No matter how specific and measurable your goals are, it’s equally important that you feel your goals are Attainable.
When you feel you have a way to attain your goal, you’ll feel more positive and motivated in your pursuit of the goal.
If you feel there is no way to attain the goal, even with the help of your extended network and with all the skills you possess, you’ll begin to feel negative about going after the goal. This negative feeling itself can actually stop you from attaining the goal.
By creating attainable goals, you assure yourself that the goal is customized to you and your unique outlook on life. Making a goal attainable makes it more meaningful also since the goal becomes personalized. You can use your own standards and live up to your own expectations.
Here’s an example in my own life:
For recreation and exercise, I swim laps five mornings a week. If I set a goal to break the world record in the 100 meter freestyle, that is absolutely unattainable for me. (I’ll leave a goal like that to Olympians like Michael Phelps and Katie Ledicky.)
So, what is my goal? My goal is to swim at half the speed of the world record. This is totally attainable for me – though I still have to work hard to achieve it. When I attain this goal, I feel great. If I were to expect myself to be competitive at a world-class level of swimming, I would never get in the pool!
Don’t get me wrong. I’m advocating that your goals are attainable, not easy. Attainable means you can achieve the goal. It doesn’t mean you will achieve the goal.
Please set goals that are attainable and that will also make you use all your skills to their highest level.
