I know I should set goals, but no one has ever told me why so, what is a goal setting plan?
Table of Contents
Hi! Ian here, and welcome to this article where we’re about to dive headfirst into the glorious world of goal setting plans.
Ever felt like your dreams are just fluffy clouds floating in a “maybe someday” sky? Yeah, me too.
But fear not, my friend, because crafting a goal setting plan is like building a rocket to launch those dreams into orbit!
Imagine this: you’re a captain on a pirate ship, plotting your course to a treasure island of personal growth and achievement. Your goal setting plan? That’s your trusty map, guiding you through uncharted waters and keeping you from getting lost in a sea of “meh.”
So, what exactly is this mystical map? Well, it’s more than just a fancy to-do list. It’s a roadmap for your ambitions, packed with clear directions, achievable milestones, and a healthy dose of “you got this!” sprinkled throughout. Think of it as a personal pep talk disguised as a plan, reminding you why you’re setting sail in the first place.
But hold on, buccaneer, before we unfurl this map and plot our course, let’s answer the burning question: what’s the difference between a goal and a goal setting plan? It’s like the difference between dreaming of a pirate feast and actually gathering the ingredients, setting the table, and firing up the barbeque. One’s a delicious fantasy, the other’s a tangible action plan for making that fantasy a reality (with a side of grog, of course).
So, buckle up, me hearties, because, in this article, we’re going to crack the code of crafting the ultimate goal setting plan. We’ll explore the SMART approach (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound), the power of breaking down mountains into molehills, and how to celebrate those tiny victories along the way.
Ready to set sail for your dreams? Then grab your metaphorical compass and let’s get started! Ahoy, mateys, and welcome aboard the S.S. Goal Setting!
Citations:
- SMART Goals: https://www.mindtools.com/as56y8x/how-to-set-smart-goals-video
- Goal Setting Theory: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goal_setting
If you want to achieve anything in life and be truly successful, you have to set goals, and you have to plan out how you are going to achieve them.
Goals are like compasses; they determine your direction in life. If you don’t have any idea of where you’re going, chances are you will end up anywhere, and you might well find that where you end up is really not a place you want to be.
Once you set a goal and create a plan, you have a clear idea of your destination and what direction you need to go to get there.
Most people have some idea of what they want. We dream. We speculate. We wish. But dreaming and speculating and wishing isn’t enough. We have to be more specific. Therefore, the first goal to set and achieve is this:
What is a goal setting plan?
Which Comes First, Goal Setting Or Planning
You must write down your dreams, your speculations, and your wishes and make a plan to achieve them. Do you see how magical this is? By simply writing down what you want, you are already on your way to achieving it.
So, if you have never created a goal-setting plan before or have never given it any consideration, here are six reasons why you might want to do so.
1. Planning a personal goal enables you to commit yourself.
Your goals will require a good deal of effort. Once you’ve set a goal and created your plan, you’ve taken on the responsibility of seeing it through to the end.
Giving yourself a specific amount of time in which to achieve your goal also increases your responsibility, and your success or failure to achieve that goal lies solely in your hands.
The only way that your goal might be unachievable is if you are not committed to it or if the goal was unrealistic, to begin with. When you create your plan you are making a specific commitment to yourself.
2. Creating a goal-setting plan enables you to take action.
Your work begins as soon as you have set your goal and have allotted a specific amount of time for achieving it.
No amount of wishing or hopeful thinking will achieve your goal. You will only succeed by outlining the steps you need to take in your plan to reach your goal and then, by taking massive action, achieve it.
Outlining the steps to your goal is like planning a journey from where you are now to where you want to be. It is the vehicle that will take you to your destination. Failing to plan or take action will simply mean not getting that which you want.
3. Planning a personal goal will boost your motivation to achieve it.
Without goals or plans, we are like a ship without a sail”. A ship without a sail is tossed about by the wind, while a ship with a sail moves faster and thereby arrives at its destination more quickly.
Setting goals adds a “set of sails” to our lives. We feel motivated. It will give us a reason to rise and meet the sun in the morning and a reason to persevere.
If you’ve been wandering aimlessly through life, create a plan to set a goal that will improve your life and or the lives of others, and add value to your existence. Thus motivated, you will feel better about yourself and be inspired to achieve your goal.
4. Planning a personal goal will sharpen your focus.
We live in an age of distractions. There are so many things vying for our attention that it is little wonder that we flit from one interesting thing to another.
Having set your goals, it can become all too easy to lose focus, especially if things are not working out the way you imagined. However, you need to stay laser-focused on your goal or those distractions will sabotage any chance you have of achieving it.
Focusing single-mindedly on each step of your plan will actually sharpen your focus on achieving the end result.
5. Planning a personal goal will boost your confidence.
Once you have set your first goal and achieved the first step in your plan, you will receive a huge boost in confidence, and achieving your overall goal will fuel your passion and inspire you to create more plans and set more goals.
The more goals you achieve, the more confidence you will have in yourself, and you will be successful even amidst the greatest of difficulties.
6. Setting a personal goal will provide you with a road map.
Setting a personal goal is an essential step toward achieving your dreams and aspirations. By setting a specific and measurable goal, you can create a roadmap to guide you toward your desired destination. Your personal goal can be related to your career, health, relationships, or any other aspect of your life that you want to improve.
When you set a goal, you create a sense of direction and purpose, which can help you stay motivated and focused on your priorities. So, take the time to set a personal goal, and remember to break it down into smaller, achievable steps to make it more manageable. With commitment and perseverance, you can reach your goal and achieve your desired outcome.
Goal Setting Examples
If you’ve never created a goal-setting plan before, start now by setting a small, fairly easy-to-achieve goal.
1. There is only one step in this mini-goal.
Grab a pen and paper and write down all the things you want to achieve.
Does that seem too easy? Never mind. If you do it, you will have created a goal-setting plan and achieved a goal, and the more goals you achieve, the greater will become your self-confidence.
Add purpose to your life and set a goal today. Grab your favorite drink, grab yourself a pen and paper, and make a plan of all the important things you feel you have to get done, or you can download the ready-made templates below.
What is a goal setting plan?
Daily/Weekly Simple Goal Setting Plan
You can download a copy of the Daily/Weekly Simple Goal Setting Plan here and see it for yourself.
1-Month to 1-Year Goal Setting Worksheet
You can also download the 1-month to 1-year Goal Setting Worksheet here.
5-Year to 10-Year Goal Setting Worksheet
You can also download the 5-year to 10-year Goal Setting Worksheet here.
Download the worksheets when you’re ready. They really will help.
FAQS
What are the 3 Ps of goal-setting?
3 Ps of Goals – Professional, Personal, and Physical
What is a common mistake when setting goals?
You set too many goals. You don’t have one goal-setting system. Your goals are vague or negative. You set them based on feelings and not data.
What is the biggest danger to your goals?
The danger to reaching your goals is that you allow small things to take your time and attention away from the few, critical, big things you need to do. The real danger is not putting outsized effort into your real priorities.
Final Words
Setting goals is important. If you want to achieve anything in life and be truly successful, you have to set your eyes on the prize. Whether you’re looking to lose weight, save money, or achieve a professional goal, having a plan is essential.
The Daily/Weekly Simple Goal Setting Plan will help guide you through how to start setting that goal with a timeline for completion as well as what needs to happen each day or week along the way.
It even includes space at the bottom of each page for notes, so if something comes up one day that prevents you from completing your daily task list, you can still save those items until they become relevant again later down the road!
The goal setting plans we’ve shared with you should help give you a good starting point for creating your own goals and achieving them. What are you waiting for? Start planning today!
Wishing you Health, Wealth, and Happiness
