If you want to achieve something meaningful in your life you are unlikely to achieve it if you do not set goals for yourself. However, just setting goals is not enough. If they are too vague or unattainable then they reduce your chances of achieving them.

The reason you are setting goals is to be able to achieve them. There is no point in spending considerable time and effort setting goals that you have no hope or real desire of achieving.

Much research has been carried out in relation to the subject of goal setting. However, the most effective goals are SMART goals. SMART is an acronym for the following:

Specific: By setting goals that are specific you are removing the problem of confusion and vagueness. Nothing stops a goal in its track more than vagueness. Specific goals provide clarity in terms of what exactly needs to be done and how. Goals that state “I want to be rich” will not be effective because they are too vague. A specific goal is “I want to earn $100,000 a year by 2012.”

Measurable: Goals need to be measured or else there is no way to tell if you are making progress or not. This is especially the case with long term goals and motivation. If you can clearly see that you are making progress along the way this provides the motivation to keep going.

Attainable: An important aim of goal setting is to give you the opportunity to push yourself beyond your comfort zone. However, if the goals are set too high, if they are unattainable then, you will soon give up because you have not the personal resources to achieve them. Therefore, you should set goals that move you out of your comfort zone but within your capabilities of achieving them.

Relevant: The goals that you set for yourself must be relevant to you. This means that they must be based on what you truly want to achieve. If the goals you set are not relevant you will give in at the first sign of a challenge or obstacle. Relevant goals should be based on your true desires. Therefore, to set relevant goals you must have a reason why you want to achieve them. To find reasons identify what your values are and base your goals around them.

Time: There has to be a deadline. If there is no deadline a goal is rarely achieved. By setting a time limit you set yourself a target to aim for. Setting a time and making a commitment focuses the mind which increases your chances of achieving your goals.

Patricia Muldoon has been writing articles for over 3 years on subjects she cares greatly about. Check out her new website at www.cotbedmattressreview.com/ which provides information relating to sprung cot bed mattress products and accessories.