Setting goals and achieving them is the key to accomplish all that you want in life.  If you ask any successful person you know, they would say that they owe a lot of their success to this one simple and powerful process of defining and achieving goals.

Honestly, most people do not have a very strong answer to “What are your goals?”. They would say anything that sounds pretty good or catchy to impress people around them. It’s quite intriguing to see, how with time, the goals seem to fade away.

I believe that there are no secrets to success. There are systems to success. The reason why most people do not accomplish the goals which they set out to achieve is because of the system they were exposed to. The first point you get to hear when you start setting or reading or discussing your goals is that the goals should be SMART goals. (SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Based.) Without any doubt SMART goals will set-up a baseline. However, with constantly changing times, goal setting is much beyond just being SMART.

Here is how I personally define SMART, this might sound very unconventional:

Stretch

It is impossible for you to know what you are capable of, unless you allow yourself to reach for the things which you think are way beyond your reach. Most of us under-estimate the unimaginable potential we hold and settle for something less.  Most goals we set are way within our comfort zone and within our reach. They are known to us and well within our control.

When you set goals that will make you stretch beyond what you think you are capable of reaching, you discover a new realm of possibility, which you had never imagined for yourself. That’s where the true treasure of your potential lies.

Next time, when you set goals, do ensure that they stretch you farther than you could’ve ever imagined. Remember you are only confined by the walls you build.

“What we think determines what happens to us, so if we want to change our lives, we need to stretch our minds.” – Wayne Dyer

Magnificent

The likelihood of someone sticking to a goal is largely determined by the way the goals are defined. If the goals motivate you, you will certainly be willing to make that extra effort. Appreciate your goals and set high standard goals for yourself. The key is to set goals which are in alignment with your vision of yourself.

Write and share them with as much positive energy as you can. You must avoid the goals which sound impressive to others and that fail to appreciate your true self.

Actionable

The reason most people fail to achieve their goals is not because of their inability to set goals but their inability to take that massive action required.

Goals without actions are just Dreams. You accomplish your goals when you define a massive action plan and not merely by speaking about them. Your actions are the true measure of who you are, what you stand for and what you believe in.

Believe in your goals and bond them well with a necessary action plan.

Reflect & Reward

As quoted earlier, with changing times it’s essential that we reflect on our goals and monitor what is working and what is not. We are more likely to move towards goals that bring us a clear sense of reward along the journey, as well as in reaching the destination.

While reflecting upon your goal, the purpose is to determine the next plan of action and also to know if there are any necessary corrections required in the flow of actions.

It’s imperative that you set aside a weekly “reflect and reward” cycle to monitor your progress in order to achieve your defined goals.

“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.” – Mark Twain

Transforming

Check whether the goals you set are transforming you to a better person. The goals you set, ultimately defines how you look at your life and the outcome you produce is a reflection of our inner being. Each goal you set, must transform you into a better human being. After you accomplish each of your goals, you must come out as a stronger, wiser and an evolved human being.

Most people exert all their time and energy only on setting SMART goals the old way and are left with very little or no energy in achieving them. In my passion of studying success, I learnt how successful people deliver top class outcome and remain unshaken in demanding times.  A close look reveals that the key distinctive factor is in their ability to not just constantly set SMART goals the old way but fuel their energy by redefining their goals in the new SMART way. This empowers them and allows them to follow through until they achieve what they had set out to achieve.  

Thank you for reading my article! What is your goal setting process like?