Setting goals

Do you dream big but not sure where or how to start? Here are some tips to help you on your way...

ᴿᴹ Understand yourself

Your goals are your goals and they should be something that is personal to you. Others do not have to understand or appreciate your ambitions. Sometimes your mind can get so clouded with other people’s opinions and suggestions that it becomes difficult to hear your own voice. Take some time out for yourself and discover yourself. Ask yourself some questions such as who are you; what are you good at; what do you enjoy; what can you see yourself doing. These are important questions that will help you understand yourself and your goals better.

ᴿᴹ SMART goals Use the SMART strategy to work on your goals. SMART is an acronym, standing for ‘Specific’, ‘measurable’, ‘achievable’, ‘realistic’ and ‘time-orientated’. Most goals cannot be achieved overnight. Break your ambitions into achievable chunks. For instance, if you want to write a book this year, give yourself enough time; write out a plan for the story and start writing your story. Make sure that you are able to track your progress – is there a certain point of the story you wanted to get to; did you want to write for a certain amount of time, etc.. However you want to do it, make sure you don’t overwhelm yourself- small, achievable chunks is the key. ᴿᴹ Research resources We are fortunate to be living in the Age of Information. The internet has a lot of useful information and this is a wonderful tool. Be sure to use this to your advantage and make sure you make full use of all the information available. Find out if there are any courses you can sign up to which will help you get on your way to achieve your goals. Is there any online forums, where people can talk about their experiences. Use all the information you can find to help you with your goals. ᴿᴹ Make time for goals If something is important to you, you will have to make time for it. If you find you are struggling to make time, schedule it in. Things are hard to do when it is out of your routine and you are already busy with everyday demands. To make sure you are able to stay on top of your goals, make sure you put some time aside to put towards your goals. You could do this by putting a reminder on your phone- or if you're like me, you can make a note of it in your paper planner.

ᴿᴹ Take regular breaks Don't exhaust yourself by doing too much in too short of a time span. Taking regular breaks is a good way to re-energise and focus yourself on your goals. This also allows you to objectively see how you are doing. Sometimes, when we are too involved in a project, our vision becomes obscured and it becomes difficult to see how we are doing. Also by taking regular breaks, you are more likely to stay motivated.