It is not just the football players who rush towards goals. It is their focus and their unflinching sights on the goal that spells success in the sweetest possible way. The same principle applies to students and MBA-aspirants too.
Goal-setting makes a lot of sense and it is vital to understand its dynamics properly. Goals must be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. These are all SMART goals. Let’s take a quick look at these aspects for success in achieving our goals.
Be specific
“I want to be successful” is not a goal, it’s a dream. A goal is something specific. Define for yourself what it means to be successful. Say, “I will do this” or “I will do that”. Write your goals down. Keep them in front of you, whether it’s on your mirror, your refrigerator, or next to your computer. Defining a goal in tangible terms is important.
Make goals measurable
Next, goals should be measurable. This helps you to track your progress. If you have a goal to be a billionaire, you will be able to track your progress better than if your goal was to “make a lot of money”. Quantify the results.
Break-up your aim into attainable nuggets
Goals should be attainable. This means that if you have a huge goal that will take a lifetime, you should break it down into smaller goals so that you will have momentum as you reach the smaller goals. If you want an MBA or wish to clear CAT, you should have smaller goals to find the right mentor, have the right type of group interaction, manage time, define study relevance etc.
Realistic is not foolhardiness
Be realistic. You should not make a goal for yourself if it is a waste of time. Take an honest look at your goal to make sure it is worth your energy and effort. Be prepared to sacrifice to achieve goals.
Prepare a time-frame
Set a timeframe for your goals. It is not easy to achieve success if a student decides to clear CAT and turns towards serious study only a week before the entrance test! If you don’t set a timeframe, history tells us that your goal will most likely not be achieved.
The above are all SMART goals! What matters now are a few value-added efforts that need to be activated. These value-additions are:
Believe in your goals!
Aspirants will need to believe in their goal, to have a greater purpose for this goal. Let’s say you want to clear CAT and reach the institute of your dreams. Why do you want it? Do you want the degree because you have a dream to change the world? Having a greater purpose for our goals helps us to stay motivated to reach them. Write down your greater purpose for your goals.
Prepare for roadblocks
Roadblocks are happenings that are unplanned and inevitable sometimes. Leave some space for them. If you look at your roadblock as if it was just a speed-bump, you can transform your reality by changing your thinking.
Stay accountable
Successful people surround themselves with other successful people. Find a select few people that you can really trust. These people should know you inside and out and be able to look you in the eye and tell you the honest truth, even if it hurts. These people need to be positive, encouraging supporters. Assemble a winning team to support you.
Reward yourself
Doing a good job is never easy. It just looks easy because winners have a positive attitude and don’t give up when it comes to failure. When you are setting your goals, decide upon rewards for yourself that fit the goal. As you progress along towards your goal, have bigger and better rewards for yourself.
So go ahead and follow these tips to embrace success!
[Arvind Passey]
[2007]
Written for PT Education
