How to Set Self Help Goals
The key criteria for goals are:
1. They must be written down. The physical act of
writing down a goal makes it real and tangible. You have no excuse for
forgetting about it. As you write, use the word ‘will’ instead of ‘would
like to’ or ‘might’. For example, ‘I will learn to drive’. This
statement has power and helps you to ‘see’ yourself doing it.
2. Have target dates by which you will achieve your goals.
Your goals must have a realistic deadline and this means that you know
when you can celebrate your success. When you are working to a deadline,
your sense of urgency increases and achievement will come that much
quicker. Remember, small manageable steps help to break down your goals
so that you don’t feel overwhelmed by them.
3. Review them daily. Post sticky notes of your smaller
goals in visible places to remind yourself every day of what it is that
you intend to do. Put them on your walls, desk, computer monitor,
bathroom mirror or refrigerator as a constant reminder. This ensures
that you do something towards achieving your goals every single day and
they remain at the forefront of your mind.
4. Have a clearly defined destination. You already know
your destination – to be the YOU that you know that you can be. However,
don’t get so focused on the outcome that you forget to plan all of the
steps that are needed along the way.
5. Having a way of measuring your progress is essential.
By writing out the individual steps towards your goals, and then
crossing each one off as you complete them, you’ll realise that you are
making progress towards your ultimate goal.
6. Contain a reward for achievement. Plan rewards as
you progress towards your ultimate destination. They may just be small
things for achieving your smaller goals but plan to really push the boat
out when you achieve the bigger and more significant ones. This will
help to motivate you and push you onwards, as well as giving regular
achievement highs.
7. Be set without limits. Be careful not to set
yourself boundaries that may be influenced by your old inner critic or
wimp trying to raise its head. Dream big with your new beliefs and
behaviours – no wimping out here!
8. Have a defined support structure. You already have
the inner resources that you need to achieve your goals and you have
learned techniques that help you to access these when you need to. In
the last chapter, you identified people that can help you on your
journey, so ensure that you they are on call for when you need them,
even if it’s just to give you that extra bit of reassurance if, and
when, you need it.
9. How will you know when you are there? Only you can
answer this one! But be aware, that as you become more self-confident
and your behaviours, attitude and outlook change, you might feel that
the You, that you aspire to be, appears long before you reach the
ultimate long term goal at the end of your journey.
A super snippet from the acclaimed women's self help book:
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Finding Your Way Back to YOU
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