The Best Goal Setting Tools

You’ve heard of Batman right? No superpowers, just an awesome set of tools.

Here is a small list of things I know will make you a goal setting monster.

A decent planner

Setting a goal and achieving it with ease requires a concrete plan. Of that, there is no doubt.

It’s seriously a requirement.

But for years I wasted so much time on blank 8 x 11 sheets in my own notebook when brilliant people are creating their own templates and just handing them out.

How did I not know about this?!

A goal setting planner is a guide that has you fill in all the necessary information, go through certain exercises and thought processes such that you easily cover all your bases and come out on top.
It makes everything so much easier, and you don’t have to worry about leaving anything out or forgetting something.

A whiteboard

I prefer a whiteboard, because it’s really easy to just walk over to it and write something

• Something you want to remember
• Something that will inspire you
• Some planning you want to do
• Whiteboards even make good vision boards

Inspiration to keep you in the mood

Hang up reminders everywhere

Things that are good to refocus your mind are

• Vision board
• Images of what you want
• Quotes from those who have done it 
• Adages from those who believe the same as you do
• Promises you want to keep to yourself
• The goals themselves

How to properly set your goals

Follow these easy steps to ensure your goal setting success.

1. Believe in yourself

Not in a wishy-washy way. But maintain believe that the process works, and it will work for you as well if you follow the rules.

2. Visualize

Create the roadmap in your mind, and keep it there for several minutes each day. Knowing what your success looks like is a tool you can use to get their faster and easier, with less detours along the way.

3. Purpose

Have you ever heard of a mission statement?

Normally, companies and organizations will have a statement that their group stands by.

It represents the company vision, morals, and overall reason for existing in the first place.

It’s a “This is what we are about, and what we’re here to do” statement.

Develop your mission statement.

When you do, you will know exactly what to say yes, and what to say no to as you journey toward the results you desire.

It’s well known that groups, and individuals without a clear understanding of their purpose, end up wasting time, energy and just run themselves in circles.

4. Write it down

Writing your goals down and making an effort to recording them is the easiest way to make them “real”.

When everything is on paper it’s easy to feel like you’re on the path to something great.

Post-it notes on the wall with your goal written on them results plastered on excel sheets and inside journals are all wonderful way to take what’s in your mind and see it take shape.

5. Commit

Don’t be half.

Not half goals, half-assed, or half anything.

Nobody wants a half, they want the whole. If you’re not in it 100% nobody will care.

6. Stay Focused

Seriously focused. Even dangerously focused.

When the CEO of Amazon was a little boy in school, they had to physically move him around the room when it was time to change activities because he was so focused.

Focused like a magnifying glass harnessing the sun’s rays to burn a hole in a leaf.

7. Create an Action plan

Action plans are easy.

Just make a simple one with all your nouns included

• Who am I doing this with? Who’s participation is necessary
• What am I/are we doing?
• Where are we doing it at?
• Why am I doing it in the first place?
• When will I do it? What time of day? How long will it take?

Include a time frame, milestones along the way, and individual steps to make sure you stay on track.

8. Hold yourself accountable

Make sure you get it done, and no excuses.

• You are accountable to yourself primarily.
• Keep the promises you make to yourself
• Make sure you’re behaving like your goal is important. Give it a priority in your life
• Record your success and celebrate it
• Analyze your progress and make sure you achieve your objectives

Find clever ways to keep yourself accountable by eliminating opportunities to give in, and making sure you’re in circumstances that will fuel your success.

If you’re trying to cut out junk food, don’t bring it home with you.

If you’re trying to lose weight or work out more, use the small gym at work before you come home and get in your pyjamas.

Use common sense, and remember that your choices get you your results.

Make good choices, get good results. Easy.

9. Start something right now

And I mean literally as you read this. You can start by reading this article on procrastination, which will help you beat the urge to snooze on your goals.

But seriously, when you have a brilliant idea or a goal in mind that you would like to achieve in the future, find something easy and small you can do to set yourself on that course right now.

It could be as simple as doing some research on the topic for five minutes.

10. Adapt, review, experiment & adjust

We know the goal setting formula works, but there may be times when you need to adapt and adjust to make it work for your specific situation.

When you don’t get the results you want, the best thing you can do first is to sit and think about how you can change things up.

Too many times, we fail once and give up because we think it will never work.

But almost nothing works the first time. What are the odds, honestly?

Everything is a combination of variables, and with the right formula, and the fortitude to stick it out, you can push through and create a seriously awesome and empowered life.

Good luck.

For more information, go to: http://thelifesynthesis.com/goals/

Part 4 of a 4-part series.