How to Create Realistic Personal Goals

Writing your goals on paper will make them tangible and easier to follow on a daily basis.

The ability to regularly create realistic, personal goals is an important ingredient in the recipe that ultimately produces personal success. If individuals are intent on becoming successful, in any area of their lives, they must take the time to create a plan that will provide a clear and unobstructed pathway to the prize they have in mind.



Although personal goals are often borne in a person's mind, it is important to transfer them from the mental realm to the physical world by writing them down on paper so that they become tangible possessions capable of being touched and held.

Instructions

1. Capture, in your mind's eye, what you would like to accomplish. Take a mental picture of the finish line you want to reach. Visualization is very important when setting goals. If you cannot see what you want to accomplish, it is doubtful you will ever succeed in reaching your objective.

2. Write your goals on paper so that you can review them often. This is an important step in the goal-writing process because it transfers your personal objectives from a state of mind to the physical world. Once your goals have entered the physical world you will perceive them as being attainable .

3. Describe specific objectives in detail. Objectives that are vague, lack clarity and are confusing will not help lead you to an ultimate goal.

4. Set goals that are realistic. If you are attempting to lose 100 pounds, don't write down that you will accomplish your goal in one month. Goals that are written realistically will have a much better chance of being realized.

5. Attach a time-line to your goals. Decide on a realistic amount of time that it will take for you to reach your destination point. Goals that are set without timetables are often difficult to achieve. Attaching a time-line to personal goals keeps us accountable and on track.

6. Modify your personal goals if necessary. Sometimes, for a very good reason, you might have to alter your original objective. This doesn't mean that you have to scrap the entire project. Modification of a personal goal can be a great way to keep you on track even when certain elements of your life have changed.

Tips & Warnings

• Be persistent when trying to reach a goal.

• Don't let family members or friends distract you from reaching your goals.

• Don't let family members or friends help you write your personal goals.

References

• Personal Goal Setting: Planning to Live Your Life Your Way
• Personal Goal Setting