Goal setting can make life simple. Here we explain the 6 steps necessary to set and accomplish goals both large and small. More at www.thevividmind.org/blog

1.
GOAL​ ​SETTING
Setting​ ​a​ ​goal​ ​and​ ​sticking​ ​to​ ​it.
Want​ ​to​ ​buy​ ​a​ ​sportscar​ ​?​ ​Want​ ​to​ ​quit​ ​drinking​ ​?​ ​Want​ ​to​ ​crack​ ​an​ ​exam​ ​?​ ​Setting
specific​ ​goals​ ​for​ ​ourselves​ ​help​ ​us​ ​make​ ​life​ ​much​ ​simpler.​ ​It​ ​helps​ ​in​ ​effectively
managing​ ​our​ ​time​ ​and​ ​allocating​ ​resources.​ ​​ ​The​ ​the​ ​road​ ​toward​ ​​ ​goals​ ​may​ ​may​ ​be
filled​ ​with​ ​distractions​ ​and​ ​disturbances,​ ​but​ ​setting​ ​a​ ​goal,​ ​is​ ​what​ ​gives​ ​us​ ​direction.
Even​ ​when​ ​we​ ​are​ ​lost​ ​in​ ​emotion​ ​and​ ​adversity​ ​,​ ​goals​ ​tend​ ​to​ ​add​ ​a​ ​sense​ ​of​ ​purpose
and​ ​can​ ​help​ ​take​ ​life​ ​forward.​ ​Here​ ​are​ ​six​ ​steps​ ​to​ ​setting​ ​goals​ ​.
Make​ ​the​ ​decision
​ ​Where​ ​do​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​be​ ​and​ ​what​ ​do​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​be​ ​doing​ ​a​ ​year​ ​from​ ​now.
Something​ ​you're​ ​interested​ ​in​ ​or​ ​feel​ ​excited​ ​by.​ ​Would​ ​it​ ​be​ ​a​ ​certain​ ​job​ ​or​ ​a​ ​certain
need​ ​for​ ​freedom.​ ​Buying​ ​a​ ​​ ​new​ ​bike​ ​or​ ​learning​ ​to​ ​surf.​ ​​ ​Size​ ​or​ ​significance​ ​does​ ​not
matter.​ ​However​ ​setting​ ​a​ ​goal​ ​that​ ​is​ ​slightly​ ​beyond​ ​our​ ​reach​ ​can​ ​help​ ​us​ ​grow​ ​and
stay​ ​motivated.​ ​Think​ ​of​ ​the​ ​positives​ ​and​ ​negatives​ ​behind​ ​your​ ​decision​ ​before​ ​you
decide.​ ​Once​ ​you​ ​do​ ​come​ ​to​ ​a​ ​decision,​ ​there​ ​is​ ​no​ ​going​ ​back.

2. 2
Record​ ​the​ ​decision.
Writing​ ​down​ ​our​ ​decisions​ ​increase​ ​our​ ​chances​ ​of​ ​sticking​ ​with​ ​them.​ ​Be
specific,​ ​write​ ​down​ ​timelines​ ​and​ ​benchmarks.​ ​Imagine​ ​how​ ​it​ ​will​ ​feel​ ​like​ ​when​ ​the
goal​ ​is​ ​achieved,​ ​write​ ​down​ ​all​ ​the​ ​great​ ​feelings​ ​associated​ ​with​ ​successfully​ ​pursuing
a​ ​goal.​ ​​ ​Always​ ​record​ ​goals​ ​in​ ​terms​ ​of​ ​what​ ​you​ ​want,​ ​not​ ​what​ ​you​ ​don't​ ​want.​ ​For
example:​ ​'I​ ​want​ ​to​ ​clear​ ​my​ ​exams,​ ​not​ ​“I​ ​don't​ ​want​ ​to​ ​fail”.
Publicize​ ​the​ ​decision
Tell​ ​close​ ​friends​ ​and​ ​relatives​ ​about​ ​your​ ​goal.​ ​This​ ​vastly​ ​increases​ ​the
chances​ ​of​ ​one​ ​going​ ​through​ ​the​ ​effort​ ​to​ ​complete​ ​it.​ ​You​ ​do​ ​not​ ​need​ ​to​ ​talk​ ​about
the​ ​trivial​ ​details,​ ​but​ ​try​ ​to​ ​mention​ ​your​ ​decision​ ​and​ ​how​ ​much​ ​you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​attain​ ​your
goal.
“Hey​ ​guys,​ ​I​ ​am​ ​going​ ​to​ ​try​ ​quitting​ ​cigarettes.​ ​I​ ​hope​ ​to​ ​be​ ​smoke​ ​free​ ​by​ ​the
end​ ​of​ ​this​ ​week”
Set​ ​short​ ​term​ ​goals
This​ ​has​ ​special​ ​significance,​ ​especially​ ​in​ ​big​ ​goals.​ ​Think​ ​about​ ​the​ ​smaller
steps​ ​on​ ​the​ ​way​ ​to​ ​achieving​ ​your​ ​bigger​ ​aim.​ ​Sometimes​ ​our​ ​big​ ​goals​ ​are​ ​a​ ​bit​ ​vague,
like​ ​'I​ ​want​ ​to​ ​be​ ​healthier'​ ​or​ ​“I​ ​want​ ​to​ ​be​ ​rich”.​ ​Breaking​ ​large​ ​goals​ ​into​ ​smaller​ ​steps
helps​ ​us​ ​keep​ ​track​ ​of​ ​our​ ​progress​ ​.​ ​So​ ​a​ ​smaller​ ​goal​ ​might​ ​be​ ​to​ ​exercise​ ​regularly'​ ​or
even​ ​'to​ ​be​ ​able​ ​to​ ​save​ ​500​ ​rupees​ ​this​ ​week”'.​ ​Set​ ​timelines​ ​to​ ​achieve​ ​these​ ​goals.
Having​ ​several​ ​short​ ​term​ ​goals​ ​guides​ ​us​ ​in​ ​the​ ​right​ ​direction​ ​toward​ ​our​ ​long​ ​term
goals.

3. 3
One​ ​step​ ​at​ ​a​ ​time
Even​ ​the​ ​biggest​ ​goals​ ​began​ ​with​ ​the​ ​simplest​ ​steps.​ ​Though​ ​we​ ​would​ ​love​ ​to​ ​do​ ​it,
we​ ​need​ ​to​ ​stay​ ​grounded​ ​and​ ​stay​ ​in​ ​the​ ​present.​ ​No​ ​one​ ​can​ ​tackle​ ​everest​ ​in​ ​one
swift​ ​jump,​ ​the​ ​first​ ​step​ ​though​ ​and​ ​the​ ​million​ ​steps​ ​after​ ​that​ ​will​ ​help​ ​get​ ​you​ ​there.
Focus​ ​on​ ​the​ ​steps​ ​and​ ​goal​ ​is​ ​as​ ​good​ ​as​ ​reached.​ ​Try​ ​not​ ​to​ ​get​ ​too​ ​ahead​ ​of​ ​yourself
,​ ​stick​ ​to​ ​small​ ​simple​ ​baby​ ​steps,​ ​they​ ​will​ ​add​ ​up.​ ​Stop​ ​trying​ ​to​ ​predict​ ​the​ ​future,​ ​stay
in​ ​the​ ​present​ ​and​ ​deal​ ​with​ ​each​ ​day​ ​as​ ​it​ ​comes.
Be​ ​flexible,​ ​and​ ​keep​ ​moving​ ​forward.
The​ ​process​ ​of​ ​setting​ ​and​ ​chasing​ ​goals​ ​can​ ​sometimes​ ​be​ ​frustrating,
especially​ ​when​ ​things​ ​aren’t​ ​going​ ​our​ ​way​ ​.​ ​Flexibility​ ​is​ ​the​ ​​ ​key​ ​here.​ ​If​ ​one​ ​step​ ​isn’t
working,​ ​take​ ​a​ ​break​ ​and​ ​try​ ​again,​ ​or​ ​examine​ ​why​ ​a​ ​certain​ ​step​ ​isn’t​ ​working.
Timelines​ ​and​ ​short​ ​term​ ​goals​ ​can​ ​be​ ​changed,​ ​but​ ​always​ ​avoid​ ​procrastination.​ ​Keep
all​ ​plans​ ​flexible,​ ​and​ ​always​ ​reassess​ ​​ ​after​ ​short​ ​intervals.
Be​ ​compassionate​ ​to​ ​yourself
​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​All​ ​goals​ ​are​ ​not​ ​meant​ ​to​ ​be​ ​achieved.​ ​It​ ​is​ ​okay​ ​to​ ​fail.​ ​It​ ​is​ ​important​ ​not​ ​to
generalise​ ​these​ ​failures.​ ​“I​ ​am​ ​not​ ​a​ ​failure​ ​because​ ​I​ ​couldn’t​ ​lose​ ​weight”.​ ​There​ ​is​ ​a
lot​ ​to​ ​learn​ ​from​ ​failure,​ ​in​ ​fact​ ​a​ ​wise​ ​man​ ​once​ ​said,​ ​“there​ ​is​ ​very​ ​little​ ​to​ ​be​ ​learnt
from​ ​success,​ ​while​ ​failure​ ​can​ ​be​ ​a​ ​great​ ​teacher”.​ ​Don't​ ​be​ ​harsh​ ​on​ ​yourself​ ​when​ ​you
fail,​ ​you​ ​don’t​ ​need​ ​that​ ​sort​ ​of​ ​negativity.​ ​Reassess​ ​the​ ​situation​ ​and​ ​move​ ​on.​ ​What​ ​is
the​ ​worst​ ​that​ ​can​ ​happen​ ​?

4. 4
Finishing​ ​tip
Irrespective​ ​of​ ​what​ ​you​ ​may​ ​do​ ​or​ ​want.​ ​Happiness​ ​is​ ​always​ ​the​ ​final​ ​goal,​ ​weight​ ​loss,
charity,​ ​fancy​ ​car​ ​or​ ​Phd​ ​degree,​ ​happiness​ ​is​ ​what​ ​unites​ ​all​ ​goals.​ ​All​ ​one​ ​has​ ​to​ ​do​ ​is
to​ ​work​ ​toward​ ​happiness,​ ​and​ ​your​ ​final​ ​goal​ ​is​ ​achieved​ ​irrespective​ ​of​ ​what​ ​happens
along​ ​the​ ​way.​ ​Introspect​ ​and​ ​find​ ​things​ ​that​ ​make​ ​you​ ​happy,​ ​keeping​ ​doing​ ​these
things.
Best​ ​of​ ​luck​ ​with​ ​everything​ ​!
The​ ​vivid​ ​mind​ ​clinic
26/79,​ ​14th​ ​street,​ ​K​ ​block,​ ​Anna​ ​Nagar​ ​East.​ ​Chennai
www.thevividmind.org/blog