The key to making your goals, wishes, wants, and dreams into realities is having a plan to accomplish them; otherwise, they will forever remain as daydreams and afterthoughts. Creating short-term goals is key to obtaining success in any endeavor. The first step to setting short-term goals is to first define your long-term goals. For instance, instead of stating, “I want to live in a big house,” define in your mind what this long-term goal would look like. For example, say instead, “I want to live in a 5,000 square-foot house with a pool and a three-car garage located on the coast in Northern California.” This kind of thinking will help you to envision your short-term goals, which will be your stepping-stones to success. The following are some exercises you can use to help you to solidify your long-term goals into attainable short-term goals:
1. As Joe Vitale would say, “What would you do if you knew you could not fail?” This question is meant to help you imagine yourself in a world without any obstacles. Use it to free your mind of limiting beliefs, so you can imagine your ultimate dreams!
2. Create a list of baby-step activities that are realistic and timely. Don’t be overambitious—that’s what long-term goals are for. Look for simple actions that lead to bigger accomplishments. For example, a long-term goal might be, “I want to lose 40lbs.” Therefore, a short-term goal might be to reduce one’s weekly intake of food to less than it was last week.
3. Be specific. Just as your long-term goals need to be visualized to the finest detail, so to should you visualize your short-term goals. In other words, write down the specifics for each short-tem goal you create.
4. Keep a journal. Journalize your accomplishments and failures. Write down your daily and weekly successes in a small notebook or in a journal. This will help you to analyze your activities and to streamline your productivity.
5. Reveal your progress. Show yourself how accomplishing your short-term goals have brought you closer to your long-term goals. This will provide motivation and inspiration, based upon you accomplishments!
Short-term goal setting is absolutely necessary for accomplishing long-term goals. Many times people find themselves giving up, or feeling like failures; when in fact, had they followed these easy steps, they would have observed their lack of progress and corrected their labors for the better!
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