Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Brainstorming about goals
• Part 2 of 3: Making your goals realistic
• Part 3 of 3: Achieving your goals
• Tips

Everyone has things they would like to achieve in life. Setting goals and achieving them not only gets things done, but can also boost your self-esteem, happiness, and a sense of well-being. This is more likely to happen if your goals are realistic. Realistic goals are also more motivating than goals that set the bar too high.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Brainstorming about goals

1. Think about what you want to achieve. The first step in setting a goal is determining what you want to achieve. Most people have a general idea of ​​the things they want. This may include happiness, health, wealth or a better relationship with your partner. Your first step is to translate this into a number of things that you actually want to achieve.
   • A good place to start is to define your concepts. If you want to be happier, think about what happiness means to you. What does a happy life look like? What do you need to be happy?
   • It's okay to keep it general at this stage. For example, you might decide that happiness means having a fulfilling career. Your general idea may be that you get a job that you find satisfying as a person.
   • At this stage you may have several goals, some long-term and some short-term. It's a good idea to write them down.
2. Be specific. Before you can determine whether a goal is realistic, you will have to make that goal specific. This makes it a lot clearer what you actually need to do to achieve it. Specific goals are also more motivating and attainable than vague goals.
   • Your job at this point is to take your general ideas and make them as specific as you can.
   • For example: Suppose your goal is to embark on a new, more fulfilling career. At this stage you will have to decide which career will be the most satisfying for you.You could decide to become a professional musician. That's a great start, but you can be more specific. What styles of music would you like to play? Which instrument or instruments do you want to play? Do you want to become a solo artist, play in a band or join an orchestra?
3. Do some research. Determining how challenging a goal is can take some research if you are not already familiar with this process. The more you know about this process the better. As you research, try to answer the following types of questions:
   • What skills will you have to learn?
   • What changes will you need to make in your lifestyle?
   • How much will it cost?
   • How long will it take?
4. Determine what steps you need to take. To determine whether a goal is realistic, you will need to know exactly how a goal can be achieved. In this step you will have to break down your goal or goals into parts or steps.
   • Dividing your goal into subgoals will also help you make a plan to eventually achieve it. It's a good idea to write down the steps as you work on them.
   • For example, imagine that your goal is to become a cellist in a classical orchestra. Usually you will have to divide this goal into several steps. You will have to buy a cello if you don't already have one. You will have to become very good at playing it. This will likely require you to take classes. You will probably even need to go to the conservatory or another music school, or get a higher education. You will probably have to learn music theory along the way. After that you will have to get a job as a cellist with an orchestra. This means that you will have to do at least one audition (and probably several auditions). Depending on where you live, this may also require you to move to another place where they have a professional orchestra.

Part 2 of 3: Making your goals realistic

1. Assess your own drive. Once you have an idea of ​​what it takes to achieve your goal, you can begin to determine whether you are driven enough to make it happen. You will need to be determined to put in the necessary time and effort to achieve your goals.
   • Especially when it comes to a difficult or complicated goal, you will have to devote yourself fully to it. The chance that you will achieve a goal that you do not consider very important is less.
   • If you are not sure that you are driven enough to achieve a certain goal or goals, then it probably is not really realistic. This means that you either adjust your goal or create a new goal for which you are more motivated.
   • Let's stick to the example of becoming a professional cellist. You may decide that moving to another place is out of the question. If there is no professional orchestra in your place, then your career goal will need to be adjusted.
   • If you have multiple goals on your list, it's a good idea to rank them in order of importance. Wanting to achieve too many goals at the same time can make it more difficult to achieve any of those goals. First, focus on the goals that you are most motivated for.
2. Pay attention to your personal limitations. You've probably heard people say that with the right attitude, you can achieve anything you want. In some cases this is also true. In other cases, your personal limitations may make a certain goal unrealistic. So you will have to consider whether the goals set are reasonable for you personally.
   • Limitations come in many different forms. For example, they can be related to money. They can also be physical. While some limitations can be overcome, others may be too much of a challenge. In such cases, it may be better to adjust or reconsider one of your goals.
   • Let's take the example of a cellist's career. If you've been in a car accident and can't use your hands properly, it will make achieving your goal much more difficult. You may be able to overcome this through intensive physical therapy and years of training. But it is certain that the goal will be much more difficult to achieve, if not impossible. Keep this in mind when assessing whether your goal is realistic.
   • Write down your limitations. This will help you develop a more complete picture of the challenges you face.
3. Identify external obstacles. In addition to your own limitations, most goals also have external hurdles that will have to be overcome. These are things that could happen (and are beyond your control) and make it more difficult for you to achieve your goal. It is important to take such obstacles into account.
   • Consider, for example, the conservatory where you want to study the cello. How difficult is it to get hired at that school? What are the chances that you will be accepted? What if you are not accepted? What other options do you have then?
   • It will not be possible to anticipate every obstacle that may arise, but try to invent as many as you can, and write down obstacles that come to mind as you go along. This allows you to develop a sense of how realistic a goal is.
   • This can also be helpful later if you decide to pursue a goal. By anticipating potential obstacles in advance, it becomes easier to develop ideas for dealing with those obstacles when they arise.
4. Adjust your goals as needed. You may decide after careful consideration that your goal is realistic. If so, you can move on to making your goal real. If not, you will have to adjust your goals.
   • If you decide that your goal is not realistic, you have two options. You can try to adjust the goal so that it is more attainable, or you can let it go and replace it with a new goal.
   • For example: Suppose you have decided that pursuing a career as a cellist is not realistic in your case. If the overarching goal is to have a more fulfilling career, now is the time to return to the drawing board. Think of some other careers that can make you happy too.
   • Remember that this does not mean giving up playing the cello. If you like music and the cello, you can always adjust your goal. You can focus on learning to play the cello, but more as a hobby. This goal is a lot clearer and may well be more realistic for you, under your current circumstances.

Part 3 of 3: Achieving your goals

1. Make a plan. Once you have set a realistic goal, your first step to achieving it is to create a detailed plan.
   • This should be fairly easy to get to at this point. You have already written down the steps to follow and possible obstacles you may encounter. The most important parts of your plan have already been developed.
   • You may have to make the planned steps a bit more specific. For example, if you want to be admitted to a particular conservatory, you will have to include the details of the application procedure in your plan. You may need letters of recommendation. You may need to write an essay, fill out a form, and / or audition. Completing all of these steps should be in your plan.
   • The steps should be formulated in such a way that it is clear when you have reached each step.
   • It is also a good idea to develop a contingency plan for the obstacles you have considered. If you were not accepted for the first school of your choice, will you try other schools as well? Or do you wait and register again for your first choice after you have prepared the application better?
   • Think of an objective / sub-objective that is measurable and time-bound. For example, "I'm going to save 20% of my weekly wages for the next 12 months and buy my cello on June 1, 2016."
2. Establish a timeline. Many people find that by including a specific timeline in their plan, they can make their goal more attainable. It helps to keep track of your progress and to be able to control yourself.
   • For example, you may have set yourself the goal of saving enough money for a cello within 6 months. You can then start taking classes the following month. You can then aim to master the basics by the end of the year, etc.
3. Get started. Once you have a detailed plan, pick a date to get started and take the plunge! The only way to achieve your goal is to invest the necessary time and effort.
   • By choosing a date that is at least a few days in the future, you can help yourself to create an expectation as that day approaches.
4. Track your progress. Once you have started, keep track of your progress. You can use a diary, an app, or a simple calendar for this.
   • Tracking your progress helps you stick to the deadlines you set.
   • It also helps keep track of your progress as you go through the process. This can also motivate you to keep improving yourself.

Tips

• After starting on an objective, you may find that it is more challenging than you anticipated. If so, it's okay to rethink the whole process. You may have to make more adjustments along the way.