Success in Life

Back in August I revisited The Seven Criteria of a Successful Goal using a pseudo-acronym PLOTTED. I decided to publish this pattern for success in my local school newspaper and, while I was having it reviewed by a professor, found out that he liked the pattern but not the pseudo-acronym. So I went in search for an acronym that was better than SMART and was not a pseudo-acronym. This is what I came up with and the article that I submitted:

Success in Life

Have you ever felt overwhelmed or bored with the things that you are doing? How about the times when you remember all the things that you should be doing that you can't seem to fit into your day? Perhaps there are times when you wish you had done certain things, but they remain as unfinished regrets? There is a way out of this vicious cycle. You're probably asking 'How do I do this?' Most people in this situation find that they lack focus. Setting goals can help provide that focus. Here is a pattern to follow in creating and developing goals that will help you to attain SUCCESS:

State your purpose
Understand your vision
Confirm your commitment
Create your support
Establish your timeline
Set your priorities
Strengthen your resolve

State your Purpose

Goals need to have a simple, written statement of purpose. This should be a single sentence and must include the answer to the question 'why?' It needs to be as specific as possible, so long as it remains relatively short and simple. Here are some examples:

I will run three times a week for a half hour in order to increase my energy.
I will save $400/month for the next year to buy a different car without debt.
I will add one sentence to my business plan daily to be prepared to enter the business world.
I will read one chapter of scriptures per day so I will feel closer to God.

Understand your vision

Your vision will be your primary motivator. Your goals should not be made just to keep you busy. Goals will be most effective if they fit into the vision for your future or your purpose in life. Take time to write out how each goal fits into a purpose or vision. It may be as simple as explaining why you would regret failing to accomplish this goal.

Confirm your commitment

Your goals need to be objectives to which you are both willing and able to commit. An investment is required for any worthy goal. Detail out what that investment is for you by answering these questions: What type of preparation is required? Is there a financial commitment? How much? Are you willing to sacrifice more enjoyable but distracting pleasures? Which ones?

Create your support

You are accountable for the accomplishment of your goals. Most people are not very good at holding themselves accountable. Create a form of support outside of yourself to hold you accountable. This may be a spouse, friend, mentor or coach with the focus of keeping you on your toes and actively moving you forward. Make sure you choose a supporter who will take the role seriously and actually hold you accountable. Assess your discipline level and choose the appropriate support system.

Establish your timeline

Choose specific dates or times in the foreseeable future when you will consider your goals complete. You may also consider setting milestone meetings with your support network. These are calendar items; so make sure that they are placed on a calendar that you will use frequently. Also, determine before hand the frequency and duration for time spent accomplishing your goals.

Set your priorities

Determine what tasks need to be accomplished building up to the accomplishment of your goals. Start with a 'brain dump' of everything that needs to be done to accomplish the goal. If a task has prerequisites that are not on the list, add them. Then assess priority and sequence of each. Each task needs to be actionable, bite-sized, and measurable. These are not calendar items; but, the task list needs to be readily available when it is time to work on your goals.

Strengthen your resolve

After completing each of the preceding steps, the time to start working on them is now - NOW. Don't wait for tomorrow. If you still feel hesitation for following through with your plan you may want to create a reward or penalty for the accomplishment of your goal or lack thereof.

As you follow this pattern of SUCCESS, it will allow you to reassess the things that you are doing which cause the overwhelming and bored feelings. You will then be able to eliminate from your life many things that do not fit into the vision for your future. If you lack that vision, make it your first priority to find or create it. Purposeful, vision driven goals will allow you to have success in your life.

"Pole Man Does Pole Vault." YouTube. YouTube, 02 Oct. 2008. Web. 17 Dec. 2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpZIQyTmTiA.