Your 2018 Goal Setting Guide

Everything you need to know about setting goals...and achieving them.

By now we should all know the importance of setting goals – some big, overarching long-term goals and other smaller, more immediate and easily attainable goals to keep us motivated and progressing.

Seems simple, right? Well, in a way, it is, because the act of setting goals requires little action. Some would argue whether goal setting even requires much thought. I mean, surely we all want to lose a few kilos this year, or finally complete that race or event we’ve had our eyes on?

HAVE THE RIGHT GOAL

While setting goals certainly gives us purpose and direction, it’s working towards achieving those goals where the challenge really lies. But before you dive into the fray, chasing your ambitions for 2018, stop for a minute and consider whether you’ve actually set the right goal...

All too often when we fail, we tend to write it off to a lack of motivation or willpower. But what if we were doomed to fail from the start, because we had the wrong goal to begin with?

There are a number of reasons why a specific goal may not be right. You therefore need to take time out, having established your goals for the year, and interrogate them.

Through this process, ask yourself the following questions (and write down your answers):

Why did you choose that goal?

Why do you want to achieve this goal?

How much do you really want or need to achieve this goal?

What will happen if you don’t achieve your goal?

Am I making this harder than it needs to be?

How will your efforts to attain this goal fit into your current lifestyle and situation?

Do you have sufficient time to dedicate to achieving the goal in the timeframe you’ve set out?