Use Goal Setting To Achieve Your Dreams

Goal Setting is one of those important aspects of life that I never did single or married. I have always just gone with the flow. Not saying that is a bad; it is I just didn't have any focus and just moved along with life events as they unfolded. After my divorce with my life in complete array, I knew that I needed to start choosing my priorities differently. Four years ago, I was attending a company workshop on Goal Setting and the coach asked us if the life we are living today is what we want in 10 years. Of course not; was my response and she replied with 'What is your plan and how are you going to accomplish it?'

That comment started me on a journey on goal setting across all aspects of my life. What goal setting has allowed me to achieve my dreams. What I have come to realize as a divorced mother is that my goal setting are about me, my daughter and my ability to attain a life for us on my own.
For me that is BIG! The fantasy that Prince Charming will sweep me off my feet and unlimited access to his bank account are gone. I’ve embraced the fact that I own my future and that of my daughter as long she is living under my roof. It’s powerful, energizing and very real.

My first year of goal setting I set what I thought were some pretty aggressive goals for myself in a plan and found that I exceeded most goals and nearly all others I met. What intrigued me is that I knew left to my old ways; I would not have accomplished what I did in one year. My plan gave me focus for my dreams and a renewed sense of energy and belief in myself that I can accomplish what I set my sites on.

I'm now ending my 2011 plan. Going into 2012, I have set more aggressive goals for myself. My viewpoint is that I should be able to hit about 70% of the goals. I have found in 2011 I hit about 80% of my goals … and once again am amazed at the progress I have made. Over the past few years, my goal setting has evolved.

Above all else, I have found that I need to have a system and tools in place to keep my goals alive. This is critical! By alive, I mean that I’m regularly reviewing and incorporating the action steps into my life. Without a system, goals will keep getting put to the back burner to daily life activities. Goal setting is an activity that needs to be incorporated into your regular living; not just an activity done once a year.