If you don’t know what success looks like, how will you recognize it? How will you know how close or how far away it is? Get very clear about what your specific goals are, and what your life will look like, sound like and feel like when you get there. We’re talking about your dreams here. So dream big. Michelangelo said, “The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short, but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.”
This is your life and your shot. So make your dreams and your life worthwhile. When setting your goals, do remember to be SMART. Your goals must be clear and reachable, and should be:
S– Specific (and simple, sensible and significant)
M – Measurable (and meaningful and motivating)
A – Achievable (and agreed and attainable)
R – Relevant (and reasonable, realistic and results-based)
T – Time-based (and timely and time-sensitive)
Making your dreams come true requires that you spend time on this so that you can envision with great clarity. Dig deep inside and answer:
- What do I want to accomplish?
- Why is this important to me?
- Who is involved?
- Where will I accomplish this?
- Which resources will I need and what might limit me?
- How will I know when it is accomplished?
Make sure you know what needs to be done that you can control and that moves you toward your vision.
“There’s nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all,” said management guru Peter Drucker. Break down what needs to happen to make your goals a reality. What do you need to do 12 months from now, six months from now, next month, next week, tomorrow, today? Like eating an elephant, one bite at a time, break down the steps that will move you toward your dream.
Decide upon your true dreams and goals. Write them down and be very specific. Develop a plan to reach them. Know every day what you need to do to write and live the life of your dreams.
