Prioritizing and Goal Setting are How to Get Successful Results

A commentary to explore concepts of prioritizing and goal setting as a means for achieving successful results. Support by encouraging mental exercises to familiarize oneself with the practice of prioritizing. Tying the exercises to goal setting and then how it fits in completing tasks for the goal to produce those successful results. Essentially, this article is an exploration and test to practice prioritizing and goal setting for better success in life overall.

Practice Prioritizing

Our weekly business calls are all about creating successful results. Each call bringing something to the table as a take-away thought or moment. Often, the calls are thematic and meant to send a specific message. Yet, each individual listening in or participating has a unique experience to life. Therefore, the interpretation or how the call affects the person is also unique. That is how it was for me tonight. The business call morphed into an inspirational call reminding me of the power of prioritizing.

Small Priorities

For the sake of being entirely up front and clear, small priorities do not necessarily equal unimportant priorities, or less important than bigger priorities. So, let’s start small with simple tasks that take very little thought, effort or time.

Let’s take this list as a set of examples with how these tasks fit into your day. Pretend this is your list, or create your own. Then rank each item to their importance to YOU and YOUR LIFESTYLE. Measure each one against the rest to determine the ranking. Be willing to explain your reason for that ranking. Because in the end, it will need to fit in with the context of your goals and where YOU desire to be in life.

Brush my teeth
Morning cup of coffee
Feed the pets
Attend to dirty dishes in the sink
Get today’s mail
Say/read a daily prayer
Review the family schedule for today and the next week
Read my goals out loud to myself three times
Medium Priorities

My personal separation of small to medium priority items comes down to things that will require a little more time and effort. These actions occasionally require interaction with others via phone, online or in person. Frequently, the items that make this list are errands involving a car trip. Therefore, cannot be accomplished from home. Yet, most are non-major errands. They occur routinely and are generally predictable in how much time it will require for me to complete.

Pay Bills
Schedule hair cut appointments
Schedule routine doctor visits
Coffee with the Ladies
School Art Mom/Reading Tutor/Room Mom/Supply Prep
Do Grocery Shopping (in-store or online)
Attend Prayer/Church Services

Big Priorities

In my opinion, the big priorities are the ones that are non-negotiable. They must be accomplished one way or another. Periodically, one of these items will have flexibility with when it needs to be done but that does not mean it gets permanently postponed. Often, I include items in here that represent balance in life or items where I feel pride. For instance, I take pride in having a nice lawn; so, yard work is a big priority for me. Just as house cleaning is symbolic of respect for myself and my own belongings.

Spend a designated time working on building my career
Spend 30 minutes solely focused on me
Prepare for and Sit down for a meal together with family
Do Yard work (includes: mow lawn, rake leaves, dig weeds, watering, planting garden, etc.)
House cleaning (includes: bed linen changes, laundry, dusting, vacuuming, sweeping & mopping, etc.)

Revolving Priorities

It is said you can always count on two things in life – death and taxes. Well, I like to add to that…changes! Seemingly, life changes come our way constantly. In order for life to remain manageable, we learn to be flexible, learn to accommodate, and learn how to accept changes. This means, whether it is a new baby or a new opportunity in life, it is crucial we fit it into our revolving door of priorities. Ultimately, your priorities will need to be reviewed and re-established regularly.

Goal Setting

Remember, to achieve success it takes more than prioritizing. This is the other part of the cycle for success. Goal setting has proven itself over and over with successful people as a MUST tool or skill necessary to utilize. Let’s dissect goal setting now.

Define a Goal

First, let’s understand what a goal is by defining it.

A goal is a desire set forth by someone with intention of taking appropriate steps to bring that desire into existence.

Goals cover anything from weight loss to financial gain to loving relationships and more. When you desire chocolate, make it your goal to get some chocolate! Does wine sound even better? Then, make receiving wine your intention and get going with those steps to get your wine!

But, WAIT!

There is more to a goal than that. In fact, in order for a goal to qualify as a goal, it needs to be measurable. You ask, “What does that mean, measurable, huh?” Well, it means that the steps you need to take to reach your goal can be validated. Follow me here. Look at the below Set Goal and Proposed Approaches to reach that goal. Then YOU determine which is MEASURABLE!

Set Goal: Start My Own Business

First Proposed Approach (#1)

Decide to go into business for myself.
Figure out what that business is going to be…make money online.
Call my friends and ask them to let me know if they need me to help them with anything on their computers.
Make business cards and pass them out to a few people.
Download a new online game
Upgrade my headset for better sound quality
Watch You Tube Funniest Home Cat Videos

Second Proposed Approach (#2)

Research what it takes to go into business for myself.
Decide to go into business for myself.
Figure out what that business is going to be…make money online.
Consider my current circumstances to determine the best way to begin a business.
Set aside money to use for investing into my business.
Look for Programs online on how to make money online.
Ask questions to understand fully what is available, how it works, training and support.
Register for a program, then wait for the computer to start making me money.

Third Proposed Approach (#3)

Write out first set of short-term goals:

Do a self-assessment of my strengths, weaknesses, passions and dislikes with a logical approach to becoming my own boss.
Research steps for opening and sustaining a business, including locating programs online for how to make money online. Ask questions to understand fully what is available, how it works, training and support.
Make the decision to start my own business making money online.
Consider my current circumstances to determine the best way to begin a business.

List second set of short-term goals:

Within 30 days, set aside $100.00 to use for starting into my business.
Register to begin my business and complete initial steps of training as directed.
In the next 90 days, save $600.00 for further one-time investments into my business.
Upon completion of the first steps, progress forward as directed. Referring to the detailed training available and the encouragement of my own personal instructor.
Set new short-term goals as the original ones are met.

Another round of short-term goals:

Use a journal and calendar as tools for helping keep on task, organized and on track with my goals.
Write down weekly tasks to do that will support reaching a weekly goal that will lead to the manifestation of longer-term goals.

The left is a wonderful graphic in how goals and tasks work together. Below is an excellent tool (planner) for keeping it all organized and easy to track. A favorite tool used by many of my most successful friends! Or find books to motivate and inspire you.

Of the above three approaches, have you determined which approach is measurable?

Aha, yes. Parts of each are measurable. However, the best answer is Approach #3. Setting goals with specific details and time frames make the goals measurable.

But what does all this mean? Where is all the leading? After all, the goal is to achieve success through practicing prioritizing and goal setting. When do we know we have achieved success?

Prioritizing and Goal Setting for Long Term Goals

This comes back to the definition of a goal. The purpose, the heart of the definition. It is about what YOU DESIRE in your life to come to fruition. Your desire is tangible. Reach out and touch it, feel it, smell it and breathe it. Your vision of your desire has always been there. The vision has been your motivating factor to follow through on your short -term goals. And guess what, when YOU do the work and reach your short-term goals, before you even know it, your long-term goal is there before you. Manifested from your intentions and actions.

The beauty of life is you have the freedom to continually set new goals.

What are YOUR LONG-TERM GOALS?

Ability to work from home.
Wish to retire and feel confident I can support myself.
Debt elimination.
Replace my current J-O-B.
Be a part of a community that pays it forward with positivity and encouragement.
Send my kids to college.
Buy a new car.
Build my dream home.
Travel the world.

If any of the above goals aligns with yours, consider this option for building residual income that has potential to change your life!

These are just a few ideas of long-term goals. Take time for yourself, a piece of paper and a pen or pencil and write down your thoughts and desires. Give yourself a 1-year, 2-year, 5-year, 10-year plan and so on. Each of those plans setting with long term goals supported by short term goals. Using what you have learned here on prioritizing and goal setting will help you live to your greatest potential and reach your dreams and desires.