We all know that person who is super ambitious and seems to achieve almost whatever they set their mind to. In reality though, the majority us have a difficult time hitting our goals so we choose to lower the bar or just shrink the dream/goal entirely. I mean let’s face it, setting accurate goals is hard for a lot of us even when we sort of know what it is that we want. Chances are, you’ve never done the thing you’re attempting, so how are you supposed to know what a “ realistic “ goal and is what it’s not? Your knowledge of what it is you want to achieve plays a huge role in determining the goal itself. There are a lot of different factors that come into play when you’re setting a goal. So what are the things you should really zero in on?

---

The Outset

Before you decide where you want to go let’s take a minute to assess where you are. You would never take a vacation using directions leaving from someone else's house would you? No. You’d start from your own house - where you’re at now. It’s the same here, and where you’re at is where you are at. Finding your starting line requires you to be honest about your position and situation. If you need a friend or coach’s help with the process of self-assessment, don’t be afraid to ask. Your goal after all, is worth taking a hard look in the mirror isn’t it? This honest look at yourself, since it is truly the first step, is the most important part of the journey. Laozi said “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” so don’t sweat where you’re at. After we have found the starting line you’ll have to gain a rudimentary grasp for what it  will take to cross your desired finish line.

---

Variables

You’ll more than likely have to research the topic on your own or better yet begin to associate with and glean from others who have gone before so to speak. This understanding of what it is you want to do is vitally important because without it you may set a goal that is too far from the starting line. Making the goal unrealistic could mean that you set the right size but the wrong time constraints or visa versa. If you make this mistake, you’ll quickly lose belief in its realization. However, everyone is different with how far they can look down the road. Your ability to wake up each day looking into the future with a clear picture of what’s to come and delay gratification is called “ long term vision “ and it is powerful when applied consistently. Napoleon Hill called this clear vision a “ burning desire.” The distance/gap between where you are at now, point A, and where you want to get to is known as gap tension. Used positively, this gap tension can keep you motivated, on task, and excited to reach your point B. The goal must be big enough to create this tension. Otherwise, you won’t need to change your habits and thinking to achieve it. Each goal, much like life, is its own small journey. You will have to learn things about yourself and grow to overcome the potential giants along the way.

---

Steps to Success

Alright, got your goal in mind yet? There are three obstacles at will make or break your success other than what we’ve already covered. Okay, there are probably more than that, but for now let's stick with these three…..deal? The first one is to simply show up. Not hard to do but it’s just as easy not to do. If the goal is related to doing things early in the morning, don’t hit the snooze button simply get out of bed. If it’s gym related, even when you don’t feel like working out, get to the gym and go from there. Begin engaging in the activity and you’ll have a desire to finish it. This is known in Psychology as the “Zeigarnik Effect” and it really works. Perfect example - go mow one strip of grass in your lawn, rack one clear patch of leaves, or shovel one path of snow off the driveway and then just stop. You can’t without going mad can you? The same thing applies here. Showing up is half the work. The next thing you’ll need to do is track your progress. Each goal is different but generally speaking you can set small mile markers along the way to show your level of progress. Another great tip would be to do some research on KPI’s ( key performance indicators ) and figure out what your goal specific KPI metrics should be. These will more so be used as a true north compass between mile markers to keep you on track. Lastly reward yourself and do this appropriately. If your goal is weightloss and you drop 5 lbs in a month…..great job by the way, but don’t go slam down a pizza for dinner three nights in a row. You do something to tell your brain ‘ we’re heading in the right direction, keep it up ’ though. You will usually get more of whatever you praise and reward so keep a positive outlook on the progress you have made and how far you have come verses how far you have yet to go in the goal.