A goal setting guide

Step 1: Define your goal 

Be specific! You are far more likely to achieve if you make your goal a concrete idea rather than something vague. The more specific you are, the easier it will be to know when your goal has been met.

Step 2: Map it out 

Brainstorm steps needed to achieve your goals. Breaking your goal into sub-goals is key to staying motivated and recognizing and celebrating the progress you've made. Ask yourself if an activity will get you closer to achieving your goal or detract from it. What do you need to do every day to move closer to goal?

Step 3: Make a list

Define your assets and resources. What are your strenghts? How can they help you achieve your goal? Who are some people you could go to for additional support?

Step 4: Go over possible roadblocks

Generate a list of challenges you might face and how you will overcome them. Once your obstacles are identified, when you actually face them, you will be better able to solve them and move onto the next stage of your goal.

Step 5: Target practice

Make deadlines and, if you’re tackling a big goal, set smaller goals to lead up to your ultimate vision. If one plan doesn’t achieve results, revise your plan and try again. Before starting up again, be sure to ask yourself what went wrong the first time and seek support when tackling it again.

Step 5: Picture it

Visualize what completing a goal will feel like. Every time you remind yourself of how you will feel once you achieve your goal, you’re training your brain to make that good feeling happen.

Step 6: Track progress Do a review while you are working on your goal and focus on what you are doing right, what is going wrong if your process is going slow, and what you can do to improve. But remember — don’t give up even if you’re not where you wanted to be!

Step 7: Pat yourself on the back

You did it! Time to reward your successes by basking in your goal setting glory and treating yourself to something well-deserved.