All People Can Achieve Their Goals by Preparing Effectively
All People Can Achieve Their Goals by Preparing Effectively
“Tools” for both parents and their children
Four P’s of Goal Setting
We all need goals to get things done. However, not every goal is effective. The way that we and our children word our/their goals will determine whether or not we reach them. When establishing goals, it is important to remember the Four P’s of goal setting. They need to be positive, personal, possible, and prioritized.
They Need to Be Positive
When you are creating goals, remember to make sure that they are positive. This means that you focus on what you want to achieve rather than what you want to avoid. For example, you would write, “I will complete this project.” rather than “I can’t wait till I will no longer work on this horrible project.” Staying focused on the positive will help improve your outlook and remove any negativity. This, in turn, will improve your chances for success. Reaching your goals will automatically help you avoid your present circumstances. When creating positive goals, remember to be as specific as possible.
They Need to Be Personal
When creating goals, they need to reflect your dreams and desires. Goals that are not personal are more likely to be ineffective. Your goals should be about you and only you. For example, “My boss will appreciate me.” is an ineffective goal because it is not about you. It is possible to be a wonderful employee and still be unappreciated. A more specific, valued, and better goal could be, “I will find a supervisory position where I am appreciated for my talent.” If your goals are not personal, you will never achieve them. Making goals personal places the burden of responsibility on you, but it also means that other people do not determine when you reach your goals.
They Need to Be Possible
When creating goals, you need to make sure that they are possible. When you set impossible goals, you set yourself up for failure and disappointment. Creating possible goals demands that you be honest with yourself. Some goals may require continued education or experience to achieve while others will remain out of reach. For example, it is not possible for someone to become a famous singer without any talent whatsoever. You need to assess your talents and determine what you can achieve with hard work and what is unrealistic for you to accomplish. Once you have determined which goals are possible for you to achieve, success will be within reach.
They Need to Be Prioritized
Brainstorming goals can become overwhelming. You will probably have more goals than you can handle. This is the time to prioritize your goals. Begin by numerically ranking your goals and choosing the five goals that are the most important to you. Choose these goals based on your passions, and make sure that they cover all areas of your life: professional, health, personal growth, finances, etc. All of your time and energy should be spent working towards these goals.
You should place your other goals on the back burner. It is not possible to focus on 20 goals at the same time. In fact, you should avoid the other goals at all cost. You risk becoming side tracked with less important goals if you continue to entertain them. You will need to reprioritize your goals periodically. For example, you can reprioritize after you achieve one of your top five goals.
People with goals succeed because they know where they are going.
Earl Nightingale
Excerpts taken from “Dynamic Goal Setting and task Completion to Promote High School, College, and Career Readiness” © Support For Students Growth Center, 2021.
Dr. Eric J. Nach, Ph.D., M.Ed., A.S.D.C., is a Developmental and Behavioral Specialist. Since 2012 he has been the Founder and President of the Support for Students Growth Center in Boca Raton, FL, where he and his team of professionals provide the Social, Academic, Behavioral and Emotional support services for Children, Teens, Young Adults and their Families, In-person, Online, Nationwide and Worldwide.
