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Setting Personal Goals
by Laura Bissonette
There are many different strategies for goal setting. One way is to
start with the end of your life and work backwards. Picture your
funeral. Who do you hope would want to attend? Friends that you
don't have time for anymore? A family member that you aren't on speaking
terms with? How about members of a community group? - Do you belong to
any? What do you want them to say about you? That you were a fun,
generous, happy person that made a good impact on a lot of lives? What
accomplishments and achievements would you be proud of? The answers to
questions like these give you an outline for the way you want to live.
This plan will help you work out the steps that you will take to
accomplish your goals. Don't write down any goals that other people have
set for you, or any that you really don't want to do. A three-ring
binder will keep all of your notes together in one place and you will be
able to replace outdated goals with fresh ones from time to time. You
might prefer a notebook, but loose pages won't work.
Find a quiet, peaceful place where you can think without interruptions.
This exercise might take a few hours, especially if it is the first
time. This is not selfishness! Organizing your thoughts and setting
goals is a very important process that will only benefit you and
everyone in your life.
List your dreams.
Make a list of everything you want to accomplish before you die, on the
first page. If you need help coming up with ideas, go back and give some
more thought to your funeral.
Sort the list into stages of your life. Before I reach the age of __, I
want to accomplish the following . . . You are currently in Stage A.
Assign a letter of the alphabet to each future stage.
For each stage, number every goal, in order of importance. Use a new
sheet of paper for each goal in Stage A. Title them Stage A, Goal 1,
etc.
For the remaining stages, list only the top three most important goals.
At this point, you should go over the list and make sure there aren't
any conflicts. For example, do you want to go sailing around the world
by yourself, and develop a closer relationship with your children at the
same time? You may want to make some adjustments - don't cross any off
your list, just slot them into a more appropriate time.
Define Your Goals
Now, for each goal, do the following:
Write down exactly why you want this. What benefits will you get from
working toward it, even before you reach it? Be very specific. How will
it make you feel to accomplish it?
Determine how you will know if it has been achieved. Some things are
obvious. For example, achieving a certain weight or a new car in the
driveway. How will you know when you have accomplished "spending more
time with friends"? Or, "Have a loving relationship"? This type of goal
could be given a rating system.
Write down how you will measure progress (number of nice things you say
to that person each day). A weight chart, a journal of your feelings,
and your savings account passbook are ways to track headway.
Assign a date for the accomplishment of each goal. For long-term goals,
assign benchmark dates along the way.
Congratulations! The work you've done is going to give you a huge
advantage in getting to where you want to go. Are you tired from
focusing and concentrating so hard? Let's take a break now and continue
later with
Part II.
About the Author:
Article by Laura Bissonette, A1 PRIORITIES, Helping Busy People Get
Organized. If you would like a free copy of "Effective Ways to Organize
Your Office", email
info@a1priorities.com before January 31, 2001. For more organizing
ideas or to sign up for a monthly ezine with organizing tips, see our
website at www.a1priorities.com.
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