How to Set Goals in 5 Steps: Explore Your Hidden Dreams

Mari Gordon
November 11, 2022

Search your heart and mind

to nail down your goals and

hidden dreams

How to Set Goals

“Where do I start with goals?” That is probably the question you have right now.

You would like to put your life on a roadmap to success – that is, your own personal success. But you don’t know where to begin.

Bring your desires out of the shadows. Some goals and dreams seem obvious to you but some are lurking in the back of your mind.

You wonder how to set goals that are uniquely right for you. Not what your friends or family think are right for you. You don’t want your peers or the rest of the world to influence you.

I will show you a simple but powerful 5-step method to pinpoint your personal quests.

Step 1. Think About Your Goals and Dreams

Here is the first step: Think.

Think about your life as it is now. Is everything just peachy? Or do you have goals you are working on? These goals may be clear to you or just in the back of your mind, but I am sure you do have dreams and tasks you would like to accomplish. Spend some quality time with this step.

Right now you probably have some practical ambitions like ‘lose 5 pounds’ or ‘plant a vegetable garden’ but then there are those dreamy -like aspirations like ‘write a novel’ or ‘go on a safari’. Maybe you would like to end world hunger or house the homeless.

Think about your childhood and all the things you loved to do then. Review the hopes and dreams you had as a kid growing up.

Did you aspire to be a stand-up comedian or a doctor? Did you dream of building skyscrapers or breeding dogs?

Did you love to write or paint? Or were you the business kid, finding ways to make money with your lemonade stand or car washes?

You probably grew out of some of these dreams (ambitions) and activities but others may have stayed with you.

Think about your fondest wishes. What would you do if you knew nothing could stop you?

Any of these dreams (wishes) can be crafted into new activities, hobbies or careers.

Keep thinking. Only you can decide how important these goals and dreams are for you. And some may have to be re-sized to fit your current life.

The following quiz is an important step in learning how to set goals. It will help you get a clearer picture of your dreams and desires.

Wise Words

You can complain about the direction of your life all you want, but until you sit in the driver’s seat and begin to drive yourself, you aren’t going to get where you want to go! --Les Brown

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Step 2. Brainstorm Your Best Goals

Here are some ideas on how to set goals by brainstorming with the following quiz.

• What would you love to accomplish in one year’s time?
• What do you want to accomplish in the next 5 years?
• What do you hope to accomplish long term?
• What are your favorite passions and dreams?
• What are your true values? (See section on values coming up)
• What bad habits would you like to end?
• What good habits would you like to start?
• What relationship problems would you like to work on?
• What new skills or knowledge would you love to obtain?
• What do you want to do with your career?
• What are your financial aspirations?
• What spiritual goals would you like to achieve?
• What health objectives are important to you?
• What other new goals could be added?

Got some ideas? The next step will help you solidify your dreams.

Step 3. Boost Your Quest

Writing is the best way to boost your success with setting goals.

Using paper or electronic spreadsheet, write 1-3 current or new goals under any of the following categories and add your own categories if you wish:

• Financial
• Household
• Health
• Family
• Spiritual
• Significant Other
• Habits
• Skills
• Knowledge
• Career
• Social
• Fun
• Other

Step 4. Use the Secret Key that will Unlock your True Personal Goals

Reviewing your values is the secret to ensuring your authentic purposes in life. Toss out any goals that don’t align with your values.

Did You Know?

Your values will point the way to your best goals; and any goal that is clashing with your values should be discarded. Otherwise you will be working against yourself.

Here is a list of common values. Add them to your worksheet in a separate section and rate them as closest to your heart from 1 – 5, with 5 meaning it is very important to you. Add any additional personal values to the list.

• Family unity
• Honesty
• Perseverance
• Work ethic
• Money/Wealth
• Generosity
• Humility
• Courage
• Success
• Faith
• Positivity
• Creativity
• Friendship
• Honor
• Integrity
• Order
• Frugality
• Adventure
• Happiness
• Inner Peace

Step 5. Empower Goal Victory

Now decide on your most important goals in your most important categories. Don’t overload yourself. You can only do so much in a span of time.

Narrow your choices down to the very most important right now and leave other aspirations for the future.

You may have heard of Smart Goals. Following is a variation which I call Victory Goals. It is a way of certifying that your goals and dreams will give you the best chance of success.

So, for each of your goals answer the following empowering questions.

V – Viable? Is this goal achievable with hard work? Is it detailed and measurable?

I – In Line With Your Values? Or does it clash?

C – Challenging? Does it stretch your abilities? Will it nudge you out of your comfort zone?

T – Time-Oriented? Will you be able to set a deadline to reach your target?

O – Optimal? Is this goal one of the 3 most important in its category? Will your success truly benefit you or others?

R – Relevant? Is the goal relevant to your lifestyle? Will you be able to fit the steps into your schedule? Does it fit in with your other life objectives?

Y – Your Own? Is this goal truly your very own dream – something you have a passion for?

Next do this:

• Keep the goals that pass the VICTORY test.
• Edit or eliminate the goals that do not pass.
• Add any new goals that can pass the test.

Meeting Your New Goals

Up to this point you have done a lot of thinking about the benefits of goals, and now you have nailed down your own personal quests. You now know how to set goals.

Congratulations!

Your goals may change at stages in your life, which is normal. Now you have a 5-step plan for how to set goals at any time you may need it.

You can climb the ladder to victory. You will find that achieving your goals is a process you can learn.

The next blog post in this series will give you a strategy to actually work on your new goals and meet them. Climb the ladder to goal victory. See the link below.