Write Down Your Goals

Write Down Your Goals

We all have goals in our life; either they’re short-term or long-term goals. Someone might want to become a better human being with more compassion and kindness or to acquire a certain set of skills. Someone else might want to become rich with more cars and houses or to take care of their family etc. There’s a difference though between wishing for something, wanting something, dreaming about something and having something as a goal and pursuing it.
Why is it important to write down our goals?
I’ll start with an example of my personal experience. When I was playing basketball, our coach used to have a big whiteboard in our locker room, where he was explaining each game’s strategy. I remember vividly, on the top of the whiteboard, our goals for the season were always written. They were there to remind us why we’re playing and why we’re fighting for each game. At the end of the day, it didn’t matter if we’ve won or lost the game. Our coach kept pointing to our goals until the end of the basketball season.
So, writing down your goals:

1. Boosts Your Motivation
   You don’t feel the same when you just say that you want to achieve something and by writing it down on a paper or your computer you actually give shape to that goal. By defining your goals, you begin to have self-accountability, which will give you the motivation to continue until you achieve them.
2. Increases Your Focus
   Write down “why” you want what you want. When we analyze the reasons we want something and we put them on paper, a) we learn more about ourselves b) we can see clearly our goals and from different perspectives. For example, I want a new car. Alright, but why? I have to ask myself: “Will it be safer than my old car? Will I have better driving experience? Will I spend less on maintenance?” When we define the “why” it helps us make more concentrated efforts to achieve our goals because the reasons behind them are concrete and we become more committed to them. As Jim Rohn said: “When the why gets stronger, the how gets easier”.

How should you write your goals?

1. Be Very Specific
   It’s very important to be specific with your goals. Describe them with more detail, give numbers, how many they are, short-term or long-term, and break them down into smaller parts if you can. For instance, I want to work on myself (personal development) and improve my communication skills (specific), by talking to 20 (number) strangers a day while I keep a good posture (body language), maintaining eye contact (feeling confident) and listening to the person we’re having conversation with. Being specific increases focus on your goal and also eliminates distractions you would probably have if it was only just an idea in your head.
2. Set a Specific Deadline
   “A goal is a dream with a deadline” Napoleon Hill said.
   Setting a specific deadline – even if it’s challenging – pushes you to try more and achieve what you want. Furthermore, a deadline can serve as a reminder to keep you on track, focused and away from distractions.