Smart Goals: 12 Stop-You-Dead-in-Your-Tracks Mistakes That Will Keep You From Your Goals
By Karim H. Ismail
One way to achieve your goals is by using the acronym S.M.A.R.T or Smart Goals which is based on creating goals which are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely. While this may be a useful way to approach everyday life goals, I believe it misses out on MANY other key factors that you will want to consider if you wish to achieve huge or audacious goals.
Here are the 12 most common mistakes people make while setting life goals. If you pay special attention to avoiding these mistakes, your chances of achieving your goals will soar!
- Mistake #1: Not thinking BIG enough.
The act of setting large, seemingly impossible goals spurs your mind to think differently and thinking differently is the key to achieving your goals.
- Mistake #2: Not having a clearly defined time frame or deadline.
This will allow you to chunk up your goal into manageable parts.
- Mistake #3: Not setting clear milestones on your path to success.
When you set smaller well defined milestones it will keep you moving forward. It also allows you to measure your progress and take corrective action when necessary.
- Mistake #4: Not defining a clear measurement for achieving your goal.
This will keep you encouraged and will let you know when you are making progress and when you have met your goal.
- Mistake #5: Not defining your Compelling Reasons for wanting to achieve your goal.
Make the reasons as emotional as possible because we are driven by our emotions no matter how reasonable we think we are.
- Mistake #6: Not defining the Benefits You Expect to Gain.
The more benefits to be gained the greater the focus you will have.
- Mistake #7: Not willing to face up to the Consequences of Not Achieving Your Goal.
Your mind is programmed to avoid pain so defining that pain will motivate you to avoid failure.
- Mistake #8: Not pre-defining the Obstacles to Achieving Your Goal.
Embrace all the obstacles in your path. Your mind is programmed to find solutions, so focus on your obstacles and then your mind will begin to search for ways around them.
- Mistake #9: Not enough focus on the Solutions to Overcoming Your Obstacles List all your possible obstacles on paper.
Challenges always loom larger when they are swirling around in our subconscious. By writing them down you allow your brain to search for the solutions.
- Mistake #10: Trying to do it all alone.
Utilize all your resources. Trying to accomplish things alone is one of the biggest mistakes we make. We were never meant to be a lone ranger.
- Mistake #11: Not sharing your goal widely.
Share your goal with people who will encourage you and keep you accountable. The more you articulate your goal the more clear it will become and the more committed you will become.
- Mistake #12: Not visualizing with clarity what Your Goal will Look Like, Feel Like, and Sound Like.
Have a crystal clear vision of your success. Visualize will help you to succeed
To summarize, setting and achieving goals is all about having clarity and the inner motivation and drive to achieve your goals. Setting SMART goals (S.M.A.R.T.) ones that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely is a good place to start.
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