Question without notice: What and why are you trying to accomplish in your life? Just think about it for a moment. What and why. This is a really key question for all of us. The first step in achieving an ambition is establishing what the ambition is and also understanding why you want to achieve it. Often we know what we want to achieve (like get better grades - especially in Math - or lose some weight) but we don't have the right reason to back it up. So, what is your goal and why do you want to achieve it?
Once you have established the "what" and the "why", you can move to the next step - the "who". As in, who do you need to be to make sure that goal happens? What sort of actions do you need to take? How will you know if you are really on track or if you are just kidding yourself? Are you becoming the person you need to become to achieve the goal? Or are you just hoping that you can be exactly as you are now and still achieve the goal?
Let's look at this another way. If you take no action each day how will your goal be achieved? If you don't take any steps to improve yourself, how will your goal be achieved? Can you goal happen by you continuing exactly the way you are? If not, what are you going to do about it? What improvements do you need to make?
Achieving a goal is a process not an event. The problem is that people don't like processes - we like events! You see, we like to get an A+ on our Maths test, but we don't want to do the study and homework required (i.e. the process) to get the A+, we just want the event - the great score! We like the idea of looking fit and healthy but we don't like part where we have to eat well and exercise constantly. Do we? It all makes sense when you understand that we don't like the process - we just like the events.
This is exactly what happens in our studies. Most students have a dream of that going to College or University, or having a great career one day or of starting their own business, but the process of actually getting to that level of education is often long and painful. All of the homework, the tests, the exams and the assignments required to get good grades can really break the back of even a student with the best intentions!
However, for those of us who make a choice to go through the process, the events are extra sweet. A top grade, getting into College, winning the Super Bowl, or running a four minute mile are all events that happened because the person made a decision and went through the process.
This is important when we consider setting our goals and seeking to achieve them. Obviously, if the event itself is the only reason we setting the goal then it makes sense that we are going to struggle through the process required to realize the goal. That's just common sense isn't it?
So, when you set a goal you need to consider the process of how this goal is going to come about. If you decide that you want to get an A+ in Maths (and by the way rule number one of goal setting is to make the goal specific not airy fairy like "I want to improve in Math") then what you really need to ask yourself is "Who do I need to become to achieve an A+ in Maths? What actions do I need to take on a daily basis to achieve an A+ in Maths?"
Goals don't just happen. They are clearly defined and then deliberately worked towards. You create an event (an A+ in Maths) and then you have to go through the process to get there. Focus on the process and the event will happen. Focus on the event (like everyone wants to) and nothing will happen. The choice is yours!
Once you have established the "what" and the "why", you can move to the next step - the "who". As in, who do you need to be to make sure that goal happens? What sort of actions do you need to take? How will you know if you are really on track or if you are just kidding yourself? Are you becoming the person you need to become to achieve the goal? Or are you just hoping that you can be exactly as you are now and still achieve the goal?
Let's look at this another way. If you take no action each day how will your goal be achieved? If you don't take any steps to improve yourself, how will your goal be achieved? Can you goal happen by you continuing exactly the way you are? If not, what are you going to do about it? What improvements do you need to make?
Achieving a goal is a process not an event. The problem is that people don't like processes - we like events! You see, we like to get an A+ on our Maths test, but we don't want to do the study and homework required (i.e. the process) to get the A+, we just want the event - the great score! We like the idea of looking fit and healthy but we don't like part where we have to eat well and exercise constantly. Do we? It all makes sense when you understand that we don't like the process - we just like the events.
This is exactly what happens in our studies. Most students have a dream of that going to College or University, or having a great career one day or of starting their own business, but the process of actually getting to that level of education is often long and painful. All of the homework, the tests, the exams and the assignments required to get good grades can really break the back of even a student with the best intentions!
However, for those of us who make a choice to go through the process, the events are extra sweet. A top grade, getting into College, winning the Super Bowl, or running a four minute mile are all events that happened because the person made a decision and went through the process.
This is important when we consider setting our goals and seeking to achieve them. Obviously, if the event itself is the only reason we setting the goal then it makes sense that we are going to struggle through the process required to realize the goal. That's just common sense isn't it?
So, when you set a goal you need to consider the process of how this goal is going to come about. If you decide that you want to get an A+ in Maths (and by the way rule number one of goal setting is to make the goal specific not airy fairy like "I want to improve in Math") then what you really need to ask yourself is "Who do I need to become to achieve an A+ in Maths? What actions do I need to take on a daily basis to achieve an A+ in Maths?"
Goals don't just happen. They are clearly defined and then deliberately worked towards. You create an event (an A+ in Maths) and then you have to go through the process to get there. Focus on the process and the event will happen. Focus on the event (like everyone wants to) and nothing will happen. The choice is yours!
About the Author:
HelpMeToStudy.org is the premier online resource for learning new study skills, changing your study habits and finding the best study tips available. We will help change the way you think about study - and even better - we will show you how to study effectively: How To Study Effectively | How To Set Goals
