Many people don’t even bother to set goals of any kind, let alone write them down and refine them. For the vast majority, goals are only ever set (if at all) as New Year’s resolutions which rarely get followed through on. Let’s face it, if you truly have a goal you want to achieve you won’t wait until the new year to try and do something about it. You will want to get onto it ASAP.
For example, say I wanted to lose some weight, but it’s only the month of June. If I’m willing to wait until January to start my weight loss campaign, then I can’t really be very serious about trying to lose the weight.
For those of you reading this post that do like to set genuine goals – at any time of the year – it is very important that you commit them to paper by writing them down, or typing them onto a file on your computer or smartphone or tablet. There are some key reasons why writing down your goals has significance, and we’ll cover a few here.
Commitment
When you write things down it helps to firmly plant the seeds in your subconscious mind, and it is the subconscious that actually controls how we act and what action we take. For this one reason alone it is vital to write down your goals. For the sake of repetition and really drumming those goals into your brain it might also be a good idea to write them down several times over, at least in the beginning.
They Serve As Constant Reminders
If you don’t write your goals down then they remain just snippets of random information floating about inside your head. When you write them down, not only do you not forget about them, but viewing them serves as a constant reminder of what you aim to achieve and it will help you to take regular action towards achieving those goals. Every time you read them you will be prompted to take action.
A Sense Of Achievement
As you advance with a goal or actually achieve it and can then cross it off the list, you experience a real sense of accomplishment. This also serves to fuel the fire to achieve the rest of the goals on your list or to set new ones and go after them.
Clarification and Expansion
When you get into the habit of writing your goals down it helps to clarify exactly what you want. They may start off as vague ideas, but as you work on them they will become clearer, with a more defined pathway to achieve them developing before your very eyes. These goals will start to form a kind of mini business plan or action plan. Once you have a plan of action in place for your goals, you can attack them with real purpose. The more specific your goals become, the more chance there is of you actually attaining them.
Use Deadlines
Even if the goal doesn’t call for a specific deadline, write deadlines into your plan anyway. Make them realistic or you will just be wasting your time and frustrate yourself. Even if you don’t manage to achieve a goal by the time of the deadline, you will likely be closer to success than if you had no deadlines at all.
Keep Your Goals Where You Can See Them
This is the real advantage to writing them down on a piece of paper or cards. You can physically place them in strategic locations to serve as a constant reminder of what you aim to achieve. Place them on the fridge door, beside your computer, carry goal reminder cars around in your pocket wherever you go, have them next to your bed so they are the last thing you see before sleep and the very first thing you take note of when you wake up. There is no point writing out a list of goals, then filing them away in a dusty drawer never to be seen again.
The Most Successful People Write Down Their Goals
Many official studies over the years have continually proven that the majority of successful people not only have specific goals, but that they write them down and expand on them. So get into the habit of writing down your goals and viewing them regularly. It doesn’t matter what the goals are. These tips work for every kind of goal.
Get to it and take action!
Check out my other post: "Goal Setting For Success Online"
Darren Burton
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Hi Darren,
I never used to set goals at one time until I moved into affiliate marketing but I was taught how to put them effectively into practice.
I now have monthly goals and I break these down into weekly goals then further down into daily goals.
Top priority for me is to complete each goal throughout the day before I have finished my days work.
I have to say that my achievements have shot through the roof by using this simple tactic, it’s quite amazing how much you accomplish as the weeks go by.
At the beginning of the week I set my new daily agenda for the following week and make sure I stick to it.
Do you set monthly, weekly and daily goals?
Thanks again,
Simon.
I always have a daily to do list, as well as weekly or monthly goals or things I want to achieve or get done. I also have overall goals which don’t necessarily have time limits or deadlines attached. Things tend to change over time, a bit like a business plan. Always evolving.