10 Tough Questions to Ask Yourself About Your Goals

Goals. We all have them. Whether you admit them or not.

They could be written down for all to see. Or hidden in the recesses of your mind, privy only to you.

By nature, we all have things we want to accomplish.

Yet, are you clear on the “why, how, and when” of your objectives? Today I have 10 questions to give you insight into what you are truly trying to accomplish.

How Well Do You Know Your Goals?

You may think you know your goals.

But, just like many people don’t keep a todo list, most people don’t have a clearly defined set of goals they are working towards. Rather, they have a vague list of intentions that they think they want to accomplish someday.

What are your goals?
And could you quickly recite what they are, and the status of your progress?

“To reach your goals you need to clearly define them.”

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Defining your goals sounds easy. Simply put down the goal and perhaps a few details.

However, when you dig deeper, you’ll find that you need to question everything about your goals. The why, the how,  the when, and even the what.

Here are 10 Tough Questions to Ask Yourself About Your Goals:

1. Why are you doing them? – Why are your goals… goals? Why do you want to accomplish them. Are they part of your passion and being? Or are they part of a superficial race you are running simply because that is what society wants you to do? “Why” is perhaps the most important question you need to answer about your goals.
2. What specifically do you want to accomplish? – Can you detail “what” you are truly trying to accomplish? For example, “get in shape” isn’t a goal. You need to be specific about what you want to accomplish. Is it to lose 50 pounds? Is it to be able to run a 5K race? No matter the subject of your goal, you need to frame it to be as specific as possible.
3. Who do your goals belong to? – Are you goals yours? Or could they be someone else’s? Your parent’s? Or society’s? Or what your boss wants you to do? Make sure you are doing your goals because they are your objective and not someone else’s. Unless they are truly your own, you won’t be successful even if you complete them.
4. Are your goals realistic? – Can your goals actually be done? Are they possible? Stretching yourself and your capabilities is what leads to new levels of success. However, setting impossible goals makes for a futile effort that will never be completed.
5. What progress are you making? – Are you doing your goals? And if so, what progress have you made. Saying you are going to “write a book” is a great goal. But, have you actually done it after all these years?
6. How could you get there faster? – Most people put their big goals on long, long timelines. Ones that they tend to put off for years or longer. How could you reach your goals faster? Could you change your path? Or put more effort or resources behind them? Don’t fall victim to setting timelines so slow you will never reach the finish line.
7. Are they written down? – Many people shy away from writing down their goals. They don’t want others to see them or maybe they don’t really want to be held accountable to them. If you don’t want to share them publicly, consider journaling about your goals privately.
8. How often do you review them? – Do you look at your goals every day? Once a week? Or only when it’s New Year’s resolution time? Reviewing your goals regularly drives your awareness and action. After all, out of sight, out of mind.
9. Do you measure the progress of your goals? – Whatever your goal, you need a way to measure progress. This is doubly important for large and long-term goals. Measurement allows you to recognize your progress towards (or away) from your goal.
10. What are the deadlines for your goals? – Every goal must have a deadline. Otherwise it is just a dream, or a figment of your imagination. Set a date to work towards. Life happens, and you can adjust dates, but without a finish line you will never complete your goal.

Tough Goals, Tough Questions

Reaching goals isn’t easy. Most people have been working on their big goals for their entire life.

Test your goals each and every day.

Tough goals require tough work and long-term effort. And those who actually accomplish theirs set themselves apart from the rest.

Question: What questions do you have about your goals? Are they clearly defined? You can leave a comment by clicking here.