Tuesday 24 February 2015

5 Steps to turn Wishes to Goals

Setting Goals has two valuable assets-- a sense of originality and stepping stone to illuminate the path. Goals put one at the helm of life: pursuing them acknowledges a better future situation. They help to steer a course of life rather than simply drifting along and letting things happen.

Setting goals may appear easy, but for some it is quite challenging. Fear of failure may be avoided in the absence of any goals. After all, one has to decide what he wants to achieve in the end.

To turn wishes into goals, experts recommend a five step approach.

First the goal should be specific. If it is building a house, what exactly is the capacity and how long can it stretch.

Second, is the goal measurable? We must be able to count or mark the outcome in some way. if playing football our exact role and position has to be clearly defined.

Third, is the goal attainable and reachable? We cant become President or Prime Minister, but can hope to hold the office of an important socail worker and deliver results.

Fourth, is the goal realistic? Remember, there is a thin line between reaching the stars and losing grip on reality. The best way to test whether the goal is realised or not is to make a presentation before the self  and others too.

If defensive and not aggressive, the goal perhaps lacks realism. We must have the clear picture in mind and must have the ability to adhere to that picture.

Fifth, the goal should be time-based. If there is no time-frame, we postpone it and it never gets done.

For example, to reduce weight we know how to go about. But without consistent action, it never becomes a reality. It may be exercise, diet and stress-free thoughts. All these have to be practiced and implemented without hesitation, doubt or indifference!

Visions, wishes, intentions and dreams are all valuable. They spark imagination and encourage us to define where we want to reach. In order to get there, however, we need to bring down life images down to earth and plan to execute our strategies.

The quality and quantity of energy we put forth, directly impact the results. Life is something like a trumpet. If we don't put anything in, we can't get anything out.

Today is when everything we have wanted should happen, the day when all excuses expire. It is the day when we are standing one step away from success or one step away from disaster. The majority in this world will never do anything and never get anywhere close to their true potential. Remember, winning takes time and it demands discipline.

It takes just an instant to start, but it takes forever to count to infinity.

The number that counts is number one. Subsequent numbers are just figures- and the impact much less. The place where the results led us is not as significant as the fact that we have arrived. There is no point in thinking what is not possible.

Thrill is in stretching the parameters and making it happen. Life is story that we experience and narrate. Know where the ending is and try to reach there somehow.Life is  what one makes of it. It is not the parents, teachers or bosses who make and shape our lives; it is ourselves. Life is really simple. 'Rules to live by' is the place, we must find out and reach there before others. Integrity, character, respect etc all come from the rules book. It is the convention, tradition that pronounces who we really are. 

Success is walk in the dark. Finding the right footing, precisely mastering the skills and getting to the next place, all depend on how we approach and tackle the problem. The best way to get from where we are, to where we want to be is to find the footing of our next step when we take the next step, it should support and hold us without a crack!

My father used to say: "Treat others, the way they want to be treated. then they will treat you the way you want to be treated. The way others act towards usually reflects how you act towards them. If you apply a higher level of skill and treat others the way they want to be treated, you will see rapport developing. Then, you become a team instead of an individual!

Variation contributes to life's richness and stimulates learning, enabling us to develop new insights and self-awareness. So why not practice and get the benefit?"

T G L Iyer