A properly defined goal is a very powerful thing. It can have far-reaching impacts in your life. In order to create such a goal, it is important to make sure that it is specific, measurable, stated 'as if now', realistic, and time-sensitive. When a goal has been properly defined in this manner, it is almost guaranteed to happen! In this article we will be discussing how to make a goal realistic and keep it time-sensitive.
This should be obvious, but it has to be said: make your goals realistic. A 'realistic goal' is unique for every person, though. There is no universal standard. What is realistic for Donald Trump is not what is realistic for a first time real-estate investor. What is realistic for Osho or the Dalai Lama might not be realistic for me. If you are working at a fast food restaurant, earning $1 million this year might be a bit of a stretch. Whatever your current resources are will determine how realistic your goal is. Awareness of your current resources and the opportunities around you will allow you to reach for amazing goals. A lack of awareness can keep you stuck right where you are. So pay attention!
Some trainers advocate setting a goal just a little bit higher than what you believe is possible. This forces you to grow. Keep in mind, the key phrase is 'a little bit'. If you think it is realistic for you to make $100, 000.00 this year, then you might shoot for $125,000.00 or $150,000.00, to force yourself to grow and find new ways of getting your outcome. On the other hand, bumping the goal up to $1 million would be a bit extreme.
Finally, your goal should be time sensitive. There has to be a 'completed by' date. Without this, the possibility will stretch forever into the future. If, however, you set a date for the goal, when that date arrives you will know if you're ahead of schedule, a little behind, or right on time.
These last two elements are also linked. It is good to consider how realistic the goal is in terms of the time frame you set for it. It may be ridiculous to assume you could be a millionaire this year (or maybe not), but with proper planning and focus, it might be virtually guaranteed in seven years.
In addition to what we have already covered, it is important to review your goals every day. Some people write their goals down every day, while others write them only once and then just look over them daily. It is also useful to step into a motivating visualization of having already achieved your goal on a daily basis. You can even do this as a part of a daily meditation.
If you actually go through all these steps to properly clarify and visualize your goal, you will actually be changing your nervous system, which changes the way you interact with the world. When your interactions with the world are filtered through a properly defined goal, powerful results will soon follow!
