"Getting a new job", "Making time for myself"... you have thought about it many times, and for many years, but this time, you are ready to take action and make it happen.
If your goal sounds like one of those, sorry, but it is too general. It is a good start though, don't get me wrong. You need to make it more specific so you know exactly what you are aiming for and when you reach it.
Here are 2 common tools to use at this stage: the SMART technique and visualization.
If your goal sounds like one of those, sorry, but it is too general. It is a good start though, don't get me wrong. You need to make it more specific so you know exactly what you are aiming for and when you reach it.
Here are 2 common tools to use at this stage: the SMART technique and visualization.
THE SMART TECHNIQUE - It will help you:
- Go for the right goal
- Know where you are in your progress
- Know when you have reached your goal.
So you will take your goal and rewrite it with more words. It needs to be:
S for Specific:
Answer the questions starting with: Who, what, when, where that can apply to your general goal. Use action verbs.
M for Measurable:
Think in numbers for quantity and quality. How many pounds, how many times, how much time per day/week/month. It means that "often, rarely, less, more" are not good enough. "Always" and "never" (= 0) are good if they are realistic. Getting to that in a minute...
Focus on the outcome. Use observable actions. What does your goal look like, sounds like, feels like?
A for Achievable:
Do you have the resources to reach your goal? The personal capacities? The time, the means? If not, can you find the right help? Where? Those will be action steps, or "subgoals" from your initial goal.
R for Relevant:
How does this goal serve you? What in it is important for you? What needs will it fulfill? How is it in alignment with what you believe in? If it isn't, do you still want it? And if so, how will you deal with this conflict?
After this stage, you might feel like redirecting your goal because you found a better way to fulfill the real desire behind your initial goal. If so, no problem. it is not too late. Restart at S. Yes, life is like a game, like a board game it looks like... in which we all win...sooner or later..:-)
and T for Time-bound:
By when? A calendar date please! According to your specific goal, it can be a month, not necessarily a date, but make sure you have a deadline, so you can measure time passing and know how much time is left for you to reach your goal. This will bring a frame to your goal and motivate you to make efforts NOW, because you know that if you do, you can end those efforts at your deadline.
- Go for the right goal
- Know where you are in your progress
- Know when you have reached your goal.
So you will take your goal and rewrite it with more words. It needs to be:
S for Specific:
Answer the questions starting with: Who, what, when, where that can apply to your general goal. Use action verbs.
M for Measurable:
Think in numbers for quantity and quality. How many pounds, how many times, how much time per day/week/month. It means that "often, rarely, less, more" are not good enough. "Always" and "never" (= 0) are good if they are realistic. Getting to that in a minute...
Focus on the outcome. Use observable actions. What does your goal look like, sounds like, feels like?
A for Achievable:
Do you have the resources to reach your goal? The personal capacities? The time, the means? If not, can you find the right help? Where? Those will be action steps, or "subgoals" from your initial goal.
R for Relevant:
How does this goal serve you? What in it is important for you? What needs will it fulfill? How is it in alignment with what you believe in? If it isn't, do you still want it? And if so, how will you deal with this conflict?
After this stage, you might feel like redirecting your goal because you found a better way to fulfill the real desire behind your initial goal. If so, no problem. it is not too late. Restart at S. Yes, life is like a game, like a board game it looks like... in which we all win...sooner or later..:-)
and T for Time-bound:
By when? A calendar date please! According to your specific goal, it can be a month, not necessarily a date, but make sure you have a deadline, so you can measure time passing and know how much time is left for you to reach your goal. This will bring a frame to your goal and motivate you to make efforts NOW, because you know that if you do, you can end those efforts at your deadline.
I have personally always hated answering questions on paper, so if you are like me, get a friend and see what you each come up with.
Some people do not like sharing their goals with others because they do not want to say something and not do it. For that same reason, other people like and benefit from sharing their intentions. Up to you.
If you don't know, just pick one option and see how it works. If it doesn't, try the other way. Life is long, we are here to try over and over if necessary. Just remember to change something in the doing, improving it, so the result is also different, hopefully better...
Some people do not like sharing their goals with others because they do not want to say something and not do it. For that same reason, other people like and benefit from sharing their intentions. Up to you.
If you don't know, just pick one option and see how it works. If it doesn't, try the other way. Life is long, we are here to try over and over if necessary. Just remember to change something in the doing, improving it, so the result is also different, hopefully better...
VISUALIZATION - It will help you:
- Get familiar with your goal, as if it was already here.
- Feel how much you really want it.
- Help it manifest.
We all know about this technique. But only few of us probably use it. Give it a try, it is VERY powerful.
See your goal accomplished, reached, in your minds's eye, smell it, hear it, feel it emotionally, explore it already, as if it was present. The more details the better. For instance, you want to lose weight, see yourself in the mirror, hear others tell you how great you look, feel the pleasure of moving more freely etc.
If you can't see much, give it a rest, but every day try again to see more details about your goal. Decide of them as you go. Don't push it, just go with how you feel about it. if it is really a desire you have, it will grow naturally. Give it time and space. Take it for what it is at first: a wish, a fantasy, a dream, a seed implanted in your mind.
This visualization exercise will help you identify better what your goal really means to you personally. You are giving it a 3D definition. It goes from being a vague idea, to being a specific vision. It is going From being a feeling, to being words, to adopting a form, a shape, a color, a smell and is on its way to manifesting. It is simply the process of creation.
oh.... BELIEVE in it! KNOW that you can reach further than what you think, if you really want it...
and the key is to know that it will not fall on your lap suddenly, but that you will have to put effort in it, one step at a time.
And now, all is left for you to do is get STARTED and DO DO Do till you get it!
- Get familiar with your goal, as if it was already here.
- Feel how much you really want it.
- Help it manifest.
We all know about this technique. But only few of us probably use it. Give it a try, it is VERY powerful.
See your goal accomplished, reached, in your minds's eye, smell it, hear it, feel it emotionally, explore it already, as if it was present. The more details the better. For instance, you want to lose weight, see yourself in the mirror, hear others tell you how great you look, feel the pleasure of moving more freely etc.
If you can't see much, give it a rest, but every day try again to see more details about your goal. Decide of them as you go. Don't push it, just go with how you feel about it. if it is really a desire you have, it will grow naturally. Give it time and space. Take it for what it is at first: a wish, a fantasy, a dream, a seed implanted in your mind.
This visualization exercise will help you identify better what your goal really means to you personally. You are giving it a 3D definition. It goes from being a vague idea, to being a specific vision. It is going From being a feeling, to being words, to adopting a form, a shape, a color, a smell and is on its way to manifesting. It is simply the process of creation.
oh.... BELIEVE in it! KNOW that you can reach further than what you think, if you really want it...
and the key is to know that it will not fall on your lap suddenly, but that you will have to put effort in it, one step at a time.
And now, all is left for you to do is get STARTED and DO DO Do till you get it!
