There is a great number of authors who write about the importance of setting goals. This raises the question, what if you don’t want anything in particular, and you are fully satisfied with your life as it is? Do you still need a goal?
This is a legitimate question to ask, since most people don’t have big goals. Most people would be satisfied if they have enough money for their basic needs and just a little more. They would also be satisfied if they like their job and are happy with it.
A great number of people dream about great success, but they do not set goals and do try to achieve them.
There are people, who have great ambition and want to accomplish big goals, and there are people who don’t have any goals, and that’s okay.
The truth is that our life is always goal oriented, even if we think that we have no goals. These goals might be small and simple ones, but they are goals.
Even if there is nothing you want, and you are satisfied with your life as it is, you are probably pursuing a few goals. These could be very simple goals, which most people would not consider as goals, such as planning to go and see a see a movie, planning a birthday party, improving your grades at school, baking a cake or learning to swim.
You set these goals and you make the effort to accomplish them, even though they are not on a major scale.
There are also bigger goals, such as finding a better job, owning your own house, or finding a good paying job.
Other, bigger goals could be making a lot of money or building a business. Some, want to become a successful movie star, own a chain store or a factory, or become president or a prime minister.
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Most people would not aim at these big goals, but they might daydream about them. However they would rarely do anything to achieve them.
No matter how small your goal is, it is always wiser to make smart goal setting.
What Is Smart Goal Setting?
It means thinking and planning before acting, and taking a few smart steps.
You need to think whether you really want a certain goal, and whether you are willing to devote time and energy to achieve it. It is not wise to start anything and then stop. It is a waste of time and energy, and could be frustrating.
You need to be smart and wise and use common sense when setting goals, even if they are simple and small.
Smart Goal Setting Steps
How to make smart goal setting? Here are a few tips to help you set goals in smart way.
1. Make priorities
Think whether it is the right thing to do now. Maybe there is something more important or more pressing to do. It won’t be wise to start one thing, only to quit, because you discover that it is not the right thing to do at the moment.
Making your priorities eliminates unnecessary stress, distractions and waste of time.
2. Think before taking action
Specify what you want to achieve. Go into detail. Consider the pros and cons of achieving what you want to set out to do. This will save you time, money and effort.
Enthusiasm is important, but so are common sense, wise thinking and wise planning.
3. Think what benefits you would get upon achieving your goal
Would you get any benefit by setting a specific goals and working on achieving it? Is it worth your effort and time?
Big goals require deep thinking before taking the first step. Small goals also need, at least thinking before taking action.
For example, if you wish to study a foreign language, would it be useful? Will you us it?
You wish to bake a cake, do you need the calories?
You want to get tickets for a certain show, ask yourself whether you really want to see the show.
4. Specify what actions to take
Think about the steps you need to take. It is a good idea to write down these steps. This will force you to be more specific and make the steps more clear. Clarity is very important.
Is the goal too big, too complicated? Does it take too much time to accomplish? In this case, divide your goal into smaller goals, which are easier to accomplish. Tackle each one, before moving on to the next one.
5. Be realistic, but go one step further
Make your goal a little more interesting and worthwhile. How you do that? Don’t be afraid to think a little bigger and invest more time and effort. This attitude will teach you to think a little bigger, and therefore, accomplish bigger things, even if only on a small scale.
For example, if you intend to buy a pair of trousers, buy one that is made of better stuff. Baking a cake? Strive to make it look better and taste better. Planning of taking your spouse to a movie? Include dinner, before or after the movie.
This holds true for bigger goals too. Think bigger, and make your goal a little bigger too.
Smart goal setting is important
Smart goal setting means choosing goals that you really want to achieve. It also means planning, thinking, and acting wisely and with common sense. Always try to make a wise choice.
Read articles about making choices. Read about how successful people plan their goals. Seek advice when you need it.
