How to score goals

‘Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them’ – Denis Waitley, author and public speaker. Gwen Cheeseman gets on target

Get to know what you want – setting goals is all about what is best for you, and what can help you achieve happiness and satisfaction. Complete some psychometric tests on the Internet and use MindMaps to write down your hopes and dreams. This should help you work out what you really want.

New start – picking the right time to set your goals is essential. It’s no good embarking on a new idea, or trying to work towards a big achievement, if you have other worries on your mind. Try and resolve all issues which might get in your way before you sit down and work out your new goals. If you can manage it, now is the ideal time – the start of a new year and, if you want it to be, a clean slate.

Do you want it? – if you’ve analysed your motivators you won’t aim for a goal that you think you want, rather than one you really want. If you set yourself a goal but have no real desire or passion to achieve it, then you are more than likely to fail. For example, if the goal is to improve your communication skills, but you don’t feel motivated, or feel too shy, try researching the subject before you set your targets. You may find an aspect that really fires your imagination, so if you set targets for this part first you’re bound to find the process far more interesting and achievable.

Think about time – if you don’t set deadlines for yourself you don’t give yourself a commitment. Without having a timeframe, you can procrastinate and put off what you need to do to keep on track.

Keep on trying – if, despite all these methods, you find yourself failing, don’t despair. Everyone experiences such setbacks in their lives, but it’s the people who put the experience behind them, pick themselves up and try again, that become really successful. The only person who can achieve your goal is you.   

"The only person who can achieve your goal is you"

Think smart

It is widely acknowledged that the SMART method of setting goals is an excellent tool for achievement. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. Be specific – if you don’t know exactly what you want to achieve, how can you achieve it? Is it measurable? This is an important part of setting your goal, especially if it is something that will take a lot of work. It’s easy to be de-motivated when we can’t see change – so if you split your goal into smaller targets, you can watch the changes as they happen. Is it attainable? By using this framework, it becomes easier to think clearly about how to achieve your goal, and how to overcome obstacles. Many goals are not easy to achieve. For example, if you’re setting study goals, don’t give yourself a target of four-hours’ study a day when you know you don’t have enough time. Push yourself a little, but don’t end up pushing too much and giving up.