The Ultimate Goal Setting Process: 7 Steps To Creating Better Goals

How often do you set goals for yourself? If you don’t set them regularly, you will often find you might struggle in life.

Setting goals is important because they motivate us to take action towards achieving success and getting where we want to be, both in the day-to-day and over longer periods.

They also provide us with direction and clarity in life. There are several ways to create better goals.

In this article, we will share the seven best steps to creating goals and go over why creating goals is so essential.

Table of Contents

What Is Goal Setting?

A goal is a specific purpose or result that someone wants to achieve.

It can be anything from losing weight to becoming an entrepreneur.

The point of setting goals is to make sure we have clear expectations about what we want to accomplish in our lives.

We set goals because it helps us get motivated and stay focused on what we need to do to reach our desired outcomes.

When we set goals, we know exactly what to do to get there.

This makes focusing and staying motivated easier when working towards those goals.

Why Set Goals?

To become successful in life, you need to set goals. Why?

Because without goals, we won’t know what we should work towards.

We won’t know if we are going in the right direction or not. Without goals, we will wander through life.

Goals help us avoid making mistakes and wasting time by doing things that aren’t productive.

When we set goals, we give ourselves a sense of direction in life.

It gives us something to strive for and keeps us motivated until we reach them.

How Do You Set Goals?

Creating good goals isn’t easy. Many factors influence how well your goals will turn out.

Here are some tips to help you create better goals.

Start With A Clear Vision Of Where You Want To Be

Before you start writing down your goals, you first need to determine where you want to end up.

What does your ideal future look like? Write down as much detail as possible.

For example, write down everything you would love to see happen in your life.

Include all aspects of your life, including relationships, career, health, finances, etc.

Be careful not to write too many goals down at one time.

Creating a long list can be unachievable, and it is better to focus on the goals that matter most and focus on only these few.

It needs to be a goal you truly want, and it needs to be important enough to put in the time and effort.

Use SMART Goals

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

These four elements are essential to any goal you set. Let’s break each element down.

Specific – Make sure your goals are very detailed and specific. Don’t say, “I want to lose 20 pounds”. Instead, state specifically what you want to accomplish, such as “By May 1st, I want to weigh 170 lbs.”
Measurable – Your goals need to be measurable. You can’t tell if you are succeeding or failing if you don’t measure it. So, make sure your goals include numbers. Using the weight example again, instead of saying, “I want to lose weight,” try stating, “I will lose 10 pounds by June 30th”.
Attainable – Your goals need to feel attainable. If they seem impossible, then you will be afraid to attempt them. Make sure your goals are realistic so you will take action. This may involve breaking larger goals down into bite-size chunks.
Relevant – Your goals need to align with your values. They also need to align with who you are and what matters to you. They need to be relevant to your journey.
Time-Bound – Your goals need to have a deadline to keep you motivated.

Write Your Goals On Paper

Once you have created your vision of where you want to end, now it is time to write down your goals.

Keep your goals short and simple.

The more complex your goal is, the less likely you are to achieve it and the scarier it will look on paper.

Writing them down keeps the goals visible. Try putting them up at your desk or on your wall.

This can act as a physical reminder and motivate you to keep going.

Always use a positive tone; this will keep you excited about the possibility of achieving them.

Create An Action Plan

You should create an action plan before you begin taking steps toward accomplishing your goals.

An action plan helps you stay focused and organized.

It ensures you do not miss deadlines and helps you determine how to achieve the goal.

Get creative and use crayons or colored markers.

Mark the steps you will take to reach your goal and tick them as you go along.

Create A Timeline

Create a timeline for yourself. Break down your goals into smaller tasks. Then, assign dates to each task.

This will help you stay on track and avoid procrastination.

A timeline can create a sense of urgency and will motivate you to stay on schedule and reach your goal when you want to.

Take Action

Take small steps every day toward reaching your goal.

Do something for five minutes daily to move closer to your goal.

You didn’t do all this planning to sit around and wait for it to happen, and now it’s time to get moving.

Re-Evaluate And Assess Progress

At least once per week, re-assess your progress. Look back over your timeline and see how far you have come.

Are you making good progress? Is there anything that needs adjusting?

If you find that you are not progressing as quickly as you had hoped, maybe it is time to change your strategy.

Maybe you need to set new goals or alter your current ones.

Or perhaps you need to reassess your approach altogether. Whatever the case may be, always remember to be patient.

Final Thoughts

We hope this article has guided you through the process of how to set goals and what steps you can take to not only stay motivated but eventually reach those goals and finish your journey to success.

Remember always to plan, create a timeline, and take action; you should reach your goals in no time!