Goal Setting: Stop Failing and Start Finishing
By H. Michael
Ducre
While the idea of goal setting is not a new concept, we do see an
ever-increasing number of people becoming more and more frustrated with
setting a worthwhile goal. The frustration, it appears, comes from never
being able to realize the fruit of their labor. Therefore, it is with this
growing number of goal setting failures that I wish to illustrate three
fundamentals of proper goal setting that should significantly increase the
probability of a finished goal rather than a failed one.
1. Feed “Your” Desire
Any goal that you seek to accomplish should be complementary to your
desires. For instance, you may have a desire to become wealthy or debt free.
Maybe your desires are in the area of health and fitness. Perhaps your
desires are more family or socially oriented. In any case, your desires
represent the fuel that ignites your goals in the form of passion, purpose,
direction and motivation to achieve what you initially set out to
accomplish. Desire is the key ingredient that most people initially fail to
input before they either lose hope in accomplishing their goals or lose
interest in their goals all together. Usually the people who do fall short
of achieving their goals time after time do so for one main reason; their
goal was not a passion or a desire that came from within. Allow me to expand
on the focus of your desires to broaden your understanding of its importance
in accomplishing your goals.
A desire is something that you want or feel strongly about which comes
from the innermost part of who you are. It is more powerful than a wish or a
passing thought. It is more than an idea of something you may feel could
benefit you if you were to pursue it. A true desire represents your
ambitions and direction for your life that will give you a sense of peace
and fulfillment. A burning desire is a passion that not only beckons for
your attention, but also consumes your every thought in one way or another.
You will never be able to extinguish these desires for your life or satisfy
them until you begin to pursue them. The majority of goal setters who omit
this crucial element of achieving their goals ultimately fail to accomplish
those goals due to a lack of purpose, direction and motivation.
Your goals should not be made from someone else’s passion or desire for
you to follow. It has to come directly from you. Sure, you could get certain
ideas and thoughts that are from other sources; but it must strike a chord
from within your heart and mind for it to be a more than plausible and
worthwhile goal to benefit you. I cannot stress enough to you the importance
of setting a goal that comes from the very core of your being, which can
give you a deep thirst-quenching sensation. Without a goal that can liberate
your mind and boost your enthusiasm, you could quite possibly wander and
drift and ultimately give up on your goals in sheer frustration like so many
others have done; having not properly set a goal that came from your
desires.
2. Action Statements
The next step in achieving your goals is to list a couple of action
statements that support your desires as well as give you a point from which
you can track your progress. Without action statements, it can be difficult
to know how to get out of the starting gate. These action statements, when
followed, will create a routine that will become second nature to you if you
comply with them fully. Let us say that your goal is to lose ten pounds in
two months. Your action sentence then could be to wake up one hour early
each day and walk or jog a mile. Once you make this a routine, you could
then increase your distance and/or intensity every week or so. Before you
realize it, it is four months and twenty pounds or more later. Of course,
jogging or walking solely will not do the job, but you should get the idea
behind the action statement. The key here is to comply with whatever you
have written down. Here is an example of how your goal and your action
statements should look:
Goal
Spend more quality time with my family
Action statements
•Turn off the TV from 7:00pm–9:00pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays and play a
game or have group discussion.
•Have family outings on the first and third Saturdays of each month (This
does not always require spending money).
•Have dinner and family time on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from
5:00pm–7:00pm.
It is important for you, however, to avoid trying to do too much in the
initial phase of your goals. This is especially the case when it involves
others. Taking on too many tasks early on can certainly discourage you from
completing your goal. Instead, you should take small steps initially and
increase the time and frequency as you become more comfortable with the
change. The key word in this step is habit. A habit is something that
becomes second nature to you and usually requires little or no effort or
thought. Once the habit is firmly established, you can increase the throttle
a bit and move further along in achieving your goal.
3. Positive Affirmations
A positive affirmation is a very powerful and influential tool in helping
you realize the achievement of your goals. Whenever you speak an affirmation
aloud and to yourself, it triggers your brain in a manner that forces it to
comply with your command or belief. Let us look at this in another way.
Have you ever heard that telling someone he or she is dumb enough times,
that person will begin to believe it? Well, it happens to be true. This is
especially true when it comes from parents affirming this to their children.
By repeatedly telling yourself something enough times, it will most
certainly have an impact on your behavior and attitude. Aristotle, the Greek
Philosopher, once said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is
not an act, but a habit.” Did you notice the word habit again? Below, I have
listed couple of positive affirmations that you can repeat to yourself on a
daily basis to complement certain goals. However, these are simply examples.
Any affirmations that you use should be tailored to meet your individual
needs and requirements in order to be effective.
Health and Fitness goal
Affirmation—I look and feel great at xxx pounds.
I am energetic and in good physical condition.
Family goal
Affirmation—I love my spouse unconditionally
My children are bright and talented
My family is strong and close knit
Whenever you use positive affirmations, make them now affirmations. If
you tell yourself you are going to be or would like to be…, your brain
receives it as something which has not yet occurred and will place your
affirmation somewhere in its archives. However, if you use a positive now
affirmation, your brain will begin to work on your behalf in making your
affirmations a reality. I can understand that to some this may sound funny
or fictitious, but the results can be profound when properly applied. I have
seen it work in my life, my family’s life and the lives of others who were
completely sold out on the idea of achieving their goals.
It is my hope that this has been of some use to you. Now is the time to
stop failing and start finishing in your pursuit of peace and fulfillment
for your life. I hope you would agree that you deserve it.
H. Michael Ducre is the author of The Entrepreneurial Spirit/Renewing
Your Mind for a Successful Business. His book ia available for purchase
online at amazon.com or any other major online retailer.
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