How to set a goal correctly and achieve it: instructions with examples

Good day! Business coach Spartak Andrieshin is in touch. Many of my coaching students ask questions about achieving goals in life, but don't know how to plan. In this article, I will tell you how to correctly formulate your personal and strategic goals, the best ways to set goals, methods for achieving the desired result, and where it is best to record reports on goals. There will be a lot of text ahead, so if you don’t like to read, then we won’t be able to figure out how to set goals and objectives for 2021 correctly.

setting goals and objectives

What goal is considered correct and how does it differ from a dream?

Everyone knows how to dream, and many people love to do it. However, few people seriously strive to realize their dreams. But a dream is essentially an unformed goal. And for it to finally come true and find material embodiment, efforts must be made:

form a specific goal;
make a plan to achieve it;
start taking action.

But not everyone succeeds. Some people are just too lazy to do anything. It is much more pleasant for them to immerse themselves in daydreams without leaving the sofa. And some people don’t know how to set goals and formulate tasks correctly.

First you need to define your goal. Often goals are imposed on us by others. If you have already come to the realization of what you really want, then ask yourself: “Am I really what I want?” Maybe this is what your parents, bosses and other people want?

When you have chosen your goal and set it correctly, consider it already half achieved. A great desire to achieve it will force you to concentrate as much as possible on achieving the result and not pay attention to mistakes and failures.

So, a goal is a strong desire, supported by a conscious decision to act.

Use the right attitude

You should not make a list of tasks while in a state of anger , irritability or sadness. This condition will affect the adequacy of setting tasks. Postpone writing until your condition returns to normal.

Watch the motivating film “Pay Another”, read several chapters of a book on self-development. Go to the gym or run a cross-country run to reset your mood.

Start writing goals when you feel inspired. This way you will get the most out of the writing process, then nothing will distract you from this process.

We don't feel inspired all the time. But we can create this feeling whenever we want. Learn to be inspired and see how it affects your goal setting.

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Setting a goal using the SMART system

This is the most popular approach to goal setting. From English “smart” is translated as “smart”. However, in this case it is an abbreviation. Each letter of this word means a specific characteristic of the goal. Try to evaluate your goal using the following criteria.

Specific - Specific

This criterion means clarity of purpose. The more specific and clear you formulate your goal, the higher the likelihood of its implementation.

For example, you are determined to buy a car. But you don’t need a well-worn and tired representative of the auto industry, no matter what country. Therefore, determine for yourself all the essential criteria. In this case, the correct goal might look like this:

Nissan Leaf car;
no older than 2015;
brought from Japan;
silver body color;
no more than 1.1 million rubles.

There may be even more specifics.

Measurable - Measurable

Here we are talking about measurable goal indicators. In the example of a car, such a criterion, in addition to price, is the source of income through which the car will be purchased. For example, you will save 70% of the cost of your “swallow” yourself, and take 30% on credit.

Or for example, you want to become a popular blogger. On social networks, popularity is measured by the number of subscribers. Therefore, the correct goal will sound something like this - 1 million subscribers on Instagram.

Attainable - Achievable

This sign means that the goal is realistic and can be achieved. It is unlikely that you will be able to move to live on Mars. However, it is quite possible to change your place of residence, limiting yourself to your native planet, for example, moving to another city or country.

Relevant

The goal should be yours, and not imposed. And you need to clearly understand why you passionately desire this. To do this, ask yourself the question: “Why do I need this?” And answer it honestly. Will you become happier? Will you find harmony with yourself? If not, then perhaps you should reconsider your goal.

Let's say you want to move to another city because your town is too small and your life is too slow. Or you can't find a decently paid job. Therefore, it seems to you that the only right way out is to move. But moving alone won't make you happy. Moreover, you may encounter unforeseen circumstances.

Therefore, think over everything carefully, weigh all the pros and cons in order to make the right decision - read how to do this on our website. Perhaps it’s enough to work on yourself a little, retrain for another, more in-demand profession. And no relocation is required. But you, having become happier and more successful in your hometown, will be able to travel more and visit other cities and countries.

Time-bound - Limited in time

Set a deadline - a date or period by which you must achieve your goal. This will help you correctly distribute your efforts towards achieving it. The goal itself must be written in the present tense and begin with the word “I”.

Using the example of buying a car, a correctly set goal according to the SMART system will sound something like this: “I am buying a silver Nissan Leaf, imported from Japan, no older than 2015, no more than 1.1 million rubles. by January 1, 2021, with money 70% of which I earned in my business selling help systems, and 30% from a bank loan.”

Celebrate victories, even the smallest ones

A good idea for self-management to achieve a goal is to reward yourself. Reward yourself every time you complete even the smallest of steps .

Even the simple act of crossing out a task from a notepad can bring pleasure as good as a cup of delicious coffee. As a result, you will be charged with a small dose of joy in life, and fulfilling your dreams will seem like an unusually large source of high.

Do not think that until the goal has been achieved, you need to wait to celebrate small victories. Get rid of such thoughts, this is a very stupid idea. Of course, you shouldn’t set off fireworks, but you definitely need to learn to just be happy.

Small victories are the main source of energy to move on and stick to the right direction.

Here's what's going on in your head: A brain chemical called dopamine spikes when you're anticipating something important (like doing something you're intending to do) and gets a boost. This is motivation for the brain.

And by setting ourselves smaller tasks and then thanking ourselves for completing them, we increase the number of dopamine surges. These surges encourage us to stay in the resource.

Step-by-step instructions for setting goals and achieving them

I want to offer you instructions that will help you set goals correctly and achieve results. It was developed by a world-class expert in the field of personal growth and success - Brian Tracy. He has written a large number of books on the topic of business and success, many of which have become bestsellers.

Clearly define your goal

I have already written about this. The goal should be as specific as possible. And it is very important to write it down in the present tense, as if everything has already happened:

I drive a Nissan Leaf;
I live in my own house in Sochi;
I earn 200 thousand rubles. per month, etc.

You can set goals for the year ahead. But in any case, one of them will be dominant. It is to achieve it that you will devote all your strength.

Write your goal down on paper

It is very important to write down your chosen goal by hand on a piece of paper. A goal written down in this way will be better recorded not only in the conscious mind, but also in the subconscious. And from now on, it will work around the clock to achieve the goal.

It is even recommended to make important decisions with the help of the subconscious. To do this, before going to bed, you need to write down an exciting question on paper. Usually in the morning, immediately after waking up, a simple, understandable and fairly obvious answer appears in your head.

You can use the following tools to capture your goals.

Diary. This is a very convenient tool. A person who uses a diary works much more efficiently than those who neglect it. He doesn’t have a question about how to put things in order (we will soon have an article on this topic on our website). In the diary you can write down goals for a week, month, year, 5 years. It's always at hand.
Vision board. This is a small board on which you can draw, glue pictures, and write. It is hung in a visible place at home. It is better to use it to achieve global long-term goals, such as a car, apartment, travel, etc.

I personally combine both methods.

Set a deadline

Having set for yourself a deadline for achieving the desired result, subconsciously you will begin to plan your actions so that the goal is achieved by the deadline.

You can define a specific date or time period for yourself, for example:

I will buy a car by January 2021;
On January 1, 2021, I drive a new car.

Make a list of tasks

Write down on a piece of paper all the actions that will help you achieve your goal. In the car example, these could be the following tasks:

find a company for transporting cars from Japan;
win an auction for the selected car;
study bank loan offers;
save 20,000 rubles monthly. and others.

The list can contain more than 100 items. If there are not enough ideas for the list, then it needs to be supplemented as new tasks appear.

Form a plan from the completed tasks

A goal is a great desire. Its implementation leads to an improvement in the qualitative and quantitative indicators of your life (lost 15 kg, bought a new large apartment, etc.).

The path to the desired goal consists of small steps - tasks. If you have distributed the tasks in the correct sequence and completed them, then the goal has been achieved.

When setting financial goals, decomposition is used. The essence of decomposition is that, using simple mathematical calculations, the goal is divided into small component parts, the sequential implementation of which ensures the achievement of the desired result.

Let's look at decomposition using an example. You have firmly decided to save 1 million rubles in 3 years. This is 36 months. To find out how much you need to save monthly, simply divide 1 million rubles. for 36 months. It will turn out to be approximately 28,000 rubles.

If your monthly income is currently 30,000 rubles, then the following options are possible for achieving your goal:

increase the period;
reduce the amount;
find an additional source of income to safely save the required amount.

This will be your plan for achieving your financial goals. It should always be based on decomposition.

To achieve goals not related to money, you need to apply the priority method. Once you have written a list of necessary actions, rank it. Carefully consider each item and put one of the letters from A to G in front of it. Label the most important tasks with the letter A, and the most insignificant tasks with the letter G.

Now that you have divided the entire list into 4 categories depending on the importance of tasks, identify priorities in each of them. That is, which of the most important tasks should be completed first. It will be designated as A1. Less important – A2, etc.

As a result, you will have a list of tasks with a clear sequence of execution, following which you will achieve the desired goal.

Take action

The most difficult thing in any business is taking the first step. So, tackle the first item on your list without hesitation. However, do not take on tasks from category B until you complete all tasks A.

Successful people act with urgency. This is how they differ from losers who constantly put off important things, finding excuses and various excuses for themselves.

Defining Your Goals

The first step to achieving the results you want is to set goals intelligently and consciously. It may sound cliché, but setting the right goals is critical to your success.

What is a goal?

Let's first look at what a goal is not. A goal is not a solution. Resolutions are easy to make (especially around New Years when we're all thinking about our new and improved selves). A resolution is simply a desire, an idea of what you would like to have or achieve. However, with a decision, you don't think about how you are going to achieve it. The solution is passive in nature.

On the other hand, the target is active . It is a decision about what you want to achieve and a plan for how you are going to achieve it. Do you see the difference?

It's okay to make decisions because they can often serve as the big picture, the main reason why you do something. However, to truly succeed, you must turn these passive resolutions into active goals .

Tools to achieve your goal

It is not always enough to simply complete the tasks on the list. To achieve your goal within the given time frame, I advise you to use the following tools.

Regular actions

Every day, make little progress towards your goal, even if the tasks themselves are small. This way you will achieve results faster and preserve your nervous system. For example, if you decide to learn a foreign language, then it is better to study daily for at least 40 minutes than 2 times a week, but for 4 hours. Your psyche will not withstand this, and you will not even master half of the material.

Countdown

So, you have a specific deadline by which you plan to achieve what you want, and a list of tasks. Now each task needs to have a due date.

For example, there is a goal - to buy a Nissan Leaf by January 1, 2020.

To drive a new car in January 2021, you must:

On January 1, 2021, pick up the car in Vladivostok and drive it under your own power to Khabarovsk.
December 2021 – pay customs duties, buy ERA-GLONASS, receive a PTS.
October-November 2021 – select a lot, win an auction, pay the necessary expenses for purchasing a car and pay the intermediary.
September 2021 – study bank loan offers and apply for a loan.
August 2021 – select an intermediary company, conclude an agreement for the supply of a vehicle, pay an advance.

As you can see, it’s time to start looking for a suitable intermediary for the supply of vehicles.

Proper time management is one of the most important tools in achieving goals. Otherwise, it may take much more time and effort to get what you want. Therefore, it is very important to master the skill of time management, which is described in detail in the article “How to manage everything.”

Formation of the environment

Subscribe to useful public pages, study information on the Internet, communicate with people who have already achieved a goal similar to yours. This way you will gain the necessary knowledge. Also, the support of family and close friends is very important in achieving the goal.

Working with consciousness

This point is suitable for those who believe in the materiality of thoughts and the power of visualization. You can make a vision board and place on it a collage of photographs or pictures cut out from a magazine depicting your desired goal. Or you can say affirmations every day that create confidence in your mind that the goal has been achieved. These methods even more strongly trigger the power of the subconscious, which persistently strives to achieve the goal.

Link the list to your vision

For example, you have a stated goal: to join the KVN team / League of Laughter, to overcome the fear of speaking publicly.

If you re-read the wording again, fear may arise in your head and the thought will settle in that this is impossible to do because it’s scary. That's right, many people are terribly afraid of public speaking.

Try reframing your goal . If your vision of an ideal day has you performing on stage as an expert at a conference, and not as a comedian, then choose a path similar to the vision. Example of a series of goals:

Take public speaking training.
Speak to schoolchildren to help them become more successful.
Speak to students 5-10 times to help them become more effective.
Give a talk at a small conference to inspire audience members to achieve their goals.

By adding “to help”/“to inspire” when stating your goal, you link the goal to part of your vision. You imagine how you will inspire the world through your work.

If, when reading the list, you have no inspiration, no desire to carry out what is written, you will never follow it . Therefore, use your own vision when compiling a list, this will help achieve your goals.

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What to do if you fail to achieve your goal

You seem to have correctly set the goal using SMART technology, and strictly followed the implementation plan, but you still did not achieve the desired result. First of all, you need to analyze the situation.

The goal could not be achieved within the specified time frame. In this case, adjust the deadline to take into account the new data.
The goal has lost its relevance. Perhaps your life has changed dramatically, and achieving the goal you once set no longer makes sense. Then give it up.
The goal is still relevant, but the priorities have changed. Now more attention is spent on other issues and goals. Determine for yourself how important the goal is and change the deadline for achieving it. Perhaps you have set yourself too many tasks for the coming period. Then reduce their number to 5-6 and choose the key one to focus on.

Be sure to analyze your actions. Probably, at some stage you began to be lazy, “burned out”, lost motivation, and faced force majeure circumstances. Look for the reason and draw conclusions. But under no circumstances start feeling sorry for yourself or criticizing yourself. This definitely won't help.

But a video from Itzhak Pintosevich will help you understand a lot. I advise you to look.

The Miraculous Power of Directed Fantasy

Evoking the desired subconscious reaction is a matter of technique of directed or scientifically organized fantasy. As has already been mentioned many times, the forces of the subconscious shape the body and monitor the progress of all vital functions.

The Bible says, “Whatever you ask with faith in your heart, it will be given to you.” To believe means nothing more than to consider a certain fact or desired state to be true and realized. Whoever manages to think and act in faith in this sense will also have his prayers answered.

Useful materials on goal setting

I have collected for you several paid and free courses that will help you set goals more correctly, develop plans to achieve them, and implement these plans. All courses are taken from trusted platforms, so there are no advertisements or “water” in any of them, everything is to the point.

Goal setting from Vikium

Description. At first glance, the course seems very small - only 6 lessons. But this is not so, because in any course from Vikium there is a huge amount of practice - students perform exercises, pass tests and study on specially designed online simulators.

The course was created to help people understand themselves, determine short-term and long-term goals in their lives. Goal setting is the first skill you will learn here. The second is planning. You will learn how to plan to achieve a goal, how to calculate the time that will be spent on implementing the plan, and how to support yourself as you move towards your goals.

The material is relevant for men and women of absolutely any age, so do not neglect it, even if you think that your “train has left.”

Authors: psychologists from the Vikium project.

Cost: 990 rub.

Start studying

Self-knowledge from 4Brain

Description. There are a lot of tests here that help students better understand themselves. You will be able to figure out which area of professional activity gives you the greatest joy, what kind of relationships you need, and how to generally live in such a way as to enjoy every day.

In total, you will learn about 50 personality traits that you previously thought were unimportant.

The training lasts exactly four weeks, the number of lessons is 16. After studying the material, each student can set a clear goal and begin to work towards it.

You can get your money back for the course within a week if you don’t like the content of the material or its presentation. Please note that you must complete no more than 2 lessons to be eligible to receive the full amount back.

Authors: Evgeny Buyanov, Dmitry Geraskin, Kirill Nogales, Sergey Krutko.

Cost: 3,490 rub.

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Goal setting according to Smart from Advance

Description. You will learn to correctly set goals and develop plans to achieve them, to do this in such a way that the goals are actually achieved within the required time frame. If you hold a leadership position in business, you will be able to correctly set goals for your team and monitor their achievement.

During the course of your studies, you will pass 8 psychological tests, complete 200 diverse exercises on self-determination and the principles of goal setting, and write 3 practical papers that will help you evaluate personal and professional goals. All these developments will remain with you after completing the program, you will be able to return to them.

Here Smart technology is revealed in the most complete way, and several simple examples of its use in life are given.

75,000 people have already completed this course. If you doubt the level of quality, look at the reviews, they are publicly available on the Internet.

Author: Alexander Zgoda.

Cost: 9,900 rub.

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Goal setting by Radislav Gandapas

Description. Every person who is interested in issues of self-development and personal growth is familiar with the name of Radislav Gandapas. This goal setting course consists of six stages:

Analysis of the current life situation . You will understand where you are now in terms of your work, relationships, income level, and where you need to go after some time.
Setting goals according to the method of Elena Malillo . Elena is a student and business partner of Radislav Gandapas.
Checking your goals against your priorities . You have to make sure you're climbing the mountain you really want to climb.
Developing a “goal tree” - you will divide long-term goals into short-term ones, determine for yourself what you need to do every day in order to achieve all your goals on time.
Comparison of family goals and desires . If you have a wife and children, you need to set goals so as not to destroy your family. A career should not mean more to you than happiness with your loved ones.
Overcoming blocking emotions and fears . The most difficult stage, without passing which, most people give up and abandon their goals.

The total number of lessons is 10, you get access to them immediately after paying for the course.

Authors: Radislav Gandapas, Elena Malillo.

Cost: 1,900 rub.

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Prioritization algorithm

Description. You will understand how to find yourself in this world and correctly set your priorities, rationally determine medium- and long-term life goals.

There are four lessons in video format. Despite the fact that the course is free, there are chats on social networks where you can chat with the author and other students and ask questions.

You get access to the material immediately after you follow the link and register.

Author: Igor Naumenko.

Cost: free.

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How to set goals correctly - video course from Boris Litvak

Description. This video course is only 25 minutes long and is completely free. The main advantage, in my opinion, is that the author teaches you to distinguish your own goals from those goals that are imposed on you by your parents, friends or environment.

You will be able to correctly build a picture of your future, understand the role of motivation and learn how to support yourself on the path to your goal and never give up.

Watch the introductory video of the course:

Author: Boris Litvak.

Cost: free.

Start studying

Stick to the plan

Setting goals and creating a plan to achieve them is not easy for a beginner. For an experienced person, this is pure pleasure, maybe difficult, but joyful.

The real challenge for a newbie comes when it comes to sticking to the plan. When implementation problems arise, one must not lose hope and give up.

Stay focused on the goal, find motivation and work day in and day out.

If the initial goal “didn’t work”, replace it with another one that will lead you to the planned result, albeit in a different way.

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How Writing Your Goals Will Increase Personal Success (Tips and Strategies)

But before we begin, here are some statistics from Harvard Business Research related to goal settings:

According to the results of their study, it turned out that XNUMX% of respondents lacked any goal.
Fourteen percent had some plans but did not write to them. According to their research, this particular group was much more likely to succeed than those who had no goals at all.
Then there were three percent of people who had goals and even wrote them down, and according to research, they were three times more likely to succeed than the other two groups.

Image Credits - Pixabay
Another study was conducted by the Dominican University of California. They surveyed five different groups.

The first group was asked to think only about their goals and also evaluate them, but not write them down. Overall this group achieved a 43% success rate.
The second group was asked the same thing, but they also wrote down their goals.
The third group also wrote their commitments to action, in addition to what the first two groups did.
The fourth group also had to share their commitments with a friend.
The fifth group, which did everything and also sent their updates to friends, was much more successful - 76% success.

So, according to these studies, writing down your goals, sharing your goals and achievements with your friends will ensure that you will be much more successful than others. So now you know that writing down your goals really works. Now let's move on to the next section and explain to you why this works.