Goal Setting

Do you have clear, written goals for your future and have you made plans to accomplish them? 

Now, why do I ask that question?  It is best explained by telling you about an often cited study conducted by Harvard University in the 70’s. Students were asked, "Have you set clear, written goals for your future and made plans to accomplish them?" Only three percent of the graduates had written goals and plans; 13 percent had goals, but they were not in writing; and a whopping 84 percent had no specific goals at all.

Ten years later, the members of the class were interviewed again, and the findings, while somewhat predictable, were nonetheless astonishing. The 13 percent of the class who had goals were earning, on average, twice as much as the 84 percent who had no goals at all.  What about the three percent who had clear, written goals? They were earning, on average, ten times as much as the other 97 percent put together! Yes, ten times as much.  Now, I tell you this story not to emphasize the importance of money, but to demonstrate the power of goal setting. 

I believe goal setting is fundamental to achieving what you desire.  Today, I am sharing with you tools to assist you in getting the most out of goal setting.  The 4 pillars of goal setting:

1.       Write your goals down

2.       State your goals in the present tense

3.       Your goals must be stated in a positive manner

4.       Your goals must have a deadline or specific date

The most common approach to goal setting is the following; you spend an hour or so at the beginning of the calendar year writing down all of the things that you plan on accomplishing during the year.  You then put them in a drawer somewhere and then close to the end of the year, you take a look and see how you did.  If you do this, that is awesome, and better than most everyone, better than 84% of Harvard grads.  Well, imagine what you can accomplish by putting a little more process and effort into your goal setting. 

One of the common pitfalls of goal setting is to write in the future tense.  An example goal that I know I can relate to ‘I will lose 20 pounds by the end of the year’.  Now, say that sentence out loud, ‘I will lose 20 pounds by the end of the year.’  Now, although this is a fantastic goal for a lot of us, the statement itself is actually a negative one and not all that powerful for your mind to feast on.  The focus is on what you will do and on losing pounds.  Let’s try a contrasting goal statement, ‘I weigh my ideal weight of 190 pounds on December 31^st, 2009’. Now, say this statement out loud, but you can substitute your own ideal weight.  ‘I weigh my ideal weight of 190 pounds on December 31^st, 2009’. Do you feel the difference?  This goal statement is positive, feels good when you say it and focuses on already accomplishing the goal.  There is a big difference in your mind between the first goal statement; I will lose 20 pounds, no real commitment, the picture that you are painting in your mind is of dieting and losing weight, and the second goal statement; emphatically stating that you weigh your ideal weight, committed, positive, the picture is of you at your physical ideal. 

Placing a specific date also helps to paint a picture in your mind.  You can envision actually stepping on the scale and weighing yourself on that specific day.  Your mind has a clear vision to work towards.  A goal without a deadline has no urgency.  We all know that our natural tendency is to procrastinate, a deadline gives you urgency.  As you approach that deadline, your mind will feel the tension and start figuring out ways to help you reach your goal.  Without a deadline, this positive tension never occurs.  You are just always hoping to attain that goal.

 Another example using present, positive and a specific date, this time a financial goal ‘My W2 shows $250,000 for 2009.’  You can actually see that picture of the W2. A goal should never be stated as a negative.  You can always switch the language to make it a positive statement.

If you have written down goals before, you can attest to the power of actually writing them down.  Just that simple act of putting the pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, releases something from the brain into action.  A great example of the power of writing things down is if you go back to your days as a student.  On the occasions that you took notes during class, you can attest how much better the lecture sunk in than the times you chose not to take notes.  Once those goals are out of your mind and on to paper, they are crystallized and become real and tangible,   and your mind senses that and will make an effort to attain them.

Personally, I used to do the once a year goal setting described above, and it worked, I would periodically pull the paper out during the year and remind myself of my goals.  I did this every year and was amazed that I hit most of my goals.  However, I heard a statement from the great personal development speaker and writer Brian Tracy, ‘if you see the results from yearly goal setting, imagine what would happen if you did it once a month, a step further, once a week, or low and behold once a day.  That if you wrote down your goals every day that your mind would really find a way to make those goals come to fruition.  That your goals become so engrained in your mind that you can’t help but focus on them.’  After I heard this statement, I decided that I had to give it a try.

For the last number of years I have taken his words to heart, I write down my goals every morning.  To clarify, this is not a ‘to-do’ list for the day, but my medium and long term goals.  Sometimes they change as my priorities change, but it helps my mind focus on what I am trying to accomplish before I run out into the details of the day.  My results have been astonishing compared to the once a year method.  I realize that every day might be a stretch to start right now.  But I encourage and challenge you, to make it a process.  Put it on your calendar and stick to it.  Whether it is once a month, once a week or whatever you choose.  The consistent effort allows your mind to see what is important to you and it will figure out how to attain those goals.  I end this article with a bold statement; consistent goal setting will bring you more success and achievement to your life than ever before.

Kyle C. Ryan