Life goals are more easily achieved when they’re broken up into manageable chunks. That’s what short term goal setting is all about.

The power of goal setting
A world-class sprinter without a finish line is just out for a run. A basketball team without a basket is just dribbling around. A mountain climber without a summit is just out for a walk.

There’s something about goals that is more than just the end that you ultimately want to achieve.  It’s that thing that stares you in the face, compelling you to move forward.

Not only do goals compel you to move forward but they tell you what direction to face. A goal is that burning desire that’s just beyond your reach, urging you to a more fulfilled life.

Your goal might be climbing the seven highest summits and skiing to the two poles or it might be starting a new career. Either way, your life will change when you get short term goals working for you.

A goal like reaching one of the highest summits in the world doesn’t happen in a single shot. The biggest mountains in our lives must be climbed in stages.

In a typical climb of Everest, a team will take four or more days to reach the summit . That’s 4+ short term goals that every expedition to the summit of Everest must reach before standing at the top.

If you want to reach the top of your mountain, you must break your big goal up into smaller, more rapidly achieved goals. That way you’ll be able to measure your progress and measuring your progress will excite you about getting one step closer to your ultimate goal.

If you’ve never set short term goals before, you will find it helpful to follow the SMART goal setting plan at www.stress-management-for-peak-performance.com. They also have a worksheet that can walk you through the goal setting process.

Remember, goals without a date applied to them are just dreams. There is a world of difference between I will ski to the poles and I will ski to the poles before my 35th birthday.

The first of these is more accurately stated, “I will ski to the poles...someday.” Since no date has been applied to the goal, someday becomes the date of achievement. Unfortunately, “someday” is ambiguous and can always be put off.

Set a date for your short term goals. Make them realistic and make them fit nicely with your long term goal. 

Whatever it takes
Do whatever it takes to get your short term goals accomplished before their due dates. Get up an hour earlier, turn off the television one night a week, but keep your eyes on your short term goals. Do that, and one day you’ll be standing on top of your personal mountain summit.