The process of having a goal and achieving it can often feel daunting and complicated.
The most important part of achieving goals is to set the right goals.
Goals should be both attainable and stated simply.
Also your goals should be uniquely yours.
Two people can't share the same goals because each person is different in terms of his or her abilities, strengths, weaknesses, and work ethic.
All goals are based on some level of individual performance.
Even goals that may be set as a team depend on each individual bettering his or her prior performance.
To emphasize the individual aspect of your goals it's best to phrase your goals in the first person using the word "I" such as: I want to practice three times a week.
People who imagine themselves achieving their goals and put their goals in the first person are more likely to attain them.
To set a goal you should have a pretty good idea of your current ability.
If you are trying to set a goal for an activity that you have never performed you should simply start by trying it and seeing how well you do.
For example, if you want to set goals for running but you have never really tried running before it would be a good idea to just start running and see how long you can run or how far you can go without stopping.
If you are a more advanced runner you would already have this information and would be able to use it to start setting goals for yourself.
The best goals take into consideration what you can currently achieve and what is possible for you to achieve in the near future.
Your first running goal probably isn't going to be to run a marathon! A common mistake many people make when they are new to setting goals is to set complex goals that encompass several smaller goals in one.
It's best to simplify and break your goals down.
This is an example of a complex goal: I want to run for 30 minutes without stopping and be able to run a 5k by January 1st.
Really, there are two goals involved and it's best to break them up.
Goal #1: I want to run for 30 minutes without stopping.
Goal #2: I want to be able to complete a 5k by January 1st.
When you simplify your goals you make them more attainable which is the point of having a goal, right? Another thing you can do to make your goals more attainable to write them down.
When you write something down it becomes more concrete to you.
It is not going to help you very much to write your goals on a napkin and throw the napkin away.
Your goals should be put somewhere where you will see them everyday.
Maybe you can hang your goals on your mirror or put them as the background to your cell phone.
The more often you remind yourself of your goals the more likely you are to achieve them.
Creating goals for yourself doesn't have to give you a headache.
People who have learned to successfully turn their ambitions into concrete goals are much more likely to achieve the results they were looking for.
Remember, the best goals are simple, possible, stated in the first person, and written down.
The best way to begin to have goals is to just start writing down what you are thinking and then make sure that all of the above guidelines apply.
Eventually you will get better at setting your own goals and with dedication and hard work you will be on the path to achieving your dreams.