"The world stands aside to let anyone pass who knows where (s)he is going."—David Starr Jordan

Why is setting goals important? Because goals can help you to be, do, and experience everything you want in life. Instead of just letting life happen to you, goals allow you to make your life happen.

Successful and happy women have a vision of how their lives should be, and they set lots of goals (both short-term and long-range) to help them achieve their vision. By setting goals, you take control of your life. It’s like having a map to show you where you want to go. Think of it this way: Two drivers, each sitting at the wheel of her car. One has a destination in mind (her goal) which is laid out for her on a map. She can drive straight there without any wasted time or wrong turns. The other driver has no goal, destination or map. She starts off at the same time from the same place as the first driver, but drives aimlessly around, never getting anywhere, just using up gas and oil. Which driver do you want to be?

Winners in life set goals and follow through in pursuit of them. Winners decide what they want in life and get it by developing detailed plans. Unsuccessful people just let life happen by accident. Goals aren’t difficult to set, and they aren’t difficult to reach. It’s up to you to find out what your values, vision and goals really are. You are the one who must decide what to pursue and in what direction to aim you life.

The Six P’s of Goal Setting

Research tells us that when we write down a goal we are more likely to achieve it. Written goals can be reviewed regularly, hence they have more long-range power. Like a contract with yourself, they are harder to neglect or forget. Also, by writing goals in the following fashion, you can stimulate your subconscious to be continuously alert to situations that will further those goals. Goals should be:

1. Positive. State goals in positive rather than negative terms. ("I am a neat and organized person," rather than "I am no longer disorganized.")
2. Present Tense. State goals as though they are being realized right now, or have already been attained. The subconscious mind only operates in the present. If you create goals in the future tense, your subconscious will never get there.
3. Personal. Goals must be about you, and under your control, not about someone else.
4. Precise. Write goals in a manner that clearly describes what you intend to accomplish.
5. Possible. Goals should be realistic. Achieving them must be within the realm of possibility.
6. Powerful. Use words that convey action and emotion.

Place written goals where you will see them at least twice a day. If possible, read them aloud and visualize each one.

What You See Is What You Get

Visualize success. Picturing a positive outcome can greatly affect your progress in achieving goals. If you can see yourself attaining a goal, you very likely will. If, on the other hand, you can muster no image of success, or create an image of failure, you very likely will fail.

Visualizing is something we all do, every day. When you daydream—thinking about someone you know or remembering a place you visited—you are visualizing. You can make the technique of visualization work for you. You can use it to help achieve your goals by seeing yourself achieving them. And by enjoying the feeling of success.

About the Author

Susanna Palomares is President of Innerchoice Publishing, a leading developer of K-12 curriculum materials designed to promote social-emotional (SEL) learning, and is the author of numerous SEL books and programs. She is a founding partner of WomensMedia.