Many people set goals for themselves, especially at the start of a new year. However, meeting them usually becomes a problem, as they do not stay real when listing down objectives that they wish to meet. We want you to achieve every goal that you set for yourself so that you feel accomplished and good about yourself. This is why we have compiled a list of common goal-setting mistakes that people make. Go through each one of them, and make sure that you avoid them in order to set realistic and achievable goals for yourself.
One thing which we would like to mention here is that whatever goal you set, it should be SMART. This means that the goals you wish to set should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-Bound.
1. Setting goals that are way into the future
Always try to set goals that can be achieved right away, or within a year. This way, you will stay motivated and would want to work towards accomplishing whatever you have set out for yourself. Also, avoid setting unrealistic goals that are either too easy or too hard to achieve.
2. Not writing down the goals that you have set for yourself
This is important, as writing down a goal would convert it into a challenge from a mere thought or idea. Make sure that you make a list of all the goals that you want to achieve during a certain year, and keep ticking them off until there is nothing left on the page for you to do. This will give you a feeling of accomplishment, and you would be motivated for meeting other future goals as well.
3. Setting goals that are influenced by other people, such as your family, friends, or colleagues
This is another reason why people fail to meet the goals that they set for themselves. While the people around you do affect your decisions to a certain degree, you should not let them dictate the way you do things. Make sure that the goals that you set for yourself are according to you alone, so that it is easier to accomplish them. This is because you are a better judge of your strengths and weaknesses, and you can decide what you can or cannot do. Hence, decide on your own!
4. Not being able to accept your failures
You are only human, which is why you are bound to fail at some of the goals that you set for yourself. However, this should not de-motivate you. Instead, you should get lessons from past mistakes and try to avoid making them when striving to meet future goals.
Always try to become a better version of yourself instead of giving in to temporary weaknesses.
5. Miscalculating the time that it would take you to accomplish a certain goal
This is another point that may affect the way you work towards achieving the goals that you have set for yourself. Always leave room for failures or minor setbacks, and include them in the time frame that you have allocated to achieving a certain objective.
If you do not do this, then chances are that you will be discouraged when something takes too long or is delayed.
6. Setting goals that are not specific or focused
This is important, as setting vague goals may actually prevent you from achieving them. For instance, you may want to lose some weight or learn a foreign language. Unless you specify the ways through which you would shed the extra weight, such as by joining a gym or decide the language that you want to learn, you cannot possibly succeed. Hence, begin by identifying your goals clearly. Once you have done that, make a list of all the things that can help you in achieving them. This will help you along the way.
7. Setting goals that are not challenging or exciting enough
As you think about what you want to achieve during the coming year, make sure that set yourself something challenging and interesting. This is because goals that are boring are hard to accomplish, as you would soon lose interest. However, in trying to make things interesting, make sure that you do not make them unrealistic.
8. Not setting a completion date for every goal that you assign yourself
Again, this is quite important, as time is precious, and you do not want to waste it. As a result, make sure that you assign each goal an ideal time frame that also includes room for failures and other minor setbacks.
While setting a time frame for each goal, make sure that you keep it realistic. This is the only way that will allow you to accomplish things on time.
9. Setting a lot of goals for yourself to achieve in little time
This will make life difficult for you, as you will constantly be torn between the many goals that you have set yourself. This will de-motivate you, and you might even want to not accomplish anything at all. So, make sure that do not go for quantity. Being realistic and assessing everything before setting goals for you is important. This will increase your chances of success.
10. Keeping a check on your progress
While setting realistic and achievable goals is important, you should also keep track of your progress. This will enable you to evaluate how far you have come along. Moreover, you will be also able to know that how much work needs to be done for the purpose. Furthermore, by constant evaluation, you will be able to know if the whole development demands a change in strategy.
As you keep a check on your progress, you can also identify loopholes in your plan, and correct them. You may also change your goals to incorporate other objectives. Hence, keeping a track of your progress will benefit you in many ways.
Setting yourself realistic goals is important, as they keep you focused on what needs to be achieved in the near future. However, you should not go too hard on yourself.
Author Bio:
Alaina Agnes is a passionate writer who loves to write on different subjects. She is currently doing job with a writing company where students can pay for essay and get help in their essays and projects. When not writing she can be seen playing guitar or having fun at beach.