Many of us have personal and professional goals we want to achieve. At times it can be difficult to focus on those goals or to know how to proceed. If you really want to realize your goals, you must first understand how to set an effective outcome. By clearly stating what you want you will shift your focus and attention to the actions which support your desire.

The first step in anything you do is to realize your intention. Ask yourself the following 6 questions:

1. What do you want? Listing all the things you want to experience.
2. Why is it important to you? Understanding what you are passionate about & finding value in your goal.
3. What stops you from having it? Limiting beliefs of self, assessing past challenges & possible obstacles.
4. How might you get it? How else might you get it? Listing all the possible actions you could take.
5. How will you know when you get it? What will it look, sound & feel like? Realizing what it would be like to achieve your goal.
6. How will this affect all areas of your life in the long term? Short term? Ecology check, what will you gain or lose from having this goal.
   

The second step is to read over your answers and notice if your outcome is SMART:

Stated in the positive: Is it stated in the positive?

Move towards: Is it directed at your desired goal?

Applied to self: Is it within your control?

Ready: Do you have everything you need to start now?

Timeline: Will you know when you have achieved it?

The third step is to evaluate your approach to goal setting:

Is your focus on the positive or the negative? It is a basic concept, yet one we tend to overlook. When we decide to do something we are either moving towards what we want or avoiding what we don’t want. Problems arise when we focus on the things we don’t want. If you apply the theory “what you put your attention on you get more of”, you will notice that the more you think about what you don’t want (for example…no stress) your mind will still have to think “ stress”, in order to “not have it”. In essence, you actually have to work harder to achieve this goal. An effective alternative is to state this in the positive…to be centered, healthy, energized etc.

The final step is to support your vision:

Once you have decided what you want, follow these words of wisdom…if your choices are not supporting your vision, why support your choices? The difference between wanting and having is you!

- Desiree Daniel - Simple Life Solutions

Interested in learning more about Simple Life Solutions? Visit www.simplelifesolutions.ca .