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Steps to Achieving Your Goals

By Charles Hopkins Published 11/27/2007 | Self Improvement
Many people have given up setting New Years resolutions because they are convinced that such resolutions dont work. This may reflect a larger problem not knowing how to set and reach goals. Achieving personal goals is one of the most important things in life. Just because you may have encountered some failures doesnt mean that you should stop setting concrete goals.

To achieve goals, there are guidelines which can be followed. While following them doesnt necessarily guarantee success, it is certainly preferable to giving up on goal setting. Like most things, there is no one single approach and different methods work for different people. Nevertheless, it is difficult to achieve any goals if they arent identified in the first place.

Many experts suggest writing down your goals as a means of activating your subconscious mind so that it can start the process of working towards it. It can help to be detailed at this stage. For example, a common goal is to get a new car. However, rather than just writing that you want a new car, it gives your mind clearer direction if you write down the make, model and color as well. In this way, you can visualize the goal. Let your mind see you driving around town in that car. You can involve all the senses in this exercise. Just imagine that new car smell as you first take ownership. It is a good idea to review your written goals periodically as situations change. It is not a failure to modify or forego a goal, but rather a recognition of altered circumstances.

Sharing your goals freely can be counter-productive as even well-meaning friends and relatives can instill negative attitudes and cause you to abandon your ambitions. In a similar fashion, it can be a good idea to set large, albeit realistic, goals. If you shoot for the moon and miss you'll still be in the stars.

Finally, comes the most difficult part of achieving your goals taking action! Almost everyone has goals for their life, even if only in their thoughts. What separates those who achieve them from those that dont is not failure, but a capacity to focus and not give up. Most successful people have experienced many failures in life. Nevertheless, they reach their goals because they dont let that stop them and continue to take action towards their goals. This can have the fortunate consequence of making decisions a lot easier. Every time you need to make a decision during the day, you only have to ask yourself this question, "Does this take me closer to, or further from my goal."