Building Foundations by Setting Goals

There are so many books and information out there on goal setting. If the practice works, as most people would agree, why don't more people incorporate goal setting into their daily lives? There are some who suggest that they do, in fact, set goals for themselves. We have to be careful however. In order for a goal to really be a goal it must possess a few key ingredients. It must be written down. It must be written in first person. It must have a deadline. And, it must be realistic.
I have never run across a book on goal setting that waives from the thought that the goal must be written down. It's a matter of programming the subconscious mind. Our subconscious works even while we're sleeping. Writing our goals down, especially over and over, programs instructions deep into our mind. This programming leads us in our daily activities to do the things we need to do to achieve our goal.
It is critical to write the goal in first person. Studies have shown that the subconscious mind can only accept instructions in the first-person tense. This is the core reason for using the logic of writing our goals in the first person tense.
Do your goals have a deadline? This is quite possibly the most often and most critically abused area in goal setting. Many people say they have a goal and they can generally tell you the basics of what it is but ask them when their deadline is. When do they intend to reach the goal? This should be down to the nearest month or even day if possible.
When we have a deadline on our goals we have a layer of accountability with ourselves. We also have a layer of accountability with those with whom we share our goals. By the way, only share your goals with people who you know will support you 110%.
Realistic goals...that's no fun! Yes, our goals must be realistic. I do agree however, that we must stretch ourselves in life and with our goals. We simply aren't growing if we do not stretch ourselves. Our goals must be out of reach but not out of sight. If we reach a goal, big or small, there should be reason for a celebration. This only makes sense if we achieved something significant. Push yourself a little bit when setting your goals.
If you'll adopt the habit of following these principles and writing your goals down 4-6 times per week your life will begin to change for the better. You can achieve so much more than you ever imagined and goal setting is one tactic to move you toward success very quickly.