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Goal setting - What questions do you need to ask yourself?

How are your new years revolutions coming along? Did you set any new goals this year, or did you pull out the same bit of paper as last year and recycled them? The reasons why people fail in goal setting is because they may know what they want, but they've missed out one or two important steps. But don't panic these steps are easy enough - when you know what they are...and believe me when I say you would pay good money to be told this...
So let's get going:

Setting goals - that's easy - decide what you want and write it down

How are you going to achieve those goal items? This is usually where most people get stuck, they know what they think they want, but they don't know all the answers...which stops a lot of people from beginning the process.
How do you write a book? - one word at a time.
How do you paint a house? One wall at a time
Where do you get the paint from? - a hardware store, garden shed, paint shop
How much do you need? - take the room size and ask the person behind the counter
Losing weight - exercise more, eat less. It's taken you a long time for you to get to where you currently are, so don't expect a miracle overnight "cure".
Remember - You don't need to know all the answers personally to get started on a particular goal item, just a desire to reach the goal can be enough to set you on the right path. Someone, somewhere will have done what you are trying to do - find the online message boards and ask, go to a shop and ask, go to the library find a book - read it, then do.

When are you going to achieve it by?
Most people have a vague, oh i'll get it done by so and so....
A goal is just a dream without a proper time limit on it. But how do you set a time limit. Well it depends on the goal.
Painting the house - An average size room can be stripped of furniture, cleaned, patched and painted in a weekend. Average of two days. If you only have the weekends - then each room will take you a weekend....4 bedrooms = 4 weekends....or 8 days.
Planning and saving for a trip to Europe - will depend on your current level of debt and your ability to save. If you spend more than you currently earn, then you won't achieve the goal at all.
Weight loss - half a kilo to a kilo a week is do-able...any more and you run the risk of putting the weight back on as soon as you stop restricting your calorie intake. So work out how much weight you need to lose and you have the number of weeks it is likely to take you. 10 kilos = 10-20 weeks
Writing a book - if you are working, then a thousand words a day is a good target, depending on how fast you write (or type) - an average novel starts at about 100,000 words - therefore a hundred days or 3 and a bit months (to get the first draft)
But don't put yourself under pressure to achieve something because your timing is off. Either modify the goal, or the timeline.

What are the benefits of achieving the goal items?
Writing a book - you may get international or national recognition, and more money. You may simply have the satisfaction that you did it...
Losing weight - may mean - better health, a whole new wardrobe, much better self-esteem and an improved bank balance

What are your reasons for doing it?
The house is a pig sty and needs a complete overhaul;
We've just moved in and we want to make it look like it belongs to us
It's been years since these walls last saw a coat of paint - it's time !!
That style of decoration went out 30 years ago (don't worry - wait a few more years and it will be back in again)
Weight loss - I have an unhealthy BMI and the doctor told me to lose weight or die
I do not look very nice without clothes on !!
I don't look much better with clothes on !!!!!!!!!
I hide behind frumpy clothes to try and disguise the fact that I am fat and unhealthy
I don't have any energy

Who will help you achieve your goal?
Remember no-one can go it alone, all of the time
An author needs an editor and a publisher. Even if you decide to self-publish your work, you still need to get someone else to read it to make sure you haven't written drivel
You may need encouragement to reach your new weight - in which case a personal trainer can be invaluable, or a weight loss consultant, a nutritionist, your partner and your kids can all help you to keep to the straight and narrow and encourage you not to buy and eat "bad" things.

What is stopping you?
Your belief in yourself may be your biggest stumbling block. If you don't believe you can do it, you may struggle to achieve anything.
Lack of motivation is the other big factor - if you don't believe in your goals, if they don't inspire you to get started on them, then you will find all the excuses in the world not to get started.
So, when you are working out your goal plan, ask yourself the questions:
- What do you want?
- How are you going to get it?
- When are you going to achieve it by?
- What are the proposed benefits of getting it?
- What are your reasons?
- Who will help you?
- What is currently stopping you?
Goal setting isn't hard - that is the first question in the above list....goal achievement is easier once you have the answers to the remaining questions worked out.
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(MMW1) (MMM1)
Posted on Monday, January 29, 2007 at 01:36PM by Registered CommenterElle | CommentsPost a Comment

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