Goal Setting Systems to Achieve Life Goals

Winners and losers both can have the same goals, but the one who follows a system (for regularly taking action) becomes a winner. Don’t just set goals, set systems. Use this personal goal setting system to define your life goals and monitor progress.

Goal Setting Template

Goal Setting Templet – Download

This is a template for setting personal life goals. Try to answer the questions in the template. In case you are not clear about your life goals, then you may want to first read this article on “Ikigai – find your life purpose“.

Once you discover the purpose of your life, you can use the above template to break it down from long term goals to short term quarterly objectives. The quarterly objectives can be further broken down into monthly and weekly goals.

Once you have your weekly goals, it is important to write down actions that you would be taking daily. Then review the progress made at the end of each day. Compare your actual progress against your plan for the day. Start with a maximum of 3 action items for a day. Instead of writing a “To-Do List”, simply focus on the top 3 most important action items each day and try to complete them. Follow the same process for reviewing your actual progress against your planned progress for the week, and then for the month, and finally for the year.

Goal setting is an iterative process. Do not worry if during the course of the year you discover new insights, perspectives, and feel the need to adjust your goals. Our everyday experiences influence our beliefs, interests, and goals. We may not be able to foresee all the variables well in advance while setting the goal. Hence it is okay to adjust your goals.

“Decide and Do: 90% people don’t decide, and only 10% of those who decide, actually do.”

Remember that setting goals gives us direction in life and increases our chances of success. But taking regular actions to meet the daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly milestones is essential for hitting our annual goals and eventually our life goals.