Setting Smarter Goals That Inspire Action & Get Results

Setting goals is the absolute cornerstone of improving any area of your life, whether for your business, finances or your personal life, you need to know how to set inspiring goals.

“Without goals, and plans to reach them,
you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination.”

Have you ever gotten lost when you were driving, with no map, no gps, and no clue where you’re going? You know you don’t want to be here, but you don’t know how to get out, so you just have to keep going till you find something you recognize or some help.

That’s not very fun right? If you have no goals that’s kind of what it’s like for your unconscious mind. You just keep going and make the best use of what’s around you, floating along, seeing where life takes you. It’s ok, but it’s not very efficient if you want to get somewhere or do something with your life.  A goal is a precise destination that comes with it’s own map. A specific address in your GPS. One precise spot that you want to get TO.

Once you decide on a specific destination, even if you don’t know how to get there yet, you can research and learn how others have done it before and plan a route, break down a large goal into mini goals or milestones and create a daily action plan to get yourself there.

A goal is not a resolution or a dream. It is a decision about a destination.

Where do you want to go?

Many people have an idea of something they want to get AWAY from, but are not clear on what they want to get TO.  If you are 20 kgs overweight and want to lose that weight, that is a starting point for a goal, but is not a goal in itself.

You may have heard about SMART goal setting. Smart goals are goals that have power. Smart goals are not wishy-washy dreams or hopes. They are specific, realistic, measurable goals with a deadline.

Set SMARTER goals.

SPECIFIC – Be as specific as possible about what you want.
MEASURABLE  – How will you know when you have it? Your goal must be measurable.
ACCOUNTABLE – Make yourself accountable to yourself or a friend in daily small action steps
REALISTIC – Set big, exciting goals, that are within the realms of possibility.
TIME BOUND  – When will you have this by? Set an exact goal achievement date.
EMOTIONAL – Are you emotionally attached to the goal and excited about achieving it?
REVIEWED – Successful goals are reviewed often, visualised daily and continually refined

So, If you could wave a magic wand and make your health, fitness and body exactly as you want it, no restrictions, what would you be like?

And what is the last thing that happened so you knew you had it?

The easiest way to write a smart goal is to write your goal as if it is a future diary entry written on the day that you have achieved your goal. Be sure to include how you look, feel, act, what you hear and say. Notice that it is focused on what you now have not what you have lost.

Examples of a personal Goal Statement.

It is the 31st December 2012. I am out with my friends celebrating the New Year. I look amazing in my new skinny size 10 jeans! I am so proud that I have achieved my ideal weight of 60 kgs and under 18% body fat. I am lean and toned for the first time ever. My friends are all commenting that I am glowing and looking incredible. I can’t believe that I am really enjoying my daily exercise and delicious healthy foods. I feel better than ever!”

It is X date, I am so happy to be in a bikini for the first time in 20 years! I am so grateful to feel comfortable in my own body, to play and swim at the beach. I think I actually look better than I did in my 20’s. I am so proud to be slim, fit, healthy and strong. My children are so proud of me and I am exhilarated to have more energy than ever to play with them and be a good example for them in the years to come.

Date: I am absolutely exhilarated as I cross the finish line of my first marathon! I am sweating and exhausted and am so proud of myself. I have transformed my fitness and lifestyle training for this and I am zoo proud of myself for having achieved it!! Woohoo!!

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Goal Setting Process

1) Get specific about what you really want.

• What do you want? What will it look like? Sound like? Feel like?
• Where? In what context do you want this?
• When? When do you want it? How long will it take to get it?
• How? Can you do this? How will you do it? How many steps will it take?
• Do you have the resources to get this? Can you find people to learn from?
• Is it compelling? Do you really want it? How much? Why?
• What will it mean for you and to you?
• Are you willing to say no to other things in your life in order to have this?
• What will you need to say “no” to in order to achieve this?
• Does this fit with other areas of your life?
• Is it ecological? i.e it will be an improvement for you and for others in your life
• How will you know that you have it?
• What kind of person will this make you?
• How will it transform you?
• Do you like that?
• Are you willing to do whatever it takes to achieve this and become that person?

2) Create a goal statement using the 3 P’s.

Write a statement that describes the ideal moment when you know you have achieved this outcome. What will you be doing, thinking, feeling, saying, hearing, when you know that this has been achieved? When you read the statement can you imagine yourself in your body, in that moment doing those things? Use the 3 p’s; make it personal, present tense and positively stated.

3) Why do you want this? Get to the heart of the matter.

Why do you want to do this? It’s going to take some tough decisions, and saying no to some tempting things along the way. Do you really want it? Are you willing to fight for it? Why? Write 50-200 reasons why you want this and what positive impact it will have on your life. The more reasons you write the more motivated you will be to achieve this…

4) Commit to the goal. Resolve to do what it takes.

Once you have a specific goal that is emotional, specific and exactly what you want, it is time to commit to doing whatever it takes to achieve it. Really resolve, Make a contract and commitment to yourself.

5) Create an action plan.

Break your goal down into daily tasks and begin to live your lifestyle as if you have already achieved this goal. Imagine what you will be like after you have achieved this and start to live as if you were that person now! Or ask yourself this question: What would I need to do every day, every week, to make achieving this goal inevitable?

6) Take consistent action, measure your results.

Continually take action and keep at it. Get help if you need it and keep taking action with single minded focus. If you get off track or miss a few days, don’t worry, just get straight back to it as soon as you can. Re-read and re-write your goal often (every day is best) and visualize how amazing it will be when you achieve this, and how much it will positively impact on other areas of your life. As you make progress, measure your results and adjust your action plan if necessary. Keep taking action. Action is the key!

Congratulations on taking the leap of faith to set yourself a big, challenging goal!

Now get out and take some action today to get started and go for it!!

If you want me to check over your goal statement to make sure it is as powerful as it could be. Just pop it in the comments below… I’d love to hear from you.