How to Set Meaningful Goals

Setting goals isn't just for school or work. Goals are a way to get your mind pointing in the right direction. Maxwell Maltz, author of "Psycho-Cybernetics," described the mind as a self-aiming torpedo. It must have a target to work properly. A lack of meaningful life goals will make you feel empty.

Instructions

1. Identify what you want to achieve in your life. This seems simple until you write down your goals. Be as specific as possible. Take the trouble to do your goal setting on paper, because seeing them in writing makes them real.

2. Use the present tense when writing down your goals. This helps you picture them more vividly. Creative visualization is an important part of the goal-setting process. Write something like "I have a three-bedroom house with a garden near the lake."

3. Think about creating a new situation rather than ending an unsatisfactory one. This creates positive images for your mind to absorb. Write "I have a job where my boss and co-workers value my skills."

4. Set a time frame for your goals. This can be the hardest part to get through because a time limit makes the goals real. The deadline encourages you to stay on track. When you miss a deadline, extend it, never give up. Keep moving toward your life goals.

5. Use your imagination to picture yourself having achieved your goals. Do this before bed. Imagine yourself in your new house or having a great day at your job. Give your subconscious concrete images to steer you toward your goals.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure the goals you identify are really your goals and not what your parents, family, friends and others make you feel you should want.

• Don't try setting life goals for anyone else. Guide them through setting their own and help them with their procrastination.