Goal setting can be a really powerful tool for bringing your desires to fruition. Humans love seeing progress because it makes us feel like we are moving through life. It is a form of self-mastery, and it can help you achieve your goals in a measurable way. Moreover, setting goals can also give you a sense of direction in life and bring you closer to your purpose.
Below, we will walk through some of the ways you can go about setting goals. In addition, we’ll provide you with some tips on how to achieve and sustain those goals.
HOW TO SET GOALS
Set SMART goals:
SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. By setting SMART goals, you have a higher chance of achieving your goals because you are mapping them out in a way that is measurable and strategic. This strategy can also help you clarify your goals, so you know exactly what you are working toward. When you are clear on what your goals are, you know exactly what you need to do in order to accomplish them.
Before setting a goal, it’s really important to determine your ‘why.’ Why is it that you are setting that goal in the first place? When setting a new goal, you may be really excited when you first start, but eventually, you might lose motivation, especially after you encounter the first few obstacles. That is why having a ‘why’ is really important. If you have a meaningful reason for why you want to accomplish your goal, then you will be more likely to overcome the obstacles along the way. Setting a goal just for the sake of setting a goal is not sustainable.
Smart goal – Specific
Your goal should be specific and something that can be actively traced back to an idea or thought. Try to be as specific as possible when setting a goal. If it’s too vague, then you will lack direction for what exactly you need in order to accomplish it. For example, if you are trying to manifest money, be specific about the amount of money that you are trying to manifest. That way you know the exact target that you are working toward.
An example of a specific goal would be: I want to get a good GPA so I can still be eligible for my scholarship.
Smart goal – Measurable
When setting a goal, you need to also come up with a way to measure that goal. Measuring it means breaking your goal down into measurable elements. The only way to determine when a goal will be met is to track your progress.
An example of a measurable goal would be: I will earn a B or better on my final exam.
Smart goal – Achievable
Another important criteria when setting a goal is making sure that it’s achievable. It’s always good to aim high and set big targets, but also make sure that you break the bigger goal down into smaller, more attainable goals. This will make the process less overwhelming.
An example of an achievable goal would be: I am going to get a B on the final exam by studying everyday for two hours and meeting with my tutor once a week.
Smart goal – Realistic
Having realistic and relevant goals is important because you want to actually achieve your goals, so you have to ask yourself whether the goal you are setting is realistic. Moreover, it’s important to make sure that your smaller goal aligns with your bigger vision/goal. By doing this, you will reach your ultimate goal faster.
An example of a realistic goal would be: I am going to major in Chemistry. (Since you love science).
Smart goal – Timely
Lastly, will you be able to achieve your goals in the time frame that you set? Setting a time frame for a goal will help you stay on track. This is why it’s important to map out your goal first and determine what it is that you want. By knowing what your exact goal is, you can get an idea for how long it will take to achieve. Moreover, another way to stay on track is to consistently check your progress. Keeping yourself accountable and seeing how far you are getting every few weeks or months will help you come closer to achieving your goal.
An example of a timely goal would be: I will finish studying all eight chapters by next week Friday.
HOW TO ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOALS:
Visualize and Script:
Visualization is a really powerful and effective tool for manifesting your dreams. A lot of athletes and other successful people use this tool because it works. For example, an athlete might visualize themselves scoring a goal. Same thing goes for other successful people. Most of them visualized their success before it even happened. By visualizing, you are imagining or meditating on the things that you want in as much detail as possible. The reason why this method works so well is because studies show that the cells that transmit information, also known as the neurons in our brain, interpret imagery as real life action. When you picture something in your mind, your brain doesn’t know what is real and what is fabricated. Visualization creates the same neuron activity as when we are doing things in real life. When we visualize, our brain thinks it’s real. Our minds align with what we see. Your body and mind adapt to what you are picturing, so visualizing aligns your bodily sensations with what your mind sees. Making this tool a habit is a great way to manifest things into your life. The visualization part may take a while to get the hang of, but the more you do it, the easier it’ll come to you.
Scripting is another great tool. There are a few ways to script. One way is to journal about a day in your life as if you’ve already achieved whatever it is that you want to manifest. How different would your life be? Would you have a different morning and night routine? Would you spend your day doing different things? You can be as specific or as general as you want. The key here is to use emotions. How would you feel if you already had whatever it is that you’re trying to manifest? Try to feel those emotions as you visualize or script because that will help you manifest those things faster.
Make a vision board:
Making a vision board is a really great tool for bringing your dreams to fruition because it is a way of bringing a mere thought into this physical reality. When it is in your mind, it is not tangible; it’s like a dream. Displaying these thoughts and dreams on something tangible, like a vision board, helps you believe that it is possible. It also helps you create an emotional connection to your goals which will motivate you further in achieving them. You can have a physical board or a digital board. Regardless of the type of board you create, the concept is the same for both: you find pictures that represent your goals and the things that you desire in life, and then you create a collage of all those photos.
Some goals may seem super out of reach, but by constantly looking at your vision board every day, you can condition your mind to start believing that you can accomplish anything. By seeing those pictures every day, your goals will become more “familiar” and they won’t seem so out of reach anymore. When you start to believe that you are capable of accomplishing something, the chances of achieving that thing are much higher.
Consistently write down your goals:
Writing down your goals is a really good way to keep yourself accountable. This is another way to bring your goals into the physical realm. It serves as a reminder for what you are working toward every day, and it gives you a sense of purpose and fulfillment. Moreover, another trick you can use when doing this exercise is to write down your goals in present tense, or as if you have already accomplished them. If you write them down in future tense, they will most likely always be future goals. Everything in the world is energy and everything vibrates at a different frequency. Typically, you attract people and things that are on your frequency. Same thing goes for your goals. The things you want in life also have their own energetic frequencies. On a metaphysical level, when you write down your goals in present tense or as if you have already accomplished them, you are bringing yourself closer to matching the frequencies of those things that you want to manifest.
Break them down:
One way to make sure you achieve your goals is to break them down into smaller goals. It’s really important to have the final goal in mind so you know what you are working toward, but it’s also important to break those goals down into smaller goals. Always keep the bigger goal in mind, but break down that goal, so you can figure out how to get to it. Coming up with a strategy for how you will achieve those bigger goals starts with the smaller goals.
Embodiment:
When thinking about your goals, also think about the type of person that would be able to sustain such goals. Perhaps it might require a new version of you. Sometimes, in order to achieve our goals, we need to step into a higher version of ourselves, which often requires changes in lifestyle, like getting rid of some old habits and implementing new ones. For example, if your goal is to manifest a certain amount of money, would the person that you are in the present moment be able to sustain that amount of money? Perhaps you may need to make some lifestyle changes in order to become the person who would be able to handle that amount of money. The same goes for any goal that you may have.
Embodiment is a vital part of the manifestation process. The act of embodiment is referring to acting as if you already have whatever you’re trying to manifest. This doesn’t mean pretending, but starting to make the lifestyle changes that are required in order to get to the level where you want to be. Some things you can’t manifest as easily because you don’t match the frequency of the thing that you desire.
Action:
Taking action is the most important thing you can do to accomplish your goals. Planning, writing down your goals, and visualizing them are all really great techniques to make your dreams a reality, but they work hand in hand with taking action. Without taking action, there is no momentum. Moreover, consistency is key. For example, if you are starting a new business or project, in most cases, it’s better to work fewer hours per day but to work on it everyday as opposed to working a lot of hours in one day and not doing anything for the rest of the week. The reason why this is so important is because it builds discipline and consistency.