Goal setting is important because it provides focus and allows you to work towards long range goals. In the meantime, you also get to learn how to get past short range obstacles along the way.

So goal setting is imperative for individuals, people, team players, coaches and corporations that wish to succeed. In fact it is for everyone who wants to set themselves up for success.

It can be anything basic from trying to lose weight, quit smoking, drinking enough water every day to more elaborate schemes like improving your savings, buying a house, travelling to certain destinations or even finding more time to spend with friends and family.

 But even this process demands a bit of structure. Simply setting a vague or a broad goal and not knowing how to achieve it won’t get you very far. So make sure that your goals are specific, measurable and realistic.

Plus, goals need to be something that motivate you. This means that it should be something that is important to you and there is a value in achieving it. If you have very little interest in the outcome or the goal is irrelevant, then it is not very likely that you will put in any real effort to achieve it. So motivation is key to achieving goals.

This makes goals relevant so set them according to priorities in your life. If you do not prioritize, then you may end up having too many goals leaving you too little time to devote to each one.  But before we look at the rules for successful goal setting, here is what goals are all about:

Goals require action– In a nutshell, this point sums up the whole strategy-to-execution process. You have to take steps everyday which bring you closer to what you have in your mind.

Goals require deadlines– There has to be a time frame to deliver results.

Goals have a price– Not necessarily a monetary price for everyone, but goals will need you to invest time and effort and other things you can think of. If you’re handling a business, then yes, money and funding is kind of a big one here.

Goals produce results– You have to be able to see progress along the way. If not then your goal is probably not clear enough or you do not have the skills or knowledge to make it happen.

Goals will challenge you– Nothing comes easy so yes, there will probably be some hiccups along the way. If you are not being challenged, then perhaps your goals are not big enough.

Goals require hard work– You need to be willing to work for what you want since no one else will do it for you. Pure and simple.

Once you keep these guidelines in mind when setting your goals, your goals should come out as realistic, tangible expectations. And to accomplish your goals, you should know how to set them.