2 steps to help you achieve your goals

I was talking in How to visualize your life about the importance of timeline and the switch between In-time and Through-time perspective.
Now, we will talk more specific about HOW we can make the most from setting our objectives. I will refer in this article to your timeline, please read the previous post so it would make sense.

I. Define your goals

We will start from scratch. What are the conditions that all objectives should meet?

1. It's yours

This is maybe the most important part because if it's not your personal goal it will be hard to find energy to fight the struggles when they'll appear. And they will.
Let's take for example a potential goal: Entering Law School. Is this your objective? Or is something your parents/ friends/ teachers want? If it's yours, perfect. If not, can you find something in it for you? If the answer is no in this case also you should reconsider investing energy in it.

2. It's positive

It's something you want to achieve not something you want to get reed of. For example, you have a history of bad relationships. Your goal should be about being in a good one, not about stop being in bad relationships.
Once you are able to formulate what you want you should be able to formulate the steps you need to get there. And once you do this we'll reach the third condition.

3. It's measurable

Why you should measure it? Well, how would you know if you achieved it if you won't? For example, let's say your goal is to be happy. It's yours and it's positive. But what does it mean happy for you? Can you picture how happiness will look like? If yes, write it down each component and create a plan to achieve it. The same with being in a good relationship. What does this mean? And what can you do to achieve it?

II. And now the magical part: Include your new goal in your timeline

I was mentioning how important visualization is and how much can help us in accomplish our goals. Let's see, step by step, the process.

1. Visualize your timeline

If you are In-time, step out of it and put it in front of you. You should be able to picture it like you do with a picture slide, being able to see the past, present and future.
If you are Through-time just move it in front of you. The same logic like before.

2. Imagine your goal

Take the goal you defined before and create a mental picture from it. Like a painting in a frame.
Imagine the bright colors, feel like you accomplished it. Enjoy the feeling and start believing you can really get there.

3. Include the new goal in your timeline

Take the painting you imagined before and put in on your timeline, at the moment you want it to be achieved. This should be a specific moment in time. Imagine it becoming part of your future, integrating and interacting your other goals you might have.
Switch between In-time and Through-time, between seeing it happen in front of you and feeling is happening to you.

This is it, the setting is there. You will still have a lot to work towards it but this way of visualizing with help you identify opportunities and ways to get there, as they are also something you will see and you will know if they can be part of the setting or not.

This is quite an easy and fun process, not so easy to explain in writing. In case you have any additional questions let me know and I will do my best to make this more clear.

Wish you a very productive session on setting your objectives!