OK - so you accept that goal setting is helpful and will lead to improvements in whatever sphere you decide to apply yourself. The question so many people ask now is “What next?” writes Donal Brady.

This guide is designed to take you through a step by step process of setting a goal. Achieving it of course is a different matter.  You will need to work on that separately. Now I realise that many books, articles, and papers have been written on this subject – but it is critical to the success of the goals setting process and, frequently ignored, misunderstood and glossed over and therefore needs restating!

TWELVE STEPS TO ACHIEVING YOUR GOALS

Step One – Make it SMART Understand the SMART acronym (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic,Tangible)

Specific

Specific is defined as “clearly defined or identified”. In other words, you need to create a statement that removes all doubt, 'wriggle room’, or other self justification. The goal statement means that there is a clear result.

EXAMPLE: A general aspiration might be, "Plan more". A specific goal would be, "Schedule 15 minutes every day for uninterrupted planning and goal setting”.

EXAMPLE: A general aspiration might be “Get fit”. A specific goal would be, "Complete my full workout schedule three times every week”.

Measurable

The goal needs to have a form and method of measurement. Think seriously about how you will measure and monitor your progress. In the example above of planning you can use a simple Daily Check Sheet to monitor if you are planning every day. Don’t leave it there though; give some thought to what impact the planning is likely to have and how you can measure that impact.

EXAMPLE: A fitness goal might have measurements such as “Time to recover normal heart rate” or “Time to run 10K” etc.

Attainable

This is a somewhat controversial area. Why? Well, most goal-setting guides talk about “BHAGs”, “Wildest Dreams” and “Shoot for the sun so you hit the moon”. And it's not that we necessarily disagree, it’s just that goal setting, like any other skill needs practice. If you are a rookie then start with some smaller goals that are important. They shouldn’t be easy, but they should be attainable - i.e. You have a reasonable expectation of success. When you accomplish these goals you can continue to grow and develop by setting bigger more audacious goals.

Realistic

Yes, realistic - as in real world! I’m forty-four and 1.88 metres tall. - I have to accept that I can’t play second-row for Ireland in the Six Nations. Modern second rows are a minimum of 1.98 metres and the oldest professional rugby player I know is Filo Tiatia of the Ospreys and he’s thirty-seven. In the real world, my time has passed and I need to find a different, more realistic goal.

Tangible

Hmmm! Tangible, what do you mean by tangible I hear you ask. Well, funnily enough, a huge number of people that we work with want to work on intangible goals. E.g.• To increase self-confidence• To improve self-image• To be more assertive• To be happier• To improve my relationships• Etc, etc.

The problem here is obvious; you can’t measure those intangible qualities. Therefore, rule number two “Measurable” is broken. So how do we deal with these? Well, the answer is to try and break them down into tangible elements or sub goals if you like.

EXAMPLE: An intangible goal might be "To improve my relationship with my son/daughter” Some tangible goals around this might be:“Spend a minimum of 30 minutes per day with John” or “Spend 10 minutes per day helping Mary with her homework” or “Maintain an even volume level in my voice when speaking with the kids”


Step Two – Write it Down

Write down your goals. There is a “power” in writing down a goal. Exactly what power is at work is hard to know exactly, but it is there all the same. Countless participants in our programmes and workshops have recounted how the physical action of writing down a goal helped them increase commitment and take action.

There are some other good reasons to writing down goals:• Written goals save time• Written goals help measure progress• Written goals produce motivation• Written goals reduce conflict• Written goals form a basis for action• Written goals stimulate visualisation

Step Three – Benefits and Losses

For each goal list the benefits of achieving, and the losses to be avoided. Don’t underestimate the power of this section. In my view, it is one of the most important steps. It is here that the desire needed to work on a goal starts to grow.  The listing you develop here should be comprehensive and detailed. It should include tangible and intangible benefits and potential losses.

Step Four – Look out for the Obstacles

List likely and possible obstacles. Think long and hard about the obstacles. Are some of the benefits you identified in Step 3 also possible obstacles? List them all - just because they are minor or you think “Ahh, that’ll be OK” doesn’t mean they won’t trip you up further down the line. This section will also help you identify the constraints that you will need to operate under.

Step Five – Identity Solutions

For every obstacle you need a solution. Remember “Just do it” is not a solution. Think of a better one. For every obstacle, try and develop at least two potential solutions.

Step Six - Identify Specific Action Steps

Note the word “specific” here. You really need to set out the specific steps that you are going to take. When you have the steps all set out it should be clear that the goal will be achieved. Many people are tempted to try to take a shortcut here or say “ah sure I’ll do that anyway, there’s no need to write it down”. Don’t fall into this trap, every action needs to be outlined.

Step Seven – Set the Date

Assign target dates to each Action Step.  It may seem obvious, but this step will help you to take the right actions in the right order. You may discover through this process that you have missed out on a step along the way.

Step Eight – Measure, measure, measure

Identify & construct a measurement and tracking system. How will you know if you are on track? Are you achieving the right results? Will you get there in the end? Design a tracking system that will give you immediate answers to these questions. Ideally make a visual representation of your progress.If you can use a graph so much the better. Above all, make it simple to understand and quick to update.

Step Nine – Affirmations

Write out statements to boost your belief and self-confidence. They are known as affirmations and they do work. We’ve all used them from time to time. How many people have been out running or walking and said to themselves “OK, just to the lamp post...OK, now just to the corner... etc” Well, that’s an affirmation and all you need to do is come up with some suitable ones for the goal in question.

Step Ten – Schedule the Action Steps

If the steps are not scheduled the plan will remain just that – a plan! If you want to achieve the goal in the appropriate time frame then ensure that you know when the steps are due. If you don’t use a diary/planning system then you will need to add an extra step or two to your plan.

Step Eleven – Celebrate your success

Before you start promise yourself a little reward and then celebrate the achievement of the goal with your treat.

Step Twelve - Start all over again

Yes, it’s a never-ending journey - set a new goal and off you go again. Oh ..and enjoy the journey!