7 Strategies For Achieving Your Long-Term Goals POSTume success

A long-term goal points to the future. It is
about something you want to accomplish that
requires a significant amount of time which
could be years. Your long-term goals are the
ones with profound or significant impact on
your future.
Without such goals we may drift or wander
through life without making it count in any way.
They make it possible for you to focus your
strength and resources towards making the
most of your life. It can be said that goal-
setting is a driver of success.
We all need to take time to seriously think
about what we actually want from life and set-
goals in that direction. You can hardly reach a
destination when you don’t know how to get
there. Goals are therefore blueprints to a
desired future.
Here are strategies for achieving your long-
term goals;
Be Clear on what You Want
Goals should not be vague; whether long-term
or short-term goals. They should rather be
S.M.A.R.T. This way it will be easier to know
what things are mostly required to achieve
them. It would equally be easier to break your
long-term goal into short-term-goals or tasks.
Whether the goal is about your income or
relationship, whatever it is, you need to be
specific on it.
S – Specific: well-defined and focused. “I want
to increase my monthly income by 20% sounds
more specific than just saying, “I want to
increase my income.”
M – Measurable: How would you know you
have hit your target? You should be able to
track your progress on short-term basis to
know if you are likely to hit your target.
A – Attainable: It has to be something
reachable. Remember you don’t build a
mansion overnight.
R – Realistic/Relevant/Reasonable: Imagine a
fish setting a goal that says, “To fly like a bird
within a year.” Or a bird setting such goal that
says “I want to swim like a fish in a year.” Set
goals that are both meaningful and impactful.
T – Time-Based: Give your goals deadlines.
When you set time and deadlines you create
the sense of urgency and “force” needed to
pursue your goal.
Don’t forget that you need to write your goals
down. If possible make it big enough and place
it where you can see it every now and then.
Create an Action Plan: Planning is important to
the attainment of all goals. Planning in this
context is simply a means for achieving your
set goals goal. Many are unable to achieve
their goals because they have no laid down
plans on how to achieve them. Let me also add
that your effectiveness in planning determines
your effectiveness in attaining your set goals.
The reason we need to plan is that without
concrete plans it is very difficult if not
impossible to turn goals into action. You
shouldn’t forget that the attainment of your
goals depends on the action you take. Hence,
the need for an action plan.
-Begin by identifying and writing down how you
can and what you need to achieve your goal.
-Create daily/weekly/monthly tasks or activities
(depending on the nature of your goal) you
must do to get closer and closer to achieving
your ultimate goal.
This will help you eliminate what is not
necessary and focus on what is.
Focus on the “Big Rocks”: You will discover
after setting your goal and creating an action
plan for achieving it, that there are steps, tasks
or activities that your goal hugely depends on
and if you fail to give attention to them, you
could as well forget about achieving that
particular goal. These are what I referred to
here as “Big Rocks” (a term borrowed from Dr.
Stephen Covey’s method of time management).
You need to figure out what the big rocks are
and give them the needed attention. They
should be major things you need to do on daily
or weekly basis to get closer and closer to
achieving your long-term goal.
Remember, Pareto’s Principle, 80 percent of
the value you get from what you do will come
from 20 percent of the activities.
Visualize and Reflect: It is important for you to
constantly visualize and keep the big picture in
mind. Talk and think on success pictures. You
should even rehearse and practice the process
of achieving your goal in your mind. When we
perform or rehearse activities in our minds, it
positions the mind for what is ahead. That way
it is easier to develop the willpower and
strength needed to reach out and achieve your
desired goal.
This will help you to also stay motivated and
get your mind acquainted with what needs to
be done to reach your goal and keeps you
dedicate wholeheartedly to doing it. Reflecting
on the plan and process of achieving your goal
help you to detect areas that may need to be
adjusted or improved as time goes on.
Stay Informed: When it comes to achieving
your goals there is need to get the needed
information. Information has the power to
increase the rate and quality of our outcomes.
It is said that if you are not informed you may
end up “deformed”. Information can open new
perspectives of action. The good news is that
whatever you are trying to do or achieve there
is some one that has done it or at least doing it
successfully. The world is moving at a very fast
rate when it comes to knowledge. Don’t count
on how it used to be, how it used to be may
not be how it is.
Stay connected to information source that can
aid you in actualizing your goal. Read relevant
books. Connect with the relevant people that
have the information you need to get to where
you want to be. What got you where you are
may not necessarily get you where you want to
be.
Create A Climate Of Confidence Around You: A
climate of confidence is one that reinforces
your enthusiasm, motivation and determination
to pursue your goal. If the goal you have for
your self is SMART don’t let anyone talk you
out of it. You won’t experience victory if you
keep talking and thinking defeat. Don’t rehearse
your mistakes either; they will only reinforce
your doubt. Just learn and move on.
Connect and listen to people that has what it
takes to inspire you towards your goal. Do all
you can to stay positive. Your quest demands
that.
Celebrate Little The Achievement Along The
Line: Learn to acknowledge and celebrate the
little achievements you’ve made even if you
don’t think they are huge or life changing. They
all have certain level of significance to
contribute to the big Picture. This also helps to
keep you motivated.
Lastly, remember that nothing worthwhile is
ever achieved on a platter of gold. There’s
going to be distractions, obstacles and
oppositions, but then you need to remain
disciplined and determined. That’s why I usually
advise that one’s goals should be connected to
one’s passion or at least a need or a strong
desire. That way it will be easier to keep
pushing because you know that at the end, the
price will be worth it.
Image source: loridevoti.com