Goal Setting Simplified

What You Need To Know About How To Choose The Right Goals

4 Things to Keep in Mind When Choosing What Goals to Pursue

If you’ve embraced the outstanding practice of setting goals for yourself, kudos to you—but new challenges arise when we create too many targets. So here’s a quick, fool-proof way to sift through your plans and choose the right goals. It’s goal setting simplified, just for you.

1. Think about the most comprehensive picture possible. Think about the end game. Sit down for reflection, journaling, and questioning who you are and what matters to you. Try making a list of your ten most important values. Once you’ve done that, think about what you want more than anything else in life, and write that down. Keep it short, sweet, and to the point. Make it one sentence—no more. You’ll be amazed how having clarity on the big picture will help you sort through your goals and find the ones that matter.
2. Think about your budget and compromise accordingly. When you begin working on goal setting, it’s crucial to think about the limitations you face and be completely realistic. If you’re holding down a nine-to-five gig within the median salary range, saving up a million dollars in one year is not feasible. Put that goal aside for the future and pick something more reasonable, like saving a few thousand dollars. Money is not the only factor; time and physical limitations are also important considerations.
3. Consider your health. Suppose you have a work-related goal to hit six figures or something similar, and your doctor has also told you that your health is in trouble. In that case, it may be time to set aside your money-related goals and focus on your health. Taking a thirty-minute walk every day is more important than squeezing in an extra few hours of work every week. If you don’t pick the former goal, the latter goal might drive you to a point where neither goal can be reached. 
4. Remember those around you. Suppose you’re in a situation where other people depend on you, such as family or colleagues. In that case, you may set aside personal goals to meet their needs. For example, if you’re a parent of several kids and you want to get a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, but your kids are struggling in school, you may want to set aside your drive to be Jackie Chan and spend some time each day helping them with their homework.

You never want to set aside all your goals due to obligations or situations. Instead, start with smaller goals that work towards the bigger picture so you’ll always be making forward progress. Goal setting simplified helps you choose the right goals, and figure out how to pursue them.