Today I am revisiting a previous published column. 

Inventing Your Life

“Goal Setting”

By

Rob Claudio

So what do people do in tough times, like the times a lot of our folks throughout the country are experiencing right now? I know that the current economic status of our nation, has caused a lot of Americans to scale back when it comes down to expenses and trying to figure out what is the best possible road map for managing their money. I have seen money advisers on the nightly news speak about many ways in which we can all contribute to our better financial well being. What I found was a common theme among a lot of those that offered advice. You have to set goals. Whether you want to get rid of debt or you want to lose weight, you need to be able to speak it, write it and then take action on it.  One of the greatest books written on achieving goals I have always felt has been, “The Power of Focus” by Canfield, Hansen and Hewitt. It is the type of book that you can open to any random chapter and still receive a clear message. I plan to re-visit some additional chapters of this book in the future as it is a valuable jewel. However, for the purposes of goal setting, I wanted to share with you its Top Ten Goals Checklist.  1. Your most important goals must be yours.  Although this sounds obvious, a common mistake made by many people is to allow their main goals to be designed by someone else. This could be your spouse, friends, neighbors, boss, etc… 2. Your goals must be meaningful. Your reasons for charting a new course of action are what give you the drive and energy to get up in the morning, even on the days you don’t feel like it.  3. Your goals must be specific and measurable. This is where most people have difficulty. They fail to define what they want. Vague generalizations and wishy washy statements aren’t good enough.  One example is the statement, “I want to lose weight”. More specifically the statement should be, “I want to lose 50 pounds within one year”…or something to that effect.  4. Your goals must be flexible.    A flexible plan allows you the freedom to change course. This does not mean you start chasing after every idea that comes by your door. It simply means that sometimes you need to make some changes in order to continue to pursue your goals.  5. Your goals must be challenging and exciting.  When you set goals that are exciting and challenging, you acquire an edge that prevents you from settling into a life of boredom. Create goals that get you so excited you can hardly sleep at night.  6. Your goals must be in alignment with your values.  Anything that you feel strongly about that resonates at a deeper level of your being, those are your core values.  When you harness your core values to purposeful goals, decision-making becomes easy.  7. Your goals must be well balanced.  When you are setting goals, make sure you include areas that give you time to relax and enjoy the finer things in life. Creating optimum balance will enable you to enjoy a well balanced lifestyle.  8. Your goals must be realistic.  There are no such things as unrealistic goals, only unrealistic time frames. Make sure your plan is not far-fetched and allow a reasonable amount of time to get there.  9. Your goals must include contribution. Contribution can take many forms. You can give your time or expertise to others, so that you are not just taking but giving back. You can also contribute financially to a worthy cause. It is a universal law; we usually get back a lot more than we give. 10. Your goals need to be supported.  Selectively sharing your dreams with a few people you trust, creates your support network. These are carefully chosen proactive people who will support and encourage you when the going gets tough. I hope that this list will provide you with a platform of how to achieve any goal you set forth, no matter how big or small. If they are your goals, then they are important and I look forward to hearing about our accomplishments in the future!

– “To achieve all that is possible, you must attempt the impossible. To be as much as you can be, you must dream of being more.  Your dream is the promise of all you can become.