The Power of Goals
It was Conrad Hilton the founder of the world famous Hilton chain of hotels who said, "Success is made to order". He was right - for an achievement is a sum total of many things - talent, aptitude, knowledge and desire. If we analyze each of our achievements, we will soon discover that it all started with the goal that we wanted to achieve. Well-defined goals, tackled with competence and confidence through a proper plan of action are the building blocks of achievements. They are our escalators to tomorrow, a vehicle that takes you to success.
What are some of the important points to remember when you go about setting goals and planning for them?
1. Your goals should be "SMART"
It is very important that your goals be:
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Timebound
2. What ever you do, put your whole mind to it
In America, Swami Vivekananda saw some kids standing on a bridge, shooting eggshells floating in the lake. The children were always off the target. Swamiji took a gun, stood still for few minutes and then fired twelve shots. Each time it hit an eggshell. Swamiji turned around and told the awe - struck boys "What ever you do put your whole mind into it. If you're shooting, your mind should be on the target. If you're learning, think only of the lesson."
3. Be and act enthusiastic
The worst bankrupt is the person who has lost enthusiasm. Let one lose everything but enthusiasm and that person will come through to success. Of course there will be difficulties and obstacles. There are two possible attitudes to take at such a time. One is to let it discourage you, making you feel helpless and hopeless. That attitude is of course disastrous. The other way is to cultivate a positive attitude towards what you can do to solve the problem in the best manner possible.
4. Take effective decisions
Most people have no idea how much stress they can create through indecision. If you are the kind of person who cannot decide between two courses of action, afraid that the course you choose might turn out to be a mistake, it is important to bear in mind that indecision is expensive and nearly always the worst mistake you can make.
Of course some decisions require a great deal of thought and maybe some more information. But once all the facts are available, the successful individual will reach a decision and stop thinking about the various pros and cons, so that he can devote all his energy and effort to making the decision work.
5. Avoid procrastination
Procrastination is the greatest disease that afflicts mankind. Although the disease is wide spread, it is important that we do not ignore it. Successful people do not procrastinate especially in matters they know are important to them. As someone has rightly said people don't fail because they intend to fail. They fail because they fail to do what they intend to do."
To sum up, setting "SMART" goals, putting your whole mind to the task at hand, being enthusiastic, taking effective decisions and avoiding procrastination are five keys to help you climb higher in life.
Author: Nikhil Desai, International Speaker, Motivator & Trainer
Email: ndesai@cexcellence.com Website: www.cexcellence.com
Nikhil will be conducting a workshop on Enhance Your Effectiveness At Work on Tuesday, 8th July 2008 at Hotel Parkview Inn, Singapore.
For more details click here.