7 Strategies For Achieving Your Long-Term Goals

A long-term goal points to the future. It is about something you want to accomplish that requires a significant amount of time which could be years. Your long-term goals are the ones with profound or significant impact on your future.
Without such goals we may drift or wander through life without making it count in any way.
They make it possible for you to focus your strength and resources towards making the most of your life. It can be said that goal-setting is a driver of success.
We all need to take time to seriously think about what we actually want from life and set-goals in that direction. You can hardly reach a destination when you don’t know how to get there. Goals are therefore blueprints to a desired future.
Here are strategies for achieving your long-term goals;
Be Clear on what You Want

Goals should not be vague; whether long-term or short-term goals. They should rather be S.M.A.R.T. This way it will be easier to know what things are mostly required to achieve them. It would equally be easier to break your long-term goal into short-term-goals or tasks. Whether the goal is about your income or relationship, whatever it is, you need to be specific on it.
S – Specific: well-defined and focused. “I want to increase my monthly income by 20% sounds more specific than just saying I want to increase my income.”
M – Measurable: How would you know you have hit your target? You should be able to track your progress on short-term basis to know if you are likely to hit your target.
A – Attainable: It has to be something reachable. Remember you don’t build a mansion overnight.
R – Realistic/Relevant/Reasonable: Imagine a fish setting a goal that says, “To fly like a bird within a year.” Or a bird setting such goal that says “I want to swim like a fish in a year.” Set goals that are both meaningful and impactful.
T – Time-Based: Give your goals deadlines. When you set time and deadlines you create the sense of urgency and “force” needed to pursue your goal.
Don’t forget that you need to write your goals down. If possible make it big enough and place it where you can see it every now and then.
Create an Action Plan: Planning is important to the attainment of all goals. Planning in this context is simply a means for achieving your set goals goal. Many are unable to achieve their goals because they have no laid down plans on how to achieve them. Let me also add that your effectiveness in planning determines your effectiveness in attaining your set goals. The reason we need to plan is that without concrete plans it is very difficult if not impossible to turn goals into action. You shouldn’t forget that the attainment of your goals depends on the action you take. Hence, the need for an action plan.
-Begin by identifying and writing down how you can and what you need to achieve your goal.
-Create daily/weekly/monthly tasks or activities (depending on the nature of your goal) you must do to get closer and closer to achieving your ultimate goal.
This will help you eliminate what is not necessary and focus on what is.
Focus on the “Big Rocks”: You will discover after setting your goal and creating an action plan for achieving it, that there are steps, tasks or activities that your goal hugely depends on and if you fail to give attention to them, you could as well forget about achieving that particular goal. These are what I referred to here as “Big Rocks” (a term borrowed from Dr. Stephen Covey’s method of time management). You need to figure out what the big rocks are and give them the needed attention. They should be major things you need to do on daily or weekly basis to get closer and closer to achieving your long-term goal.
Remember, Pareto’s Principle, 80 percent of the value you get from what you do will come from 20 percent of the activities.
Visualize and Reflect: It is important for you to constantly visualize and keep the big picture in mind. Talk and think on success pictures. You should even rehearse and practice the process of achieving your goal in your mind. When we perform or rehearse activities in our minds, it positions the mind for what is ahead. That way it is easier to develop the willpower and strength needed to reach out and achieve your desired goal.
This will help you to also stay motivated and get your mind acquainted with what needs to be done to reach your goal and keeps you dedicate wholeheartedly to doing it. Reflecting on the plan and process of achieving your goal help you to detect areas that may need to be adjusted or improved as time goes on.
Stay Informed: When it comes to achieving your goals there is need to get the needed information. Information has the power to increase the rate and quality of our outcomes. It is said that if you are not informed you may end up “deformed”. Information can open new perspectives of action. The good news is that whatever you are trying to do or achieve there is some one that has done it or at least doing it successfully. The world is moving at a very fast rate when it comes to knowledge. Don’t count on how it used to be, how it used to be may not be how it is.
Stay connected to information source that can aid you in actualizing your goal. Read relevant books. Connect with the relevant people that have the information you need to get to where you want to be. What got you where you are may not necessarily get you where you want to be.
Create A Climate Of Confidence Around You: A climate of confidence is one that reinforces your enthusiasm, motivation and determination to pursue your goal. If the goal you have for your self is SMART don’t let anyone talk you out of it. You won’t experience victory if you keep talking and thinking defeat. Don’t rehearse your mistakes either; they will only reinforce your doubt. Just learn and move on.
Connect and listen to people that has what it takes to inspire you towards your goal. Do all you can to stay positive. Your quest demands that.
Celebrate Little The Achievement Along The Line: Learn to acknowledge and celebrate the little achievements you’ve made even if you don’t think they are huge or life changing. They all have certain level of significance to contribute to the big Picture. This also helps to keep you motivated.
Lastly, remember that nothing worthwhile is ever achieved on a platter of gold. There’s going to be distractions, obstacles and oppositions, but then you need to remain disciplined and determined. That’s why I usually advise that one’s goals should be connected to one’s passion or at least a need or a strong desire. That way it will be easier to keep pushing because you know that at the end, the price will be worth it.
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