How To Perform Goal Setting Activities
Michalis "BIG Mike" Kotzakolios
Kotzakoliou, SSA

Goal setting activities set the stage for success. Many people have the belief that thinking about what they'd like to accomplish constitutes the full gamut of goal setting activities. While it's certainly an important part of setting goals, it is far from enough, especially if you want to actually realize your goal.

When you embark on goal setting activities, you will sort out your priorities and organize your thoughts. There is an art to setting goals. One reason some people fail to realize their goals is they set their goals improperly. Every time you set a target for yourself, you should follow certain goal setting activities.

First, your goal statements should be worded and formed properly. The best guideline for wording goal statements is the time-tested SMART goal. SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound. If your goal statement meets each of these criteria, you've established a good foundation.

Next, you should divide your goal into manageable steps. For example, if you want to lose 50 pounds, you can get discouraged very quickly. Fifty pounds is a lot of weight, and although it is attainable for many, it can cause many to quit after a few weeks because the scale might tell you that you've only lost 5 pounds so far. Break it down into sub-goals. Fifty pounds over 12 months is not unrealistic, but setting small goals on the way will help keep you on track. Set a goal to lose 5 pounds the first month, 3 pounds the next month, and so on. By reaching these milestones, you give yourself a psychological edge and keep your momentum going until you reach your final destination.

Along the same lines, you have to keep motivated in order to reach your goals. In our 50 pounds example, when you reach your first milestone of 5 pounds lost, it will motivate you to keep going. It will send you the message that you are capable of reaching that goal, and if you stick to it, nothing will stop you. Reward yourself when you reach your sub-goals. Keep dangling that proverbial carrot in front of you throughout the entire journey, and you'll be there before you know it!