Whether they’re big or small, short-term or long-term, goals are a hugely important part of the human experience. Without any kind of goal to work towards, people can often find themselves in a rut where they are aimlessly drifting through life with no sense of direction or control. On the other hand, having set goals to work towards can help facilitate self-improvement and personal growth along with promoting experiences and feelings of mastery and accomplishment. For many people, having goals to focus on can also give them an incredible sense of meaning and purpose.

There are many more reasons why GOALS ARE GREAT!! However, it’s important that you know how to set and work towards goals the right way, in order to maximise your chances of achieving them. Here are a few helpful tips to show you how this can be done…

• BE SPECIFIC – Oftentimes, when people set goals, they can use very general language and be quite vague. It’s better to be specific when you set goals, so you know exactly what you are working towards. A good goal is also something that can be measured, so you will know exactly when you have achieved it (e.g., a personal best race time, a high score on a game, an A on an exam, attended 5 meditation classes, weight loss of 5kg etc). It’s also smart to try and set a timeframe for your goal. This can help you stay focused and avoid any procrastination.

• WRITE YOUR GOALS DOWN – Doing this can help you stay focused and committed to achieving your goals. Ideally, you would write down your goals on something you look at quite frequently. For example, this could be on your phone, in your office, the fridge or even on your bedroom wall. The more you are reminded of your goals, the more they are going to be at the forefront of your mind.

• FOCUS ON PROGRESS, NOT PERFECTION – Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and most goals won’t be achieved in a day either. Many people can get quite easily discouraged if they don’t see results in a hurry. This is why it’s often a good idea to set small, realistic and attainable goals at the start, and slowly work towards achieving a larger-scale end goal.

• DON’T FORGET TO ENJOY THE PROCESS – Most of us will have some sort of goal at every point in our life. This could be an academic goal, a career goal, a fitness goal, a sporting goal, a financial goal, or even a relationship goal. But we often make the mistake of thinking that we’ll only be happy once we’ve achieved our goal. However, this isn’t quite true. Once we’ve achieved a goal, we may be happy for a few days, but sooner or later we’re going to be looking for that next goal, so we can keep improving…so we can keep moving forward towards something better for ourselves. This is why it’s so important to always take the time to reflect on your progress and how far you’ve come…and remember! Enjoy the ride, because…

“The real happiness is in the climb. Not the summit”.

If you are having difficulty with setting, working towards, and achieving goals in your life, why not give us a call today? Our team of highly skilled and well-experienced Psychologists and mental health professionals are here to help. Call us now and take the next step towards supporting your personal growth and self-improvement.

How to Access a Psychologist at CQ Psych Services:

• Contact us directly by calling 07 4972 6929 or email admin@cqpsychservices.com.au
• Ask your GP or health professional to refer you to our clinic.
• Come in and see our friendly staff at Shop 1 & 2, 13 Tank Street, Gladstone QLD 4680.
• Visit our website and complete a ‘Request an Appointment’ form and one of our friendly staff will reply to your enquiry. Website: https://cqpsychservices.com.au/

Author: Tom Grainger

Psychologist