Settings Goals For Success

Setting goals is only the first step toward success. Achieving those goals is a matter of hard work, timing, and a certain amount of luck. Here are four essentials for generating the results you want:

• Don’t confuse goals with dreams. Dreams are vague and lack urgency. Goals lay down incremental, necessary checkpoints to your ultimate success. Your dream may be “Working as CEO of a large company by age 50,” but the immediate goal that gets you started could be “Lead my department, above all other departments, in productivity this month.”
• Build your confidence. Accomplishing short-term goals will help you develop the sense that you’re really accomplishing something. The stronger your sense of accomplishment, the more successful you’ll be at tackling the larger goals.
• Give yourself rewards. The reward doesn’t have to be large, but it’s important to celebrate small victories along the way.
• Stick with one goal. It’s easy to get sidetracked as you’re heading toward the finish line. Focus on completing one goal before you place your energies elsewhere, or you’ll end up with a sad surplus of half-completed goals.
• Be Flexible.  It is important to stay on track but don’t let road blocks or time delays stop you.  Be ready and expect to have to adjust your strategy and even your expectations.