Goals are the fuel in the furnace of achievement.” ~ Brian Tracy
When it comes to something as complex as success, everyone always wants to know, “How do I become successful?” People appear to have the misconception that success comes in a one-size-fits-all package, which in most circumstances is wrong. Living in contemporary America, as a young, up-and-coming adult, I notice that many people my age seem to think that just wanting something bad enough will eventually get them where they want to be. All that is really needed is a solid foundation, beginning with setting a simple goal.
Recent studies have shown that only 3% of the American population actually set goals consistently. Little do most people know that the same 3% of American goal setters are also amongst the nation’s wealthiest citizens. What it comes down to is this: it pays to plan. It pays to have something to work towards in the long term, but it also helps in the short-term scope of things. People will always continue striving to be successful, whether that be in their professional or personal lives. Learning to set goals, however, is what will actually give you the capacity to achieve.
- What is your long-term goal?
I’m somebody who always, initially, looks at the bigger picture of a situation rather than the smaller pieces of the puzzle. By setting a long-term goal, you aren’t just setting a goal, you are delivering yourself a call to action that relates to something significant you want to obtain or achieve. But long-term goals are just that: long-term. They aim for a point of time in the future and will generally not be immediately achievable. Do not let this discourage you or take away your goal-setting gusto. Instead, allow it to be your drive. Maybe a long-term goal is to lose thirty pounds this year. Maybe you’d like to pay off college debt or perhaps get a new car. Pick a long-term goal that will motivate you. An easy example that many can relate to is trying to lose a certain amount of weight or attain a certain weight at the end of the year.
- So you have a long-term goal, but what are your short-term goals?
Short-term goals are your stepping stones to reaching your long-term goals. They are the checkpoints on your journey to success. When making short-term goals, ensure they are relevant and realistic. That doesn’t mean you should avoid shooting for the stars in your aspirations, but make sure your short-term goals enable you to further your progress towards your long-term goals. For instance, if my long-term goal was to lose five pounds this month, one of my short-term goals would be to walk five miles per week for that same month.
At Incept, we take goal setting seriously. We have weekly, monthly and even yearly goals we meet for clients and our own company. One of the reasons we are consistently able to meet these goals is because everywhere you look you’ll see how we are doing, whether that be via graph, statistics, performance metrics, etc. Part of meeting both long-term and short-term goals is being able to track your progress. Write down your goals! Check out my past blog post on writing down goals for more info on how much that simple addition can improve your success in working towards (and eventually achieving) your long-term goals.
How do you reach your goals? Do you have a goal you would like to share?