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If you want to accomplish anything in life, setting goals is going to be the first step. From losing weight to career success to making a business profitable, life is really all about having the right goals. Unfortunately many people are not setting goals for themselves in their life, which explains why so many people never achieve their true potential. Actually, one of the main reasons that people are not setting goals today is that they really don't even know where to begin. So, if you are ready to start learning how to set goals, here are six essential tips to keep in mind.

Tip #1 - Start Dreaming and Write Down Your Dreams - First of all, if you want to set goals you are going to have to take the time to do some dreaming. If you have no dreams, then it will be difficult to come up with goals for your life. Sadly many people have actually lost the ability to dream in their life and subsequently their motivation for achievement. So, to get yourself started, take some time to dream about things you want to do, who you would like to be, or even about what you would like to have. Once you come up with your dreams then actually put those dreams down on paper.

Tip #2 - Ask the Question, 'Why?' - Now that you have your dreams written down take a second look at them. While you are giving them a second glance stop at each dream and ask yourself 'why?' is it your dream. Why is this dream important to you? If you cannot answer this question without at least a few sentences, it probably isn't truly one of your dreams let alone keep you motivated to accomplish a goal, and therefore should ultimately be crossed off your list.

Tip #3 - Is it really YOUR Goal? - Many people are influenced by others to pursue dreams of that other person and not ones they would like to pursue. So take another look and make sure it was YOUR goal and not a goal someone else would like you to pursue. If the dream or goal wasn't yours to start out with, but one that someone else wants you to do, then cross that off your list also.

Tip #4 - Figure out How the Goal Will Affect Your Life - You are on the right track now. The dreams you have left on your list now need to be reviewed. This time you need to determine how these dreams are going to affect your life. When you accomplish these goals are they going to make you more happy than what you are now? Are these goals going to cause an improvement in the relationships you currently have with people? Will they cause an improvement in security with these people? Is it going to have a positive outcome on your financial affairs? If the answer is no they won't them cross those goals off your list because if you know the outcome of that goal isn't going to make a positive reaction in your life then it's going to be hard to stay motivated to accomplish it.

Tip #5 - Categorize Your Goals - By now your list should be narrowed down to real goals, instead of just desires and thoughts. At this point you need to categorize your goals into sections, depending on how long it should take you to reach them. You will have long range goals that will take more than a year to achieve, short range goals that should take less than a month for you to achieve, and intermediate goals that will take anywhere from a month to a year to achieve. Remember, you should have big goals, and you should also make sure to have goals in every category so you are constantly working towards goals in your life.

Tip #6 - Plan How to Achieve Your Goals - Once you have established what your goals are in life, now you need to focus on planning how to achieve them. You should always be working in the direction of your goals, even if it is just taking small steps in the right direction. Be careful not to overwhelm yourself when trying to reach those goals as well. It is going to take some time management and motivation on your part to plan and complete these tasks, but it will definitely be worth it. Make out a chart with the activities you are planning on doing to help you achieve those goals, and as you perform those activities mark them down on your chart. This will help you see the achievements you are making as you get closer and closer to achieving your goals.