package. If you have a vision in which only you can handle, then it must be a pretty small vision. A great vision surpasses the visionary and can only be attained through the support of others. Jim Rohn an American speaker and author, wrote: “To solve any problem, here are three questions to ask yourself: first, what could I do? Second, what could I read? And third, who could I ask?” When in doubt, ask questions and when in need seek out for help.

7. Plan, Plan, and Plan: There is a popular saying that goes: if you fail to plan you plan to fail. Making plans help you to set direction and be focused. If you don't know where you are going, how will you know how to get there? The future doesn’t get better by HOPE even though it is important. The future gets better by PLANNING. Effective personal planning will help you to define and explore your goals and map out ways to turn them into reality. This is what keeps your hope alive.

8. Take action on your plan: Your vision awaits your action. There is no delay on this stage. Taking action on your mapped out plans is a great mark on your self-leadership. A plan remains a plan until executed. According to Brendan Francis, “Inspirations never go in for long engagements; they demand immediate marriage to action.” Life is a daring adventure and it takes daring motivated people to move out and achieve great success. The distance of the road to success becomes shorter as soon as you take the first step. Take action now!

9. Envision Your Goals As A Reality: Your vision is your future. It is your crystal clear mental picture of the future. Visualize vividly your goals as a reality. While taking action is the ultimate expression of self-leadership, visualizing the future we want to have--whether that is a matter of responding differently in your current circumstances or changing the circumstances themselves is key for increasing our motivation for action. See yourself getting there!

10. Never Give Up: “What happens when you feel completely lost and dejected? Most of us turn around and retreat from our path. But, those who continue to walk on the trouble-filled path finally meet success,” said Simran Khurana a Human Resource expert. No matter what, don’t quit. Some people ask me: Be strong, courageous, and determine to pursue your dreams to the end. History is never made by quitters but victors who never give up. Let nothing stop you from achieving success.

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