Few dispute the importance of setting goals. It only makes sense that having a written objective increases the likelihood of success! Effective goals have several characteristics that help to assure a positive outcome. Have you worded the goal in a way that ensures your success? Have you adequately prioritized the goal? By incorporating a few strategic ideas into your next goal setting session, you can greatly increase your odds of success. Try these strategies to help make your goal a reality:

1. Choose the best goal for you. Consider all possibilities before you select the topic of your goal. A simple, but effective goal-setting exercise is to list 5-10 possible goals that you believe would improve your life. Then ask yourself, "Which of these goals would benefit my life the most right now?" A more meaningful goal has a better chance of being achieved.

2. Set a deadline. Without a deadline, your goal will lack any sense of time urgency. A recommended way of formatting your goal is: "On or before August 1, 2011, I will have completed specific actions #1 and #2 to sufficiently lose at least 15 lbs." This statement provides a clear endpoint, but still allows for the goal to be accomplished sooner. It is generally more effective to limit the timeframe to 12 weeks or less. If a goal will require a greater period of time, break the goal down into smaller, multiple goals.

3. Leave the results open ended when appropriate. Just as you allowed the goal to be accomplished sooner than the specified date in the above example, where appropriate, also allow your results to surpass your goal. Notice the portion of the goal above: "lose at least 15 lbs." Wording the goal statement in this way allows for greater results, assuming that is appropriate for you. Avoid limiting your results if it's unnecessary to do so. Here are some examples of goals that can usually be left open ended:

a) Money-based goals: Would anyone ever want to limit themselves here? Not me
b) Weight-loss goals: Depending on the amount of weight that needs to be lost, losing a couple more pounds would usually be received as good news.

4. Include your responsibilities. Always include specific actions in your goal statement. Engineers frequently state that something is "necessary, but not sufficient." For example, sugar might be necessary to bake a cake but it's not sufficient; other ingredients are also required. By including specific actions in your statement, you're claiming responsibility for doing everything that needs to be done to accomplish the goal.

5. Prioritize your goal. Your brain is inundated with countless things every day. It needs to know that this goal is more important than all the other tasks it faces on a regular basis. One way to accomplish this is by utilizing repetition. After first setting your goal, write it down 25 times. Now notice how you feel about the goal. If you feel anything less than motivated and excited, there is some question in your mind about it. Try to figure out what's holding back your enthusiasm so you can move forward with confidence. Strong, positive emotions can also be used as a prioritization tool. Imagine what it would feel like to achieve your goal. Imagine the ideal scene. What would you see, smell, think, and feel? The better the vision, the better the odds of success!