8 Rules for goal setting to Achieve Your Dreams

Goal Setting: In this article, we talk about the importance of goal setting for our dreams. Our dreams usually provide us with an indication of the results we want. However, there’s still the task of breaking this dream down into deliverables or milestones. We will cover some of the basics of goal setting, defining the outcomes and creating success criteria. A goal is useless if you don’t know whether you’re reaching your vision or not.

What is goal setting?

Goal setting is the process of setting specific targets to achieve the outcome you desire. It is a step after you create and define your dream. Note that there’s a big difference between dream setting and goal setting. Dreams are supposed to be big, hairy and audacious. Goal setting however is a process to ensure that your goal is realistic, time-bound and challenging enough to keep you on track to your desires. The most important aspect of goal setting is to be able to break down a large deliverable into desirable outcomes. These outcomes help you keep in track of your overall desire and set you up for success.

Rules for goal setting to achieve your success

A general summary of search on rules for goal setting yields the following results.

1. Be Specific: Clearly define your goals with specific details and measurable outcomes. This helps you focus on what exactly you want to achieve.
2. Set Realistic Targets: Aim high but ensure your goals are achievable. Setting realistic targets encourages continuous progress and avoids feelings of overwhelm. One of the most commonly used methods is the SMART framework to set up goals and targets
3. Break It Down: Divide your larger goals into smaller, manageable milestones. This approach allows for incremental achievements and boosts confidence along the way. Make sure that these milestones have clear definitions of success and failure.
4. Create a Timeline: Set deadlines for each goal and milestone. A timeline keeps you accountable and encourages consistent effort. One thing I’d say about these timelines is that – don’t get caught up on the times. Sometimes, things will go beyond the deadline. The most important thing is to ensure that we adapt and keep moving forward.
5. Stay Flexible: Be open to adjusting your goals and strategies as circumstances change. Flexibility allows you to adapt and find alternative paths when faced with challenges.
6. Stay Positive: Cultivate a positive mindset and visualize your success. Positive thinking fuels motivation and empowers you to overcome obstacles.
7. Write It Down: Document your goals and progress. Writing them down reinforces commitment and provides a visual reminder of what you’re striving for.
8. Seek Support: Share your goals with supportive friends, family, or mentors. Having a support system encourages accountability and offers valuable encouragement. Another good way is to have coaches that can help you feel accountable for these goals and keep you on your toes.

Find your Why!

This sounds like one of the phrases from a talk by Simon Sinek, finding your why. I think this is one of the most powerful motivators to find our way. It acts as a North Star metric to help us find our way. Sometimes, our tactics and strategies will change. But we ought to make sure that we address the big picture questions and not just be lost in the details.

A dream starts from a seed of thought. Before starting work on your goals, identify the source of your motivation. This source will help you at times of extreme need and despair. Remember that our pathway to dreams is a marathon, it takes multiple successes and failures to get there. Your best friend in the process will be your source of motivation.

“Show me a why and I will tell you how! “

There is no question more powerful than  WHY when it comes to setting your goals in life. It is the driving force for all our motivation, the purpose which defines our actions and how much the goal means to us.

Tips to find your motivators

Some questions to ask before goal setting are:

• Of all the dreams you have, why is this the most important?
• What does achieving this mean to you?
• How will you feel when you achieve this?
• What type of a person will you become?

You can always revisit these questions. But it is great to have them written somewhere so that you can keep visiting them at times of stress.

Define Key Milestones in your goal setting

A goal or dream might be one huge thing. But life is a marathon, it needs to be combined with multiple successes to achieve a large one. I love the quote – perseverance is many short races. In order to know whether you’re going in the right direction, break down your goal into its components.

This helps you to take consistent feedback on your progress as you move ahead. The idea is to never stop and continuously move forward. Small successes or failures are key feedback. You can use them to change your approach to reach your ultimate goal.

Make sure however that your goal is big enough. Life is too short for petty goals, a goal should be aspirational and big enough to scare you.

Prioritise the order of your goals

Time is a scarce resource. We can’t always complete everything. But we can make sure that the most important things on our list get adequate time. The simplest representation I’ve seen for prioritisation of time is the Eisenhower matrix for organising activities based on their priority.

Here’s a quick video on using this matrix for time management:

Use goal setting frameworks

The most popular framework for goal setting is the SMART framework. It stands for

• Specific – target a specific area for improvement.
• Measurable – quantify or at least suggest an indicator of progress.
• Assignable – specify who will do it.
• Realistic – state what results can realistically be achieved, given available resources.
• Time-related – specify when the result(s) can be achieved.

Make sure that you have a strong deadline and work towards it. The SMART criteria helps you identify the most important deliverables to move forward. It also helps you remove false sense of success or things that get in your way. This will enable to keep your focus fixed on high priority outcomes.

Make your resources visible

Some goals require support from others to achieve. It is great to map out the resources that you have to identify who can be called upon at times of need. The timing of requesting for help is important. Adding this step in your goal setting helps you be prepared for rough times.

A map of your allies helps you identify the people who have your best interests and will help at times of need. Maybe it also exposes gaps so that you can identify what else you’ll need to achieve your goal. This goal setting process is all about establishing the right strategy and resources in place to give you the best chance for succcess.

Think about

• Direct Resources – Guides, teachers, study materials, sparring partners
• Indirect resources – Common contacts through a third party, informal or formal networks such as linked in etc

Start working

This is the most exciting and real part of goal setting. To be able to work tirelessly and push forward for your goal. I’m sure it will be a fascinating journey as you start with the goal. Define the plan, set up weekly targets or milestones and keep measuring yourself.

Don’t fall into the trap of waiting for the entire project to complete. Take feedback consistently and move forward.