What you need to know

15. How to Set Goals for the Life You Actually Want

1. STOP SETTING GOALS FOR THE WRONG REASON

The first step to setting goals that will bring you an awesome life is to stop setting goals that will bring you a sucky life

Most goals are about a destination. "I want a million dollars." "I want enlightenment." "I want a truck." If you tend to set your goals based on the destination, and don't consider the journey, try switching it around.

2. CHOOSE A GOAL TO CREATE A JOURNEY

Instead of setting life goals, think about setting a life direction. Figure out the things that would create a fun, meaningful, compelling journey.

Ask yourself:

· How do I want to spend my time?

· What daily activities make me want to leap out of bed?

· What do I want to learn?

· Who do I want to hang out with? Talk with? Collaborate with?

· Now set your goal. Choose one that will create the journey you just designed.

In fact, the specific goal you set is simply setting a direction so the pursuit itself gives you the life that you want. With the right journey, it won't even matter if you reach your goal.

3. IF THE GOAL DOESN'T WORK, CHANGE IT

As you can see, the goal is really just a way of making sure we take a meaningful journey. Some journeys are so much fun, people stay on them forever. An actor who loves acting would often say, "Why would I retire? What I do isn't work; its pure fun!"

But if his job involves staring at a screen and filing reports, he might not share that sentiment. As much press as persistence gets, keep in mind that you can always change your direction. Your goal is there to shape your life in a way that delights you, not enslaves you. If the pursuit of the goal is draining your life, then why keep it?

We adopt goals for one reason and one reason only: to change our lives. Rather than adopting a goal you hope will change your life once you reach it, do it the other way around. Choose the journey that for you would be awesome–the activities, personal growth, and friends. Then choose a goal that acts as a compass to give you that life as part of the journey.

And if you ever feel your direction needs changing, change goals. Because it's not about where you end up, it's about the life you live on the way. Your life is too precious to settle for less than extraordinary.

Below are some analysis which you can use in order to understand any goal deeply

What Are S.M.A.R.T. Goals?

S.M.A.R.T. goals are a relatively new idea. In 1981, George T. Doran, a consultant and former director of corporate planning for Washington Water Power Company, published a paper called, "There's a S.M.A.R.T. Way to Write Management's Goals and Objectives." In the document, he introduces S.M.A.R.T. goals as a tool to create criteria to help improve the chances of succeeding in accomplishing a goal.

The acronym stands for:

S – Specific

When setting a goal, be specific about what you want to accomplish. Think about this as the mission statement for your goal. This isn't a detailed list of how you're going to meet a goal, but it should include an answer to the popular 'w' questions:

· Who – Consider who needs to be involved to achieve the goal (this is especially important when you're working on a group project).

· What – Think about exactly what you are trying to accomplish and don't be afraid to get very detailed.