Mapping Your Way To Success Through Goal Setting

Personal and career goal setting is crucial when you are deciding whether or not you want to own your own business.

Because your business will have an impact on every other area of your life, it is critical to know how it fits into your life and whether it will support you in reaching your other goals.

Two of the benefits you will receive as a result of defining and aligning your major goals in life are - peace of mind and clear focus.

Consider a few of the other benefits of personal and career goal setting:

• Know, Be, Do - and have more
• Use your mind and talents fully
• Have more purpose and direction in life
• Make better decisions
• Be more organized and effective
• Do more for yourself and others
• Have greater confidence and self-worth
• Feel more fulfilled
• Be more enthusiastic and motivated
• Accomplish uncommon projects

Remember, you will not 'pay a price' for taking the time for career goal setting. Rather, you 'reap the benefits'. You WILL pay a tremendous price for NOT taking the time.

You can choose to get caught up in the everyday activity of your life without feeling any real sense of purpose, or you can choose to accomplish something meaningful with your life that gives you a clearer sense of direction and a higher degree of self-motivation.

Ninety-seven percent of the population does not take the time for career goal setting activities. Why not? Two major reasons:

1. FEAR - which should stand for "False Evidence Appearing Real". Fear prevents too many people from taking action.
2. RISK - there is always some degree of risk that come with any career goal setting plan. You must be willing to take thoughtful, educated risks.

One question many people ask is, "How will Iknow if a goal is good or unrealistic?" In other words, how do you discriminate between the really important goals and the "nice to have but not really important ones?

You will know whether or not a goal you have chosen is important by answering these five questions.

1. Is it really MY goal?
2. Is it morally right and fair?
3. Are my short-range goals consistent with my long-term goals?
4. Can I commit myself emotionally to completing the project?
5. Can I visualize myself reaching this goal?

If you have answered "No" to even one of these questions, you may want to reconsider this particular goal.

In the short-term this goal may appear to work for you, but in the long run, you may be exposing yourself to a lot of unnecessary risk and frustration.

During the personal and career goal setting process, be sure to set big goals connecting to a long-term vision. Big goals force you to reach down deep and unleash the potential that is inside of you. Long-range goals help you to overcome short-range obstacles when they arise, and they also assist you in changing direction more quickly when necessary.

Whether or not you ever reach the goals that you have set, people who set big, long-range goals have been found to have higher self-confidence, and greater personal motivation.

The great rewards and benefits achieved from personal and career goal setting only come from actually taking your first step in that direction, then another step after that, and so on.

There is a very simple seven step process that you can use to set any goal whether personal or professional. To be effective, the goal you choose must include all seven of the following steps:

1. Identify your goal by writing it down.
2. Set a deadline for the achievement. Establish a specific end-date.
3. List the obstacles to overcome in accomplishing your goal.
4. Identify the people and groups you need to work with to reach your goal.
5. List the skills and knowledge required to reach your goal. What do you need to know?
6. Develop a plan of action to reach your goal.
7. Write down the benefits of achieving your goal. ("What is in it for me?")

On a periodic basis, it is important to re-evaluate your goals to make certain that they are in alignment with what you truly value and want out of life.

Remember, personal and career goal setting is a life-long process. Once you have completed one goal, be sure to replace it with something else. This way you will always reap the benefits that continuous goal-setting provides.

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