The importance of goal-setting

A strong self-concept depends both upon what you do, and your idea of yourself. Goal setting is the process that allows you to analyze and determine what you do. Goal setting helps you feel strong and in control. Goal setting drives us and gives us a measure for our successes. Setting goals provides an incentive and helps to push us into completing the goals we set.

The process of setting goals helps to provide a clear picture of your wants and needs so you can chart your own life destiny. To get a clear picture of your wants and needs, consider eight types of goals.

To begin building and qualifying your list of goals, answer four key questions that serve as triggers.
Question 1. What hurts, or feels bad? Example: The long commute to work. Potential Goal: Explore a telecommuting option.
Question 2. What are you hungry for? Example: More time in the outdoors. Potential Goal: Plan a visit to the Safari.
Questions 3. What are your dreams? Example: Enhance the yard. Potential Goal: Build a rock garden.
4. What are the little comforts? Example: A massage. Potential Goal: Schedule an appointment tomorrow.

It is important to classify the goals according to potential timing: long-range, medium-range, and immediate. An example of a Long-Range Goals would be exploring a telecommuting option; Medium-Range Goals would be planning a visit to the Safari; while an immediate is to get a massage.

Setting SMART Goals
The SMART method is a straightforward way to qualify and quantify each goal. SMART is a convenient acronym for the set of criteria that a goal must have in order for it to be realized by the goal achiever.

• Specific: Success coach Jack Canfield states in his book The Success Principles that, “Vague goals produce vague results.” In order for you to achieve a goal, you must be very clear about what exactly you want. Often creating a list of benefits that the accomplishment of your goal will bring to your life, will you give your mind a compelling reason to pursue that goal.

• Measurable: It’s crucial for goal achievement that you are able to track your progress towards your goal. That’s why all goals need some form of objective measuring system so that you can stay on track and become motivated when you enjoy the sweet taste of quantifiable progress.

• Achievable: Setting big goals is great, but setting unrealistic goals will just de-motivate you. A good goal is one that challenges, but is not so unrealistic that you have virtually no chance of accomplishing it.

• Relevant: Before you even set goals, it’s a good idea to sit down and define your core values and your life purpose because it’s these tools which ultimately decide how and what goals you choose for your life. Goals, in and of themselves, do not provide any happiness. Goals that are in harmony with our life purpose do have the power to make us happy.

• Timed: Without setting deadlines for your goals, you have no real compelling reason or motivation to start working on them. By setting a deadline, your subconscious mind begins to work on that goal, night and day, to bring you closer to achievement.

Our Challenge to You
Use the SMART goal-setting method to set up an out of class personal goal.
• Specific: Be clear on what the goal will be.
• Measurable: Make it so you can track your progress.
• Achievable: Set a reasonable and achievable goal.
• Relevant: Make it relevant to your life at that moment.
• Timed: Set a deadline.

*Dr. Akindotun Merino is a Professor of Psychology and a Mental Health Commissioner in California. Share your successes and challenges:
Prof. Akindotun Merino
Jars Education Group
info@akinmerino.com
Text: 909.681.0530 or 0705 629 0985
YouTube.com/akinmerino
Instagram: @drakinmerino: Twitter: @drakindotun