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Setting Goals - A Beginner's Guide

Guest post by: Terri Levine

Article Overview: Learning to set goals is not something reserved for businesses. Individuals with a passion and a dream to achieve something special have already set a goal - but there are steps to take with the goal that help bring it to life.

Setting Goals - A Beginner's Guide

You're reading this everywhere, hearing it from everyone - you have to set goals! That's all very well for those who know how, but setting goals isn't something we're taught in school - it's not something our parents always think to teach us.

In a nutshell, goal setting helps you end up where you want to end up. It's like floating down the river in a canoe - you can just float along, doing nothing, no aim in mind, and you'll never really end up anywhere, or you can use the paddles, follow a map, and know that X marks the spot where you want to be and head straight for it.

1. To begin - what's really important to you in life? Write down the things you want to accomplish before your time on the planet is up - list it all - the BIG dreams as well as the small. Make two lists - things you'd like to achieve within the short term, and something you'd like to achieve before you "leave".

2. Next, take a close look at your lists and any goals you are not willing to really work at or make sacrifices for, cross them off. A goal should be something you have a burning desire to achieve. (You don't have to have the money or know-how now to bring your goal into fruition - you don't consider things like that at this stage.)

3. Now choose one goal or aim from your two lists - one short term goal and one long term goal. It's important to have short term goals - they're easier to reach and help keep you motivated. One of your short term goals should actually be something that leads to the achievement of the long term goal.

3. Now list the steps you must take to achieve the most important goal that you have on each of your lists. This is your "to do" list - things you must do to start you off towards the achievement of your goal(s). For example, you want to be a famous racing driver? First you have to have a driver's license - if you haven't got one, guess what your first short term goal is... that will lead towards your "big" goal!

4. Every few months you should check your goals and your to-do list because things change, and as our lives change and evolve, so naturally, will our goals. It is okay to change your goals if your existing goal no longer suits you.

Your goals and your to-do list are the map you follow while you paddle down the river of life. You know which way to go and how to get there.

5. Choose a timeframe in which each step of your to-do list (your short term goals) will be reached. It doesn't matter if your reckoning is out - it is important to have something to work towards.

6. Set goals that you personally believe there is a chance of achieving. Your goals should be realistic and attainable - you can start off small and as you "grow", your goals can grow with you... but whatever level you are on now, your goal should be something you believe is possible and be something you really want.

To help keep you motivated, stick pictures up around you of the thing you wish to attain - a higher education, a high-flying career, a pilot's license, a big house, be a famous movie star...

All successful people got where they are today because they had a dream... a vision... and they were determined to get there and determined to do what it took to get there... and it all started with a goal.

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Article Tags: goal setting, goals



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Re: Set goals that motivate you! - Sounds simple enough when you take it at face value, but what are goals? Are these short term or long term Goals, Are theses goal realistic, achievable? How to make them motivating Goals, What is motivation? Is motivation the same for all of us Hmm so many questions, so few answers. must a an article in this somewhere Btw (by the way) GT, nice Blog
Re: How do you monitor what people say about you in the web? - Setting up Google alerts for your keywords can give updates about your site. Also the publicity you create in the social media sites will do help too
Re: What is Your Favorite Thing About Owning A Business? - 1. Not feeling like I have to get approval for anything. 2. Not feeling like I have to please anyone. 3. Not having to ask permission before I do something. 4. Setting my own hours. 5. Sounding really cool when I tell people I have my own business.
Re: Alexa Ranking Goals - Thanks GT! This is still the right post for Alexa Goals but everything else can go to Kevin's Mastermind post! Cheers!
Need a book recommendation for writing better - I'm always looking for ways to improve my writing skills, so I was just wondering if anyone could recommend a good copywriting or copyediting book? I was actually thinking of reading "The Copywriter's Handbook : A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Copy That Sells" by Robert W Bly [u:w3cg00nn]OR[/u:w3cg00nn] "The Copyeditor's Handbook: A Guide for Book Publishing and Corporate Communications" by Amy Einsohn. Would anyone know if these books are any good? Thanks


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