Goal Setting

In her new book, Own Your Life, 7 Essential Steps to Independence, author, speaker and lawyer Suzanne B. Quinn guides the reader through the seven essential steps to personal and financial security and independence. This article is an excerpt from her book, comprising one of the seven steps.

Goals are your roadmap to success. The difference between a dream and a goal is the written word. Writing down your goals helps to focus your mind, both consciously and subconsciously, on what you need to do to achieve that which you want. Think of it as your grand master of “to-do” lists, that takes you to the life of your dreams.

There seems to be a universal truth when it comes to goal setting: you must believe that the goals are attainable. You know it’s going to happen, you’ve set the ball rolling by setting your goals, now believe in yourself and allow your successes to happen.

The other key to success is: Keep It Simple. Your vision does not have to be detailed, and it should be broken down into stages. One way of looking at it, is to look at the “Big Picture”. If you were to take a snapshot of your ideal life in the future, what would it look like?

I prefer not to put time lines on my goals, indeed some say it is not recommended. Placing time limits on your goals may add pressure. You may still make the same lists, without putting a specific timeline on achieving that goal, perhaps only categorizing them as short and long term. It gives you the freedom to achieve your ultimate goals within a year, or ten, or twenty or however long it takes.

Setting realistic short term goals, and being able to cross them off as completed, not only brings you closer to your long term goals, but also gives you the confidence you need to really believe in yourself, and that all your goals are achievable and within your grasp. There is no greater motivator than the small successes that you achieve along the way.

Strategies
• Unless someone is critical to helping you achieve your goal(s), do not freely share your goals with others. The negative attitude from friends, family and neighbors can drag you down quickly.
• Reviewing your goals daily is a crucial part of your success and must become part of your routine. This process will start both your subconscious and conscious mind on working towards the goal.
• Every time you make a decision during the day, ask yourself this question, "Does it take me closer to, or further from my goal." If the answer is "closer to," then you've made the right decision. If the answer is "further from," well, you know what to do.

Strategic Goal Setting
1. Make sure the goal you have set is consistent with your passion.
2. A goal can not contradict any of your other goals.
3. Develop goals in three main areas of life:
a. Personal
b. Financial and Career
c. Physical
4. Write your goal in the positive instead of the negative.
5. Write your goal out in as much detail as possible.
6. Make sure your goal is high enough. Shoot for the moon, if you miss you'll still be in the stars.
7. This is the most important, write down your goals. Writing down your goals creates the roadmap to your success.
8. Make three lists: short term goals, long terms goals, and what I will achieve in my lifetime.

Sometimes we realize we have to revise a goal as circumstances and other goals change. If you need to change a goal do not consider it a failure, consider it a victory as you had the insight to realize something was different.