Goalsetting: Must We?

All goals take time to accomplish. But most people are impatient. All really worthwhile objectives involve work, and sacrifice, maybe even pain! But most people HATE pain. Therefore, most people don't have any system at all for setting targets.

As some wise person once said (and we've all heard it a hundred times), "Nobody plans to fail, but many people fail to plan." And when you look at that sentence on balance you have to realize that it's the same thing. No plan equals a plan for failure.

So here is a plan for goalsetting - target-setting - that may assist you in changing the way you address life.

Take out a new sheet of paper and write the numbers 1 through 10 vertically, about an inch apart. Ready? OK.

To make it easy for you to remember, I've made each of the following ten points hinge on words starting with the letter "P".

Point 1...PAPERIZE. That's MY word. It means: Commit everything to writing. writing is probably the very best way for you to move your thoughts from imagination to reality - from your gut to your head. So when you're setting targets, use a yellow pad and a pencil - so you can erase, change and edit - or use a computer word processor. There's a great deal of power and usefulness in getting your thoughts out to where you can SEE them. They become concretely PERCEPTIBLE and PERCEIVABLE.

Point 2...PERIMETERIZE. Another crazy word. But what this means is: Set realistic targets. This is perhaps the toughest criterion of all. What is says is, "Think big, but be practical." Set reachable targets - don't set yourself up for failure. If the job you're seeking generally pays $40,000, don't expect $50,000 to start. It won't happen, you'll be disappointed, and your next attempt at goalsetting will be weaker as a result. The same is true for time frames. If it's going to take six months to get ready to go into Business, don't expect you'll be up and running and profitable in a month or two.

Point 3...PARTICULARIZE. Be specific. It's like the old saying, "If you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there." A corollary to this is: "?any road will get you there, but when you arrive you won't know where you are!" By being specific you set the stage for developing specific actions for getting you from where you are to exactly where you want to be. And by the way, with an accurately formulated and stated goal you're well on the way to a workable plan?and this means that when you get to where you're going you'll really know that you've arrived.

Point 4...PERSONALIZE. Make your targets personal by using your imagination. Remember when you were a kid? Didn't you daydream about being something - a cowboy, a nurse, a pilot? Remember how that felt? That's what you need to return to now. FEEL your goal. You might even want to do this dreaming even before you start writing. It's your choice, but don't overlook the option.

Point 5...PRESENTIZE. Always use the present tense as you set goals and plan. We discussed this a bit when we talked about visualization and affirmation, remember? This tells your brain that you're underway, not waiting to start. It'll be unnatural and uncomfortable at first. Here's an example. Instead of saying, "I'm going to send out 50 letters of inquiry and make follow up calls on each," say, "I am sending out letters of inquiry and five days later I'm making follow up calls on each one." As you do this, it'll become easier and more natural, and your feelings about getting the job done will change. You'll feel the momentum, and it will propel you toward your goal.

Point 6...POSITIVIZE. State your targets in positive - and, where appropriate, in superlative - terms. Most of us will have at least a little bit of trouble w