Writing Goals

You've probably heard hundreds of times that it is critical to write your goals down. But do you know why this step is important?

When you put pen to paper you turn your thoughts into something tangible. You can actually see it, touch it, and even smell it if you want to. Your goal is no longer just a thought! It becomes something that motivates you and creates a gut feeling inside.

Even the act of using eye-hand coordination with the hand holding the pen makes a stronger impression on your mind as you write out the phrase or expression. Now when you read and re-read that phrase or sentence the impression on the mind becomes deeper and deeper.

There is something semi-magical about writing one's goals down which makes achieving them an almost certainty.

Here are four rules of writing goals:

1. Write your goals in the positive. Work for what you want, not for what you want to leave behind. Part of the reason why you write down and examine your goals is to create a set of instructions for your subconscious mind to carry out. Your subconscious mind is a very efficient tool, it can not determine right from wrong so it does not judge. It's only function is to carry out its instructions. The more positive instructions you give it, the more positive results you will get.
2. Write your goals out in complete detail. Instead of writing, "A new home," write, "A 4000 square foot contemporary home with 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms and a view of the mountain on 20 acres of land." Once again, we are giving the subconscious mind a detailed set of instructions to work with. The more information you give it, the more clear the final outcome. The more precise the outcome, the more efficient the subconscious mind.
3. Write in present tense. Write your goals down in present tense. This is because the subconscious mind chooses a path of least resistance. If you write, "I will be slim," the subconscious mind does nothing thinking that the goal may be postponed until later. Write in the present tense, first person, as if they are already true.
4. Re-write your goals. When the words are written and then repeatedly re-written, they have maximum impact. So don't be content with a first draft. Write down your goals. Then rephrase them, compact them, add motivating adjectives, and make them pithy. A week later you may want to adjust them again. Keep on fine-tuning.

Writing your goals down is the first step to making them real. Somehow having things in writing really makes them seem more important. It will also make it easier to make the plans needed to reach your goals if you have something in writing. Putting them in writing breathes life into them making them a force that cannot be easily stopped.

Taken from Goal-Setting-Guide.com.