We all have goals in life, whether they are short-term, long-term, small or big. Setting effective goals will lay out a plan of action for turning our dreams into reality. Keep on reading for 3 tips on how to set effective goals…
Be more specific
Creating goals that are specific is one of the guidelines for setting SMART goals. In other words, these are goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. Making our goals specific is arguably one of the most important on this list. Why? Simple. Developing well-defined goals will keep you focused and organized, laying out the steps you need to take in order to achieve them.
Imagine you have a midterm coming up in two weeks…
Broad goal: “ I will finish studying all the content two days before the exam.”
Specific goal: “I will finish studying Units 1-7 by the end of this week.”
More specific goal: “I will study one unit a day.”
Even more specific: “I will spend 1 hour studying each of the 5 lessons in Unit 1 today.”
As you can see, we took the original broad goal and broke it up into smaller, more manageable chunks, going from weeks to days to hours.
The result? You developed a strategic plan for studying so that you ace the exam. Now, you can get some more sleep the night before your midterm!
Keep it flexible
Sometimes, your plan doesn’t work, and you might find yourself steering off track. No need to panic! Always keep your goals flexible and adjust your schedule whenever needed. As Confucius once said, “When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.“
Write it down
There’s something about writing down your dreams, hopes, thoughts, and goals…it makes them physically there in front of your eyes and not just a figment of your imagination. Writing down your goals is powerful – it motivates you to develop a plan and start working towards them.
Now, you know how to set effective goals…try it out and start turning your dreams into reality today!