I met my new elementary school principal, Mr. Rose, on the first day of school in Grade 5. He ambitiously walked into my class and asked every one of us students, individually, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” After we all answered, he assured every one of us that we can achieve anything we want in life if we set our mind to it. That was the first time I really thought about my future and all the things I wanted to achieve in my life.
The next day, my teacher asked our class to write down all our school year goals for Grade 5. My goals included winning school athlete of the year, the school checkers tournament, and the spelling bee competition. I felt excited and motivated to practice and prepare in all three. Though I didn’t win all three competitions that year, the goal-setting experience inspired me to write down my goals for the next school year as well.
When Do People Start Setting Goals
As soon as children begin elementary school, competition and achievement become part of everyday life. They’re introduced to weekly quizzes, tests, and class games. Then, in secondary school, teenagers strive to achieve the honour roll, compete for spots on sports teams, debate teams, student council, and apply for acceptance into a college or university program. Goal-setting can inspire children and teenagers to focus, practice and prepare for the work involved in achieving their goals.
Goal-setting continues to play a role once young adults graduate from university, build a new career, and start a family. As they work their way up in their career, young adults focus on earning job promotions, pay raises, financial goals for retirement, and purchasing a new house. It almost seems like goals are a common part of life when people are young.
Why Do People Stop Setting Goals?
For many people, there comes a point in their life or career when they stop creating new goals.
One common reason is that people stop dreaming or looking into their future once they’ve achieved some success. Another reason is that people have been trained to start planning for their retirement since they began their professional careers and never think about other opportunities or possibilities.
It doesn’t have to be that way, nor should it. With years of expertise, knowledge and goals accomplished under your belt, you have an even better chance of achieving your goals, later in life than in the beginning. I want to share some simple yet effective strategies to help you set and achieve goals at any age.
Seven Ways To Achieve New Goals at Any Age
1. Create a vision by asking yourself three questions:
· What do I really want to achieve in my personal life and career?
· What becomes possible for me when I achieve it?
· Who benefits when I reach my goals?
2. Ensure your goals are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely) to strengthen your vision of achieving your goals.
3. Create a Goal Worksheet (1 year, 5 year, and 10 year). Write your vision at the top of your worksheet and then write your goals, first steps, and a date to complete it by.
4. Tell the people you love about your goals. These people will hold you accountable and keep you on track to achieving your goals. When you’ve opened up to other people about your goals, your commitment to achieving them will increase.
5. Write your goals down so you can see them every day. When you are reminded of your goals each day, it will increase your focus and deepen your commitment.
6. Ask yourself what might keep you from achieving your goals? Acknowledging some bad habits or outside factors that might challenge your goals, support you to focus on the good habits and steps required to achieve your goals.
7. Consider partnering with a coach. A coach is trained to help people define what they truly want and help them design a strategy to help them commit to and achieve it. They can deepen your commitment to achieving your vision and help you move beyond what you thought you could achieve.
Setting goals at any age can inspire people to achieve more than they thought they ever could. The journey and process of achieving new goals can bring more focus, clarity, and sustainable joy in people’s lives.
I’m Kevin Marshall, a certified coach and mentor who is passionate about business, sales, and health. I help business leaders and professionals develop more effective business solutions and strategies to improve their business performance and achieve their goals. I’m honoured to invite you to a complimentary 20 minute consultation to learn more about coaching.
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