How to Go After Your G.O.A.L.S

How to Go After Your G•O•A•L•S

Here is an acronym for the word "goals" that may explain just how goals work:

G:	Gather information. Look at all possible sources. Read books and listen to tapes on the subject. Find someone who has accomplished a similar goal to yours. Don't think that your goal has to be something that has never been accomplished before. Stanley Mason is president and founder of Simco Incorporated Product Development Support Services. Mason holds more than 65 patents for his inventions and has been called the modern day Thomas Edison. Many of his inventions are improvements to products that are already on the market. Often, he goes to a store, buys a bunch of different products, and then thinks about how he can improve them. "You've got to get totally immersed in your goals and ideas," says Mason. Collect as much data as you can. If your goal is to open a restaurant, for instance, talk to people in the restaurant business. Visit some of your favorite eateries and analyze what they do well and what they don't. Take these ideas as a starting point, then add your own creativity to the mix.
O:	Organize. After you've gathered as much information as you can, sift through the data, then prioritize your information. Successful people know that nothing is ever achieved in one giant leap. It's the tiny steps you take, one by one, that help you reach your destination. In order to transform your dreams and visions into reality, begin by putting your goals down in writing. Write them down in the present tense. For instance, instead of writing, "I will get 10 new clients next month," write, "I have 10 new clients in February." Putting it in the present gives the goal a better sense of reality. There is energy that comes from setting goals and writing them down. They literally propel you into action. A goal can be the spark that ignites the fire within and the fuel you need to keep that fire burning.
A:	Action. Just do it. Even if you're not totally prepared, take the first step. This is the most important step because we learn the best lessons from experience. Some people get so caught up in writing down their goals, they never take the steps to achieve them. No matter how far away your goal may seem, the only way to get there is to take the first step.
L:	Look back at your plan. Ask yourself a few questions: Am I on track? Am I going about this efficiently? Are there other ways to do it? Be sure you're flexible enough to make adjustments along the way. You might find that a step you planned to take is no longer available to you or is not the best path to take. Use the lessons you learn from this to help you move on and try again with new information. Look at the big picture, then go back and fix the details.
S:	Set new goals. We are at our best when we are climbing, stretchin and challenging ourselves. Don't settle for what you now know you can do—reach for the next star. Success, once reached, can make you complacent. There are people who reach a certain level of success and begin to lose their hunger. The passion is gone. It's like the astronauts coming back from the moon. The only way to keep going and remain successful is to set a new goal and start a new journey.