You can make anything happen if you know how to set goals, but they need to be realistic. This might seem like a contradiction – sort of like saying dream big but not too big. Not what I’m getting at. When we talk about goals, being realistic simply means looking at the big picture. You can dream as big, fat and juicy as you want, but you need to get off your meditation pillow and hustle. Hustle means taking realistic action.
Here’s a few steps to take in getting realistic….
Be Specific
The first step in creating realistic goals is to be as specific as possible. There’s no way to reach a goal like ‘deepen my practice’ or ‘gain more clients.’ It needs to be something concrete and measurable. What would work is something like, ‘start every morning with sun salutations’ or ‘ add five new private teaching clients to my monthly schedule.’
Evaluate Your Skills
Is your goal something that you’ve got the skills to achieve? For example, let’s say that your goal is to offer online yoga classes to download. Do you have a website, can you video your classes and upload them to your website, do you have a payment system set up and do you have a social media following? If you don’t have all the skills it needs, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. What it means is that you’ve got skills to learn (and tasks to contract out). Learning these skills provide you with sub-goals that get you closer to reaching your main goal.
The Resources Your Need
Along with skills, do you have the resources you need to reach the goal in question? If you want to add five more private clients to your teaching roster you need a plan of attack. Referrals? Advertising? Teaching space? First of all, brainstorm all the resources you’ll need and take stock of what’s available. If you don’t have access to what you need, make a plan for getting it.
Time Considerations
When it comes to being realistic about goals, time is probably the biggest consideration. All goals take time to reach. Do you have the time it’ll take? A good way to figure this out is to read about it or talk to others who have done what you’re getting ready to do. Use this information to create a timeframe for yourself.
Research Your Roadblocks
There’s a chance that you’ll come across a roadblock that, no matter how you try, you just can’t get over. It’s good to know about these before you invest lots of time in reaching your goal. The best way to avoid this is to do your homework before you get started. High school + college is over, but that doesn’t mean the homework ends! Learn from the experience of others that have done this before. If you want to become a yoga teacher, educate yourself well on what it takes to become one. Talking to others who have done it before also helps you find out whether or not it’s a goal that’s worth pursuing.
Deciding whether or not a goal is realistic is a test for you. What you’re actually asking yourself is whether or not you’re able and willing to work for it. Identify your natural strengths and weaknesses. Your strengths will make it easier for you and your weaknesses will tell you what you need to work on. That’s what being realistic is all about.
“We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.”
~ Jesse Owens
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