Goal-Setting to Achieve Dreams
My personal 5-Step Plan To Achieving A Goal:
1) Dream/Visualize it.
2) Write it down, with a deadline.
3) Work towards the goal a little bit every day.
4) Savor the moment when the goal is achieved.
5) Repeat.
Those who know me well know that goal-setting is as much of my core as are writing, rescue and adventuring.
I’m a firm believer in visualization, writing goals down on paper, and mapping out milestones (baby steps!) needed to achieve the goal.
Sometimes, all my hard work may not produce the results in the order in which I envisioned, but oftentimes, the reward is far better than I could have possibly imagined.
For me, setting these personal goals is a liberating experience. It’s as if I’m a captain on a very important ship at sea. As long as I know the course I need to be going, and moving in a forward direction, I can relax and enjoy the journey.
Additionally, I am blessed that my best friend Suzan is also my Goal Buddy. This amazing lady has been an anchor in my whirlwind life for more than 10 years!
Even though she’s in California and I’m *roaming*, we support each other thanks to phone calls, text and emails.
In the spirit of friendship, we hold each other accountable for goals dare to set, and celebrate – via long distance – each others’ success.
At the start of every year, Suzan and I block out a couple of hours to review the previous year’s goals, reflect on the accomplishments, and explore perhaps why a particular goal wasn’t met.
We then turn our attention to the promise of the year ahead:
- Personal goals
- Professional goals
- Writing goals
- Financial goals
- Health goals
- And so on…
Ultimately, we seek new ways to be challenged, new learning opportunities, bigger dreams to work towards, and, for the past few years, assigning a “yearly theme” or mantra.
We genuinely rejoice in the successes of one another… there is no competition, no envy, no jealously. There is absolute honesty and trust. My friendship soul mate!
As we prepare to enter the final month of the 3rd Quarter of 2014, I find myself scanning my Quarterly and Yearly goals… the end of 2014 is getting closer! Am I on track? Am I hitting my mark? Am I at least moving in the right direction to where I want to be?
If I find that I’ve diverted off-course, it’s as easy as (1) readjusting my goal timetable, or (2) taking time to reevaluate/re-prioritize the goal. Nothing is set in stone that I can’t change my mind. That is the beauty of living the life of *my* dreams, *my* bliss. It allows me the freedom to change and grow as a person, and have my goals reflect this development.
For those who currently are not big goal setters, or maybe don’t know where to being, I highly recommend the following:
- “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Living Your Dreams” (Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hanson, pictured)
- “The Success Principles: How To Get From Where You Are to Where You Want To Be” (Jack Canfield)
- “Think and Grow Rich” (Napoleon Hill)
- “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” (Stephen R. Covey)
I know there are thousands of goal-setting books out there, but if you’ve had one that impacted you, or if you have other goal setting tips or advice that’s helped keep you on track with your goals, I’d be grateful for you to share them in the comments.
Make it happen!
Amy O.
OnTheGoWithAmyO. 
Reblogged this on Dream Big, Dream Often and commented:
Read what On the Go With AmyO has to say about having a goal buddy!!
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