Ready, Set, Goal!

Ready, Set, Goal is one of the free resources that I offer on my web site, www.EttieShapiro.com, and it is one of the most popular. At this time of the year, goals are a particularly hot topic, and as we all know, so many of the goals that are set at the beginning of the year quickly fall by the wayside.
In my experience, people don’t use what we know about goals to work towards them, so I’m sharing what has been demonstrated by research and I encourage you to incorporate it into setting and achieving your goals.
Research on this topic shows the following are true about setting goals:
-The more difficult the goal, the greater the achievement.
-Goals that are both specific and difficult lead to the highest achievement.
- Commitment, being determined and really wanting to achieve the goal is essential. Commitment to goals is belief that the goal is important and attainable.
-Some form of feedback and accountability for progress on goals contributes to goal achievement.

The number one reason that people don’t achieve their goals is that they are not big enough. So as you are reflecting on what you want to achieve in 2011, make it BIG, make it specific and be honest about how important the goal is to you. It has to be something you want, not what you think you should want. Write it down and keep track of your progress. Get a coach or an accountability partner to keep you on track. Achieving your goals requires work, and writing them down and noting your progress towards them is an important part of that work.

So, go for it. Make 2011 an incredible year by achieving your goals!