Without a documented plan, a goal is only a desire. That’s something we’ve all heard a thousand times or more. It has a lot of weight even though it might not be entirely true. Committing to something in writing is a very concrete method. It activates a mental switch in your head that increases its realism. You have some responsibility now. To oneself. Take your responsibility a notch by sharing your objectives with people you can trust, such a trusted colleague or a close loved one. One aspect of goal-setting that is sometimes overlooked is score-boarding and tracking. A key component of success is monitoring our advancement toward our goals. This is why “scoreboard” is used. It serves as a near-constant reminder of your progress toward your objectives. For instance, you might keep track of the number of credits you need to graduate from college if you were pursuing one. Put the number wherever you’ll frequently see it to serve as a constant reminder of how far you still have to go and to inspire you to keep working hard. While some items are easier to track than others, many things lack a number attached to them. Putting money aside, say, for a boat.
