Without goals you would be like a boat without a rudder, just sailing in any direction aimlessly at sea. Goals are the steering-wheel of life. If you want satisfying results in life, you have to grab hold of your steering wheel and start driving!

Here is a basic guide you may use to help you get started with your goal setting.

Start With A Few Goals
When setting goals, it’s critical that you set yourself up for success. In the beginning, if you focus on more then 5 goals at a time you will probably get distracted and not accomplish much. If you have more than 5 goals (which we all do), choose your top five! When you accomplish a “goal”, you can replace the completed goal with a new goal. Keep your target at 5 goals at a time.


Be Specific With Your Goals
Your goals should be a specific as possible. Identify exactly what you want to accomplish. This helps you create a clear picture of what you desire.

Here is an example applying this principle to cleaning:
Do: I will mop the kitchen floor
Don’t: I want to clean the house


Your Goals Should Be Measurable
You need to know if you are achieving (or not achieving) your goal. This step is very important, because now you can determine what modifications are needed in order to achieve your desired results.

Here is an example applying this principle to weight-loss:
Do: I will lose 15 pounds by the end of the year
Don’t: I want to lose weight


Your Goals Should Be Attainable
You must be able to break your goals down into actionable tasks. If you’ve never earned more than $50,000 per year and your goal is to make a million dollars, you first need to earn $50,000! Get it? No one has ever built a billion dollar business overnight. A house is built brick by brick.

Here is an example applying this principle to money:
Do: I will increase my income by $4000.00 this year
Don’t: I want a million dollars someday


Your Goals Should Actionable
You have to be able to take immediate action toward any given goal. Just a small amount of action each day will do, however it has to be consistent.

Here is an example applying this principle to reading:
Do: I will read at least one page (of a particular book) each day.
Don’t: I will read more frequently


Your Goals Should Be Time-Bound
How many opportunities have you missed by convincing yourself “One Day I’ll...blank...?” Has that "blank" ever happened? For most of you, unfortunately, the answer is NO. Every goal needs a date associated with it. At any time, you can revise and modify the date, because it is just a guide to lead you in the right direction.


Write Them Down
Writing is much better then typing. When writing, you are using your hand to form the letters, thereby more actively engaging the brain. When typing, less brain processing occurs, because you are just selecting letters by pressing identical-looking keys. The act of writing also helps you clarify your thoughts and makes your goals real & tangible! When writing, try to use words and phrases that produce big positive mental images. Write in the affirmative. Try to use the words like “will" instead of "would like to".

Here is an example applying this principle to weight-loss:
Don’t: I don’t want to gain any more weight
Do: I will lose 2 pounds by the end of this month


Review Them Frequently
You must review your goals frequently. This provides you with a chance to reflect and make adjustments. Ideally once a week is best, so you don’t lose visibility on what matters most. In this fast paced world we live in, it is easy to lose focus on your goals. Out of site, out of mind!

Remember, this is just a basic guideline. Make sure goals are important to you. They should motivate you and there should be value in achieving them. You should feel a sense of urgency and have an "I must do this" attitude. Many people look at the word "obsession" in the negative light. However, most (if not all) of the most successful people in the world, obsessed over their goal (at some point) in order to achieve it. Truth be told, if you can’t obsess over a goal, you won't think about it much, hence you won't take much action to achieve it. This is a fact you have to consider.

You want to be reviewing and revising your goals frequently. Be honest with yourself and take decisive & immediate action when faced with challenges. The path towards your goals may not always run smoothly, however, goals point us in the direction we want to go and leads us to success.