As you create your first of many goals, measure what you come up with according to this scale: S.M.A.R.T.

The “smart” system stands for:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Relevant
• Time-Sensitive

The term “smart” is an easy way to remember all of these factors.  You want to keep all of your goals specific and yet relevant to the overall mission.  You want to make sure all of your goals are attainable and realistic for your mind and body.  You want to measure your efforts and you want to assign a time frame for your goal.  All of these factors will help you create goals that are meant to be acted upon—not just dreamed.

Preliminary brainstorming sessions will help you to expand your vision of success and figure out ways to turn long-range goals into individual steps.  This will usually involve answering specific questions related to your vision of success and where you are willing to travel to get it. 

Think about that statement. 

If wealth is your goal it’s hard to imagine becoming rich without joining a prosperous company or starting your own business where you earn the lion share of the profits.  If you want to make it in movies it’s hard to imagine achieving success if you don’t live in a major U.S. city, especially in California or New York.  (Reading up on the subject would tell you this basic information)

If your ambitions are personal and altruistic, then brainstorm on such questions as “How specifically do you want to help other people?”  How will you know if you are making others happy?  What do you want to help other people realize?  Have you been a particular situation in life that has given you insight that you want to share with others?

Learn more about goal setting the step by step way

What goes wrong in goal setting?  What makes a solid list of goals go to pieces in just six weeks?  The problem may be within the person who is trying to complete this list of goals or it may be the goal list itself.  Here are four of the most common mistakes people make when planning their goals.

1. The goal is too vague.
2. The goal is not yours but is someone else’s vision of success.
3. You made your goal “public.”
4. You set an individual goal that’s too hard or too easy.

In our "Step by Step Goal Setting" guide, we examine two more important reasons on why people do not accomplish their goals.  Because of the complexities of these (they are both related to the subconscious mind) we need to analyze them in more detail than can be explained here in this blogpost.

Let’s discuss some things you already know.  By now you know that the only way to achieve a dream or at least a vision of success is to start small and work your way up.  If you have no vision or no ambition, then you cannot very easily create a step-by-step plan of completion. 

Why do people want to achieve goals on a step-by-step basis? 

Because:

• It is easier to achieve one easy goal rather than achieve 100 individual tasks
• It is safer (emotionally and financially) to start small and work your way up
• Fulfilling lots of individuals goals keeps you motivated and positive
• It’s easier to keep track of steps and organize plans of action
• It’s easier for friends or acquaintances to help you to achieve individual tasks
• Failure on a step is a minor setback, not a major loss that destroys the mission

This is one of the most important aspects about changing your life: creating a list of manageable goals. This is the most important lesson in goal-setting, as a matter of fact.  No matter what, and regardless of how “silly” you feel doing this simple step, resist the urge to do away with your list of goals. Setting goals is the best way to get started in making a positive life change. 

This list of goals, simple though it is, is your personal life plan.  Without these goals you have no overall direction and only a vague motivation that isn’t enough to keep you active. 

If you fail at a long-term goal (usually towards the end of your life) then looking back can indeed be a depressing scenario. However, if you create a list of individual goals (all leading up to this ultimate long-term dream) then you will always be able to proudly look back on your accomplishments. This way, even if you never achieve goal #1 (be filthy rich, take over the world, become president, etc.) you will still have many individual victories and achievements that were worthwhile.

Learn more about how to set goals, step by step