Where to start with goal setting by: Editor, YSIGB
Great question Bill. It can be really confusing knowing where to start with goal setting, but at least you've taken the first step towards achieving your dreams - wanting to get some goal setting advice!
It's important to learn effective goal setting techniques before you go off on a tangent and go round and round in circles getting nowhere.
Most people fail at goal setting because they plan to fail. They know "roughly" what they want, when they want it and why, but they haven't really taken the time to sit down and work out the actual specifics of their goals. THIS IS A VITAL STEP THAT MANY MISS. And this is definitely where I would suggest you start.
Why is it so vital? If you don't really have that very strong desire to achieve your goal, and if you don't have a time limit on it, I can guarantee that you will fail with goal setting. You'll be on of the many who say "goal setting doesn't work, it's a load of waffle".
First off, grab some paper, a pencil and a quiet room and really work out what it is you want.
Here are some thoughts to get you thinking.
What is it that is going to keep you going through the bad as well as the good times?
What is it that is going to keep you focused on doing what you need to do when things aren't going quite to plan?
Why do you want to achieve your goal?
If things aren't going to plan, what will keep me focused on my goals?
Realistically, when do you want to achieve it by?
Personally I think this is the most important aspect of goal setting that the majority of people get wrong. They don't do this part. They write down one or two things that they think they want, then go on to set time limits, and over time the desire isn't there to help them to carry on.
Once you've worked out what your BURNING DESIRE really is, then the rest of the dynamics of goal setting is much more simple to understand.
