Setting goals is a critical element to success. If you want to be an achiever you must begin with your goal setting.

Your personal goals give you the direction to reach your dream life. A life of happiness and peace of mind.

Setting goals and deciding on the action steps may seem challenging. You would need a positive mindset that includes belief and faith.

Most people only have wishes and dreams. Their goals are unclear and constantly change.

Some others think that goals are only in terms of luxury and material wealth.

Goals can be tangible and intangible. They can be measured not only in quantity but quality.

Setting goals can be categorized any way you wish.

1. Family
2. Health
3. Hobbies and sports activities
4. Career and economic
5. Personal growth
6. Contribution

How do you go about setting goals and achieving them?

• Decide what you want. Your desire is the fuel.

The first critical component about setting goals is your decision on what you want to have, to achieve and to become.

Your goals must be personal.

And knowing why you want what you want will provide you with the solutions to attain your goals.

Reasons are powerful motivators.

Think thoroughly what you want your life to look like. Ensure that your goals are in agreement with your personal values.

• Write down your goals.

The way to get started is to write down you goals, Merely thinking about it is not enough to motivate you to get what you want.

The act of setting goals and writing them shows your seriousness to improve your life.

Writing down your goals attracts and activates the process of fulfillment. Well defined goals will push you to stay in action.

You will forget what it is that you are trying to get if you don't write them down.

Focus on the written goals regularly and imprint them on your mind.

• Model the achievers.

Someone, somewhere have achieved what you want to do. You need to find out, study and emulate how they have done it.

If you can copy what someone can do, you can do it too.

Persist long and hard enough and you will get the same results. You will become an expert after countless practices.

• Visualize your dreams.

Visualization is a tool that everyone possesses. You can use your imagination to preview your life.

How often and how vivid you imagine the realization of your goals will affect your thinking, feeling and acting.

In your imagination you can have, do and be anything or anyone. What you vividly and clearly picture in your mind will show up in your life.

The Silva Method is one of the best tools you can use to improve your imagination.

• Planning ahead.

There is a saying - "the harder you prepare, the luckier you seem to get". So preparation is essential.

In your day-to-day life there are unexpected interruptions. Plan your activities ahead so that you know what is your priority.

Think of the information you need and where to get them. Focus on the actions you can take. Find lots of way to do what you need to get done.

You can take action and then think about it. Or you can choose to plan in advance and then take action.

You will produce better results with sufficient preparation and planning.

• Do it.

Dedicate yourself and set the disciplines to take action each day to reach your goals.

Self-discipline will make you do what you need to do whether you like it or not.

Once you know what you want to have, to achieve and to become, be willing to pay the price.

Take the risks, assume the responsibilities and act boldly although it can feel uncomfortable for a while.

• Measuring the results. How will you know you've got it?

Any action produces a result or an outcome. The result may bring you to your desire or may look like a failure.

What may seem like a failure is just feedback of the action you have taken. Learn from what doesn't work and adjust or try something else.

Go for it another way. There is always something you can learn from your experience.

If it turns out right repeat the strategy.

Measuring your achievement is important. You have to keep score because that is the only way for you to know whether you have reached your goals.

Do not deny yourself from making your goals a reality. It takes goals, efforts and time to build your dreams.

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