How good are you at setting and achieving goals? The pros and cons of setting goals have been disputed for years. Often, we have good intentions but do not know how to make them real. The good news is that Positive Psychology research indicates that there is value in setting goals. Learn how goals direct your attention by clarifying where you are going and motivate you to take action.
Some things we know from the science of goal setting are:
- When you set goals that are meaningful to you, you will be more motivated to achieve them.
- To be meaningful, the goals need to match your values and use your strengths.
- To be happier and more satisfied with life, you need a balance of short and long-term (no more than 3-5 years) goals.
If you do not like the word goal, think of it as making a commitment to yourself. Begin by thinking of a goal as a dream with a deadline. Only make one to three of them. It is crucial that the dream is important to you and matches your values. Otherwise, it will not be fulfilling even if you achieve it.
As you think of your goals, keep in mind Kermit the Frog's advice, "Success starts with a dream. Dreams are how we figure out where we want to go. Life is how we get there, and always allow for traffic." (Before You Leap, 2006).
Stephen Kraus, Ph.D. writes about some of the latest findings on goal setting in his book Psychological Foundations of Success (2002). The following secrets will help keep you on track as you move forward. Your goals need to:
- Be inspirational or important to you and in harmony with your needs and values so that you can commit to them.
- Look at where you want to be or go. Have a desired outcome with a "want" mindset. This focuses on possibilities instead of an avoidance outcome with a "should" mindset.
- Be attainable and challenging for you to commit to them.
- Be specific with realistic dates, numbers or time frames.
- Be measurable to give you feedback at set times. This helps you measure your progress.
- Have a deadline. This helps you stay focused. Have a long-term goal or outcome, and then chunk it down into smaller bites. Monthly and weekly goals increase your productivity and motivation.
Effective goals will give you direction, motivation, and help you refine your strategy when necessary so that you will be successful. Start by looking at the possibilities in your life. Then choose a goal that is important to you. Following the six secrets, you will achieve your dreams.
