Avoid These 5 Mistakes When Setting Goals | Virtual Assistant Israel How to make better goals in 2020

Avoid These 5 Mistakes When Setting Goals

We’ve welcomed in the year 2020! Talk of resolutions and goals is in the air. Whether your goals are personal, professional, or both, the common objective is to succeed, accomplish and excel.

In order to productively reach our goals, we must set them properly. Defining a goal is crucial, and doing that incorrectly is preparing yourself for failure.

Here are five things to avoid when setting your 2020 goals and how to set attainable ones.

Compare yourself to others

This research found that social comparison actually detracts from motivation. Dedicate yourself to doing your best and only hold yourself up to your standards. Focus only on how you can do better and surpass your limits! Don’t look around and compare yourself to others. It won’t help you accomplish. Everyone has a different set of skills and experiences that shape their work. Embrace your uniqueness and focus on self-comparison rather than external pressures.

Be general

Avoid general and subjective goals that can’t be measured. For success, you need to feel in control of your goals. When you set specific perimeters, they become attainable. These benchmarks facilitate how to accomplish and give you specific tasks to undertake. To achieve a goal, you need to feel connected to it. You need deadlines and game-plans to make each aspect of your goal feel workable. When you’re focused, your goals are more likely to become a reality.

Keep your goals a secret

Mentors and advisors can set you on the right path and steer you away from failure. According to this 2018 report, mentors not only impart knowledge to mentees, but they also stir commitment, transparency, improved communication, and credibility. The ability to be open about your goals with those you trust will lay the foundation for invaluable feedback. Accountability is a strong motivator. You need a village to cheer you on, vet your ideas, support your cause and catch you if you fail.

Fantasize

An interesting study from NYU and the University of Hamburg found that students who overly fantasized about high job prospects received significantly fewer job offers and earned less money. What we can learn from this is that goals should be small and simple. Aiming too high can lead to procrastination or feeling that your out for impossible. Having an unrealistic approach means you’ve set the bar for expectations and disappointment. Strive for actionable steps, guided by deadlines and organized tasks.

Focus only on the results

Sometimes the process of achieving a goal is more important than the goal itself. We aren’t always in charge of the outcomes, but we can use our experiences to grow and learn. Even if we don’t fully realize our goals, we can still gain. Enjoy the challenge and watching yourself grow!

What has helped you when setting and working toward goals? We’d love to hear your advice!

 

 Submitted by Daniela