By Marlon Shirley, Lead Contributor

Setting Goals

Goal setting may seem like an easy thing to do. Trust me, it’s not. You really have to take the initiative to ensure you set yourself up for success and not failure. And as I mentioned in a previous blog, having a Game Plan is essential.

Take it step by step:

1. Obviously, SET YOUR GOALS!
2. Be realistic and avoid setting yourself up for disappointment.
3. As you start working toward your goals, figure out what it will take to set yourself up for success.
4. Surround yourself with the right people and put yourself in the right situations to ensure you stay on track.
5. For each goal, take it day by day and make it happen.

For many people, setting goals can be a life-changing experience. It can give us all something to work towards, as well as a reason to wake up and a chance to look forward to what we can become. 

One commonly set goal is to have a better diet. This is an easy thing to say, yet a hard thing to follow, especially when you get bombarded with food adverts on the TV. Let’s take “nutrition” then as an example when setting up a good goal model.

Step 1 is to “set your goal”. That might be to stop eating fast food. Well, that can be done, but maybe start by saying “I will only eat fast food once a week”.  That’s very realistic. Now consider what you’re going to do accomplish that (step 3). Perhaps you could find a route home that doesn’t pass every fast food place there is. Step 4 involves making sure that those around you are not always trying to invite you out to eat. Be sure that the goals you set, especially the ones that can be affected by those close to you, are shared with family and friends to be sure they won’t encourage you to fall off the wagon. If they are true friends, they will understand. Before you know it, you will have no desire to stray from that goal because a great diet will become second nature.

What are your goals?
What have you done to accomplish your goals or help other to accomplish theirs?

-Marlon

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