Goals How to Set and Achieve Any Goal
Today, we’re diving into the art of setting achievable goals and making them a reality within a realistic timeframe.
Goals are integral to both business and personal life, serving as the driving force behind our achievements. From my early days growing up in the countryside, I’ve been setting goals for myself. Some were commendable, while others served as valuable lessons in crafting realistic goals and setting achievable deadlines.
When I conduct my goal-setting seminars, the first step I advocate is to establish a timeframe for the goals you’re about to outline. I categorize these timeframes into three distinct categories: Distant Future, Near Future, and NOW.
Distant Future Goals: These are aspirations that you aim to realize over several years. They encompass long-term endeavors such as retirement planning, entrepreneurship, marriage, homeownership, or acquiring a vacation property. Distant Future Goals require patience and consistent effort, as they cannot be achieved overnight.
Near Future Goals: These goals are attainable within the next six months to a year. Examples include purchasing a home, tying the knot, re-entering the dating scene, clearing credit card debts, organizing the garage, completing ongoing projects, transitioning to a new job, or launching a business venture. While they’re not immediately feasible, they demand thoughtful planning and preparation over a few months.
NOW Goals: NOW Goals are actionable objectives that you can accomplish today. They range from simple tasks like starting a diet, exercising, taking a shower, or upgrading to a smartphone, to more significant milestones like getting married, buying a house, switching jobs, or initiating a social media business page. NOW Goals require minimal contemplation or effort and can be executed promptly.
You may have noticed that certain goals overlap across categories, such as buying a house, starting a business, changing jobs, or getting married. This reflects the diversity of our individual circumstances and readiness levels. What may be suitable for one person might not align with another’s current situation or aspirations. Whether you’re eager to dive into marriage or entrepreneurship or prefer to take a more cautious approach, the key is to tailor your goals to suit your unique journey and timeline.
Our goals are fluid, shaped by our life circumstances and desires. Now that we’ve categorized our goals, it’s time to delve into setting them. But how do we ensure our goals are attainable?
Attainability means crafting goals that are within reach. I once had someone walk into my office declaring, “Dan, my goal is to sell $1 million in my first year!” I admired his ambition, but he was stepping into uncharted territory. I had two choices: fuel his passion or guide him towards setting realistic NOW and Near Future Goals.
While his distant goal was admirable, the challenge lay in setting immediate objectives. Together, we established a NOW goal of securing one sale in the first month, followed by a Near Future Goal of five contracts monthly. The distant future shifted to selling 15 contracts monthly. By shifting the focus from dollar amounts to contract sales, his goals became more tangible and achievable.
To set impactful goals, begin with your distant aspirations. Then, reverse engineer them, aligning your immediate objectives with your long-term vision. Each smaller accomplishment brings you closer to your grand objective.
Take a moment to envision yourself five years from now. Where are you? What are you doing? Who are you with? What surrounds you? Every detail matters. Now, jot it all down. This visualization is crucial.
Now, can you see your distant goal clearly? For me, it’s lounging in jeans and a soft shirt, feeling the sand between my toes as waves crash nearby. In the backdrop, our vacation home sits, embraced by lush greenery, offering solace to my family. My wife is by my side, our children, now grown, relishing this time with their own families. Financial worries have dissipated, thanks to the success of our businesses. We work diligently but savor every moment of our lives.
This distant goal encapsulates the essence of where, what, and who. Now, it’s time to break it down and work towards making it a reality.
For our distant goal, the near future objectives encompass starting hands-off businesses, nurturing family ties, acquiring a beach house, mastering surfing, instilling faith in my children, and maintaining a healthy marriage. These are just a few examples.
Breaking down these near future goals into actionable steps, our NOW goals propel us towards the ultimate destination. Let’s take “staying close to family” as an example. NOW goals include vacationing as a family, engaging in family games, having regular family dinners, balancing the roles of friend and parent to our children, actively supporting their endeavors, expressing love and affection, listening attentively, and fostering an environment where they feel valued.
Accountability is crucial in goal setting. Sharing our goals with a trusted individual who can kindly inquire about our progress keeps us on track. A simple question like, “How’s family game night going?” serves as a reminder of our commitment.
These are just the foundational steps for setting realistic and achievable goals. Stay tuned for more in-depth discussions on goal setting in future blogs.
If you or your team are interested in goal-setting training, feel free to contact us. We’re here to assist you in setting attainable professional or personal goals tailored to your needs.
Now, it’s your turn. Email me your goals at dan@eclipse-dot.com. Let’s share our aspirations and hold each other accountable.
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