Ten Great Ways to Achieve Those Goals
Author: Roy Burton

TEN GREAT WAYS TO ACHIEVE THOSE GOALS
It is a sad fact that only a very few people know exactly where they are going in life. Only a very few ever bother to make a decision, set down on paper a list of goals, and then go for them.

The rest drift aimlessly through life, just following the crowd, merely conforming to other people’s wishes or opinions. They don’t know what they want to be, or what they want to have. They have no dreams, no ambitions, and no goals. These sad people will spend their days thoroughly disorganised, not knowing where they are heading, and end up achieving absolutely nothing.

To get or do anything worthwhile it is essential that we make firm goals, and that these goals are written down. But before you start there are two things you would do well to always keep in mind.

First of all, your goals must in no way violate any natural or man-made laws. And second, they must be attainable. There is no point whatever in setting a goal for yourself that you know will be impossible to achieve. If you do this it will only result in disappointment, and defeat.

Put Your Goals Into Writing: It is essential that once you have decided on your goals they must be committed to paper. Writing them down gives them substance, energy, and power, somewhere where you can refer to them time and time again. It also acts as a guide to exactly what it is you are aiming for, and where you stand at this moment. When you think about it, writing your goals down is really the first step towards achieving your target. You have in front of you a constant reminder of what must be done, ensuring that nothing is forgotten or left out.

Gather Information: Just as a skilled craftsman checks all his tools, and reads all the instructions before he sets out on a job, you too will have to plan in a thorough and professional manner. Consider what education you have, your experience, your existing knowledge of the goal, your current skills, and the amount of money at your disposal. Gather information by using the public library, or if it is education you seek then enrol for evening classes. If your aim is public speaking, for instance, join a debating group, or an amateur dramatics society. Do anything that will give you hands on experience of what it is you want to do.

Be Positive: As with everything else in the field of self-development you should develop a positive attitude. You should be positive that your goals are attainable, and that you are willing to put in the hard work that may be involved. When you are writing down your goals list, express yourself using positive words. State clearly what you do want, not what you don’t want. Focusing on the negative like this is the sure fire way to miss your target.

Break It Down: Sometimes you will set your self a goal that later may seem too ambitious for you to handle. This is the time when it should be broken down into smaller, more manageable, units. As each unit is completed, start on the next one, and so on, until what at first sight seemed an impossible goal has now been reached. Be content with small steps, those in a hurry to get there often stumble before the finishing line.

Set A Deadline: It is vitally important that once you have arrived at a carefully considered and attainable goal, you should set some kind of deadline. This gives you a specific time to aim for, and stops you falling into the trap of dithering aimlessly about, and letting your goal fall by the wayside. But do not regard the deadline as set in stone, believing that you will have failed if you have not achieved it by the time specified. Aim to reach your goal by the stated time, certainly, but the deadline must be regarded as being flexible, that can be extended if you are ‘almost there’. Remember two things though. First of all do not abuse the system by extending the deadline over and over again. This will only lead you into a dead end of inaction and failure. Second, there will be times, maybe frequently, when you will have achieved your goal within the specified time. If you do, reward yourself, give yourself a pat on the back, and then get down to setting the next goal.

Review Regularly: It would be wise, especially if you have set multiple goals, to stand back occasionally and review your position. See how far you have got with each goal, and decide what action you must take and what corrections (if any) you must make. Do not be disappointed if things are not going as well as you hoped. After all, nothing is life is straightforward, and even in the simplest of tasks there are sometimes going to be setbacks and obstacles. The road to success is totally unpredictable, no matter how well you have planned. By overcoming each obstacle you are learning valuable lessons for the future, so adopt the attitude that each setback may indeed be a blessing in disguise.

Balance: Another benefit of reviewing is ensuring that your goals are in balance. You may discover that one goal is at odds with another, with the inevitable result that neither will reach a successful conclusion. There is no harm if goals that are compatible overlap, and in fact this could in the long term be of benefit to both. For instance, having one goal to make more money, and another to buy a new home would comfortably sit side by side, and will probably overlap somewhere along the line. But having one goal to get promotion in your company that would involve more travelling, will surely conflict with another goal to spend more quality time with your family. In this case it would be up to you to decide which goal is the most important to you, and then shed, or radically adapt, the other goal. Like all things in life there has to be a balance.

Do Something Every Day: Each day aim to do something, no matter how small, toward the achievement of your goal. Every moment spent in idleness is a waste of energy, and lost opportunities, so do something positive and constructive every day. Have a clear plan in your mind as to what you are going to do, and do not rest satisfied until that day’s work is done to your satisfaction.

Visualise: To reach a successful conclusion to your efforts you must have a clearly defined goal. If a new car is your desire then visualise yourself at the wheel. In your imagination feel the texture of the upholstery, run your hands over the controls. If you wish to become a public speaker see yourself addressing an audience with confidence and eloquence. Hear the thunderous applause as you sit down afterwards. Visualisation is not to be confused with mere daydreaming – this seldom amounts to anything substantial – but is a way to imprint upon your mind exactly what it is you are aiming for, and how good you will feel when you have achieved it.

Act At Once: It is a fact that even the best laid plans will come to nothing if no action is taken. So positive results demand positive action, for that is the only sure way to reach your goals. It is only through action that we are going to find out our strengths and our weaknesses. If you have dreams and ambitions, if you wish to have a future of success and fulfilment, then do not wait until you think that conditions are just right - you have to take positive action NOW!

Finally: to succeed in any discipline or endeavour it has to be approached in a thoroughly well prepared and organised manner. That is the point of setting goals. They bring about the intention, the information, and the method by which you will reach a successful conclusion. So make those goals, and go for them. Keep going in the face of obstacles and setbacks, and have the firm belief that in the end you will be living your dearest dreams.

Roy Burton








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Roy Burton was born in north London, but is currently based in Bedfordshire. He welcomes any comments or suggestions on roy.burton@ntlworld.com

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