Setting your Objectives
Individuals need to set goals that are realistic, attainable and measurable. Without goals, many would jump from task to task with no set process in mind and no “end game”. Learning how to set your objectives effectively often depends on a number of factors and each will play a distinct role.Oftentimes objectives are piled on top of each other making some tasks nearly impossible to achieve. In order to set your objectives effectively, it is important to be realistic about the amount of time it will take to achieve them. Trying to cram nine hours of work into a six hour day is unrealistic and will only lead to a sense of failure and frustration.Set realistic objectivesWhile it may be fun to envision living like a millionaire, chances are that most people will never be able to attain such a goal. However, this does not mean that the final objective has to be small. Thinking big but keeping the steps from zero to one hundred involves a dose of reality. Those who are willing to think big and keep the steps realistic have a better chance of finding success. Being able to set short-term goals can help provide focus.Set attainable objectivesWhile living like a millionaire may be the end objective, chances are that doing so will not occur overnight. When setting your objectives, it is important to make sure they are attainable. Never underestimate your objectives since that may lead to complacency. For example, most people can earn $100 in a month, but not everyone can easily earn $500 in a month. Determining what is attainable means (a) not being too pessimistic and (b) not being overly optimistic.Set measurable objectivesIt can be very frustrating to set broad goals. In fact, setting objectives that are easy to measure can help most people find more success. For example, it may be a long-term goal to write a book. Making the goal smaller such as “writing two chapters of XYZ book before December 30” is more specific and much easier to measure. Making each step easily measurable may help in keeping focus on the larger objective. The more “measurable” the goal, the easier it is to check off a list.Not everyone is able to set long-term goals and stay on track until the goal is reached. However, if you learn how to set your objectives effectively, there is a good chance that your long-term goals are easier to attain. Each person has a different level of motivation, different levels of ability and different amounts of time. What may work for one person is not likely to work for everyone. The most important key in learninghow to set your objectives effectivelyis to know your personal limitations including skills, motivation and time.
