Setting Goals
I saw a quote the other day that said “Goals are dreams with a timeline.” This made me start reflecting on my own goals and dreams. I realized that my goals were all building blocks for something larger that I want to accomplish.
The first piece of advice most people will give you about goal setting is that you need to write them down. Having your goals to physically look at can help motivate.
I find that having the goals written down instead of just floating around in my head makes them more real and gives me something tangible to work towards.
It is also important to have goals that you can measure to see how you are doing and if you are on your way to accomplishing them. Measurable goals can look like a specific number or amount of time corresponding to a task. It can also look like you can evaluate through self-reflection and looking within yourself.
When creating your goals, they need to be manageable. Your goals should not be so extreme or large that you can’t complete them in a timely fashion. You want goals that challenge you and encourage your focus. However, if they become too large they can feel overwhelming.
You want to create goals in manageable chunks. Once one is completed you can add the next step to the goal.
I like to think of my goals as building blocks. Some are smaller than others, and some are large. They all go together to reach my ultimate destination or in this case - my dreams.
I like to break it up into bit size chunks to allow myself to focus on one thing at a time while looking toward the big picture.
I encourage you to go forth and look within to find your dreams. Take those dreams and figure out what the first steps are. Align those steps with timelines and get to work. After you get started the next steps and goals will come naturally. With each goal, you are building your masterpiece.
Lisa Schneiderman is a UO member who helps people raise awareness for causes and positive messages that uplift humanity to a higher state of being.
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