what is goal setting?

So what is goal setting and how can we start doing it?

That which lies within. Can we find it? Reveal it?

What is Goal Setting? If you are interested in grasping exactly what it means to set goals then you're in the right place.

I will discuss what goal setting is, and what goal setting isn't. It's surprising how many people think they have goals but actually don't!

The definition of goal setting is the process of deciding on something that we want to achieve and creating measurable targets with end dates. When we decide to save more money and then set a exact amount to save each month, this is an example of goal setting. Some more examples are on the post-it on the left.

Goal Setting is worlds apart from simply knowing things we would like.

For what we are doing to be officially named goal setting it must have the following qualities:

  1. A clear and specific outcome
  2. Exactly when that outcome will be achieved
  3. Some plan about how it will be achieved
  4. This plan and outcome and date is all written down
  5. This plan and outcome is looked at and acted upon
  6. The progress towards the outcome is also measured

As you can see goal setting is a philosophy. Even more importantly it is a practise. A daily practise. Goal setting is a method which has preparation, action, and completion. It is a fully fledged method for achieving something.

Someone who sets goals are a like a student. They have study to do, writing to do, assignments to hand in, reflection to do, a deadline to reach.

More efforts are required than simply saying to ourselves I would like to save more money. Much more effort, but the effort is well worth it in my opinion.

The best thing about genuinely being a student of goal setting is you are assured to challenge yourself, grow, and become more. It has been said that in order to have more, we have to first become more.

A change in ourselves is the biggest benefit and beyond that is absolutely necessary to achieve more than we have and utilise more of our potential.

We all have things we want. The question is, have you decided exactly when?

If we imagine concrete setting we have a good metaphor for the difference between dreams and set goals.

Before concrete sets it can be moved and moulded. Once concrete sets however, it becomes very hard to change or manipulate. 

Our vague dreams have no power to influence our daily lives until we have made a firm and serious decision to actually achieve it.

 By setting (i.e. decide on and write down) our goals they tend become more difficult to change or disappear. Something magical happens at this moment.

When our intention is set, clear, defined, we begin to take wise actions towards our goals that we wouldn't usually even consider.

I hope I have given you a strong understanding to the question: What is goal setting? Once we take the simple action of setting our goal in stone, it becomes immovable, and in line with this so does our resolve.

So what can you do right this second to get started? 

1. Simply write down something you want to do, or some result you want to see.
2. Write down when you want to do it or see it by.
3. Check that it can be measured so you know when you have completed it.
4. Stick it up somewhere you see it every day and can't miss it.
5. Enjoy the motivation you have just created and let me know how it goes in the comments :-)

Happy Wise Goal Setting!

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Cement from the mixer by Chris Northwood.  Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic.