According to Brian Tracy's book called "Goals! How to Get Everything You Want - Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible", there are
7 Keys to Goal Setting which can be used to virtually any goals. And if until now you can't achieved your goal, there is at least one key that you are missing.
1. Your goal should be clear, specific, detailed and written.
When you set a goal, you should be clear on what you really want to achieve. You should know the specific details of what you want. For example, your goal is to have a car. Car itself is a vague goal. Be clear on the type of car that you want. Do you want a sedan type car? An SUV? A van? Or maybe a sports car? What color do you want it have? How much does it cost? Specify the details of the goal you want. The more you want to achieve your goal, the more specific the details it should have. And lastly, your goal should be written.
"A goal which is not in writing is not a goal at all".
2. Your goal should be measurable and objective, believable & achievable.
You don't wanna set a goal which, in reality, is unachievable/unbelievable. It will just make you frustrated before you even start. Your goals must be capable of being analyzed and measured. Also, for your goal to be believable, you should know where you are right now. Where do you stand? What is your current status in life? What is your net worth?
For example, if you are currently earning PHP 30,000(600USD) monthly and your goal is to have a sports car in a year, it wouldn't be believable/achievable. Another example would be, "In a year, I would be earning a lot of money" is another vague goal. "Lots of money" can't be measured. Your goals should be measurable, by specifying the exact amount, for it to be considered as a real goal.
3. Your goal should be time-bounded.
Schedule your goals. Set a deadline. Determine when do you want to achieve your goals. If you goal is a long-term goal divide it to sub-goals with subdeadlines. For example, a yearly goal can be divided into monthly goals, which can then be divided again into weekly then into daily.
4. Your goal should be challenging(50% success)
Challenging yourself to achieve a goal can help you in the long run. It is like going to the gym and forcing yourself to do a few more rounds of exercise. It is difficult yes, but it is in these kind of situations where you can bring out the best in you.
5. Your goal should be congruent with your values and in harmony with each other.
People have different values in life. I have mine. You have yours. When setting a goal for yourself, you must look within you. Determine your values in life. And your goals should be in harmony with each other meaning your goals should not be contradicting each other. For example, if your goal is to be good in playing basketball within a month and yet you are just sitting around during the weekends, your goal will never be achieved.
6. Your goal should be balanced.
Your goal should be balanced between career/business, financial life, family, health, spiritual, community. Achieving your goal should never compromise any of these things. Even if your goal is towards achieving great wealth, you should never forget your own well being.
7. Your goal should have a major definite purpose.
And last but not the least, your goal should have a major definite purpose. It is the one goal, when you accomplish it, can have a big impact on your life. It is the goal which is of great help to you and your life, compared to any single goal that you have. When you have really decided on this one major definite purpose or goal, and focused all your energy on achieving it, only then you will realize the big changes in your life.
