How to Set and Attain Goals for Success

First, let’s focus on a few broad-brush concepts that will give you a sturdy foundation for setting your goals. Then, we will look at steps to achieving them.

Why goal setting is important

In a fabled Harvard University study only three percent of Harvard students asked set and wrote goals on a regular basis. The stunning revelation of this study is that 30 years later, 50 percent of the total net worth of the group was held by just three percent of the group. You guessed it! They were the three percent that had a habit of setting and writing goals as students, then continued to write goals and review them regularly.

Identify your life values

There is no satisfaction in a goal you meet if in meeting it you have bent or broken a life value. Let’s say your life values include “Thou shall not steal”, or “I will walk with integrity”, and you meet a major financial goal using dishonesty or trickery. When your acts fall out of balance with your beliefs you throw yourself off balance, you may well feel moral angst and discomfort in the victory, which robs you of the joy of your victory.

Make it your own goal

Your goals must be your own. I like to think of these as guiltless goals. Weight loss goals are a perfect example. Planning to lose weight because you want to make a spouse happy is a sure path to defeat and depression. The weight you lose for someone else never stays off. Your goals must be your own and they must inspire you.

Few but inspiring

Set inspiring goals, but limit yourself to setting three short-term goals that are a little stretch, and as many long term goals as you want. Long-term goals could be humorous and should really stretch you. Large inspiring goals put your subconscious mind to work creating paths of achievement. As you set short-term goals, choose goals that feed reaching your larger goal. Your goals should also inspire you and measure you as a person. I always like to know where I am in relationship to my goals.

Goals should be clear, specific, and measureable

The more specific your goals, the more focused your mind becomes. Zig Ziglar, arguably the greatest motivational speaker of our time, asks his audiences a question you might well ask yourself, “do you want to be a meaningful specific, or a wandering generality?”

When you set your goal be sure to answer these three questions:

1. Do I really want this goal?
2. How badly do I want it?
3. Am I willing to do what it takes to achieve it?

Skip the how to … for now!

Setting big, specific, measurable and inspiring goals can be a scary matter, but Kevin Lawrence proclaims, “We don’t have to know how to achieve our goals, we just have to want to achieve them. A lot of people fail to achieve their goals in life because they tell themselves they don’t know how. This is just an excuse for inaction. The truth is, when we focus on what we want with passion, the way to get there becomes evident.”

Reveal your goals

That’s right. Tell people what your goal is and ask for help in reaching it. Successful people enjoy helping others reach their success. Telling others about your goals creates a compelling motivation toward action:

1. You never know who and why someone might help you.
2. You feel accountable, so you will take action towards achieving your goals.

A word to the wise … tell the positive people in your life your goals. Don’t bother telling those who have no aspirations of their own, they will douse your dreams with cold water.

Reward yourself

When you hit a milestone along the way, reward yourself. Plan each milestone, and your reward will help keep you focused.

Take action. Now.

I have built 19 successful companies on three continents. The constants have been setting and working toward achieving specific goals. Here are the 12 most powerful ideas I have ever used in setting and reaching my goals:

1. Define your vision. Make sure you know exactly what you really want. (Not just nice to have.) You must be clear and specific.
2. Set as many goals as you want long-term. Some of them may be huge; use your short-term goals to help you achieve long-term ones.
3. Make plans and take proper actions, not just actions.
4. Place a placard in plain view of your work area that reads, “Is this the best use of my time right now? Will it help me reach my goals.  Discipline yourself to comply with it.
5. Take six steps/actions every day toward reaching your goals. The top six things on your daily action list should focus on your goals. Otherwise, you fall victim to the tyranny of the urgent.
6. Be disciplined. Don’t let an appetite of the moment steal any chance of certain, future success. Given the choice of staffing my team with disciplined people or motivated people, I choose the disciplined person every time.
7. Be on time.
8. Live in the moment and stay focused.
9. Make promises thoughtfully. Then, do what you promised you would do.
10. Whatever tasks you begin – finish. A scattered path of unfinished tasks takes you out of the focus – fast!
11. Be persistent. “Anything we persist in doing becomes easier to do, not because the nature of the thing has changed, but because our ability grew.” Lynda J. Jones.
12. Reward yourself and celebrate each success.

Finally, as Zig Ziglar says, “A goal properly set is a goal halfway reached.”

© Copyright Karim Jaude 2004

5 Responses to “How to Set and Attain Goals for Success”

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• ELIZABETH says:

  September 3, 2009 at 10:21 am

  am craving to be successful now at age 30…help me

• Jacob Freeman says:

  November 14, 2009 at 6:17 pm

  I am 18 and have gone from summer office help in a small construction company to the manager of materials and logistics, in 6 months. I am dealing with project managers for some of the largest construction companies in the country. I feel successful for my age at this moment, but I want MORE. I know God has lead me so far in giving me this opportunity. I am in college majoring in marketing at this same time. I am not sure what a realalistic short-term goal would be for me at this stage. I want to become manager of all client relations, as I enjoy and feel very successful in dealing with business associates. Would this be realalistic? Please any help you can offer in leadership and goal setting I would appreciate it so very much. Please if you have advice email me at jacob.r.freeman@gmail.com

• kaviaj says:

  April 30, 2010 at 5:37 am

  I am 19. working as part time call operator in a call centre..
  am doing acca course because my dream is to became an accountant..
  am very disturb..
  please help me and advise me.. my email address *****@live.com

  [Site editor’s note: Thank you for your comment James, I have forwarded your request to our mentors, one will respond to you via email soon. I’ve removed your email address so that you won’t get spam. Hope & pray that your mentorship discussions will be helpful and fruitful!]

• Aman Sial says:

  February 19, 2014 at 2:18 am

  I am a businessman with a highly motivated ideas but unfortunately I am facing some shortage of money and still have the hope and faith to obtain success in my long-term goals

• Alfred says:

  February 11, 2016 at 5:19 am

  Hi Aman, It sounds, to me, like you are on the right road. Who said it would be easy? Your goal now most likely is to use what little money you have to move forward, for as you continue, the needed money will appear! I have found that God will never give us too much but always just enough. Blessings.