We all know people who seem to do everything: A clean and organized house with a well groomed yard, kids that are active in many extra curricular activities, family vacations, they train for a marathon and still have time to volunteer in the community. How do they fit it in? Does it just happen? Are they lucky? No. They’re intentional with their long-term planning.

For example, Gold Medal Olympians do not just wake up one day able to be the best in the world. Lance Armstrong does not just happen to be a great cyclist and also have time to start a cancer foundation. John Coltrane didn’t pick up a saxophone and sound like a jazz legend. Successful people work at their trade and they plan their development with diligence. Maybe you don’t desire to be a star athlete or rock star, but you would like to be in better shape, or be able to play a tune or two on the guitar. You have to start with the same approach. Develop a plan to make your wish a reality.

The most effective way to turn a wish into reality is to create a goal around that wish. Most people live only with dreams and wishes, which are good things, but are very different from goals. In fact, 99% of people do not know how to set an effective goal. So let’s make sure you are in the capable 1%.

There are five characteristics of a goal. Your goal must be:

1. Meaningful to You
This sounds so obvious. But many times our goals are created by others. A boss, a friend, a spouse, a child; but not you. So, make sure your goal is truly your own and the accomplishment of it is important to you.

2. The Right Size
You may want to run more, but if you have not jogged for the last year, it’s probably not the right size goal to say you want to be a world champion marathon runner by the end of this year. Your goal should be large enough to stretch you, but not completely unrealistic.

3. Specific, Measurable and has a Due Date
Losing weight is not specific or measurable. Loosing 5 pounds or 30 pounds is specific and measurable. Sometime in your life is not a due date. By December 31, 2008 is a specific date the goal needs to be accomplished by. You need to be able to measure if you have met your goal or not. Losing ten pounds by your 30-year high school reunion on December 28, 2008, is specific, measurable and has a due date.

4. Written Down
You can’t just think something in your head and call it a goal. Write it down, and then you own it.

5. Reviewed
Look over your goal. Put it in front of you. Review your goal. Are you making progress? Does a certain step need to be reworked? By reviewing your goal it keeps what is important in the forefront of your mind and you always know what needs to be done to complete it.

So, for example, if one of your wishes it to read more, you can turn that desire into a goal. I will read ten books by the end of the second quarter, June 30, 2008. Now, of course, only you would know if that is important to you and the right size for you, but it is definitely specific, measurable and has a due date. Just be sure to write it down and review it and it’s a goal.

Now that you’ve turned your desires into goals, the next step is to design a pathway to achieve that goal. To determine your pathway, your proactive steps to achieving long-term plans, you need to do two things:

1. Decide how much time it will take you to achieve your goals.
2. Schedule that time into the weekly planning.

For example, your ten-book goal means that you should average one book per month. You may say, to read one book a month will take me eight hours, therefore, I need to include two reading hours per week into my weekly schedule. Plan these hours into your schedule you will soon be on you way to seeing your hopes and wishes become reality.

The ability to turn wishes into reality is a powerful thing. Enjoy and dream big. So, I’m curious. What dreams and wishes do you want to see turn into a reality? Post a comment below.

Be Free!

Leah Simpson
Instructor