Write Down Your Goals - With a Pen.

Setting goals has been around for many years, and I often get asked why it is that setting goals works for some people and not for others. There are a few tips that I use which I have found helps me;

1. Always use a pen - humans have been using a stick to draw, paint and write things since the beginning of time. You must write your goals down using a pen which will lodge the goals in your subconscious. Our subconscious brain does not recognise goals that are typed.
2. They don't have to be SMART - personal goals do not have to be framed as Specific, Measurable, Action-Oriented, Realistic, or Time-bound. Your brain likes to be engaged so be as creative as you can without too many constrictions.
3. Actionable - your goals MUST be actionable, you can't write down "I am going to win Lotto". And, buying a ticket for Lotto is not an action. It must be something that you have to get actively involved in and work on over time such as "I am going to pass three university papers before the end of the year".
4. Take action - sitting back and hoping that you will achieve your goals won't work. Keep taking small steps towards your goal. Goals aren't some kind of a magic trick or like the book 'The Secret', once you have written them they won't suddenly appear as completed. Keep referring back to your goals so that you can keep taking small steps towards them.
5. No more than five - as our brains tend to work in 3's and 5's, three is a good number of goals while five is certainly achievable. If you have too many goals your brain will become overwhelmed and you won't achieve as much as you had set yourself.

There's no time like the present, once you have read this post grab a pen and notebook and write down three goals. Then, take some form of action towards each goal. Watch the magic unfold from there.