Goal setting all done?
That's ok then, success guaranteed.
Well, not quite if you've fallen into
any of these 7 traps.

Goal setting is vital for success but a lot of hard work in doing it can be wasted if you don't avoid these 7 common traps.

Check your SMART goals to ensure you've missed these 7 pitfalls.

Trap 1. Goals that are too vague and wishy-washy.

If your goal setting yields goals such as this:

* I want to earn more money

* I want to be a success

* I want to be rich

you may have fallen into this trap.

Whilst they may be valid goals for you, they aren't motivation friendly or inner resource friendly.

That is, your conscious and unconscious minds need to know clearly what you want if they are to help you achieve success.

In particular, your more powerful unconscious mind, that works hard on your behalf in terms of the "how" will that be achieved, will be confused with too broad good intentions that provide no clear direction or outcome.

So, review your goal setting and sharpen up your goals if needed. For example:

* I want to earn more money - could be: I want to earn £100,000 per annum by 2015

* I want to be a success - could be: I want to have a book published by 2012

* I want to be rich - could be: I want to have net worth of over £1 million by 2020.

Only YOU can judge what goals you want to pursue, and how specific to make them, but beware the trap of wishy-washy, it will undermine your control, motivation and success.

Trap 2. Goals that are wish lists.

For example, the three examples used above:

* I want to earn £100,000 per annum by 2015

* I want to have a book published by 2012

* I want to have net worth of over £1 million by 2020

are less vague than when first stated, but they fall into trap 2.

That is, "I want" has a future orientated tone to it that may keep you minds in a wishing, hopeful state.

WHY?

Because your unconscious mind cannot tell the difference between what you imagine and what is real.

So, in goal setting write your goals as if already achieved (rather than wished for) your unconscious mind, in particular, will work to achieve this "success decision".

* I want to earn £100,000 per annum by 2015 - could be expressed as, "it is 2015 and I have successfully achieved my goal of earning £100,000 per annum".

Get the idea?

Good, now you re-state the other two for practice:

* I want to have a book published by 2012

* I want to have net worth of over £1 million by 2020

Trap 3. Goals that are open-ended

That is, they lack a deadline.

What's the difference between a good intention and a decision?

A decision has an owner and a deadline.

It has also been said that a "goal is a dream with a deadline".

Without a timescale, your unconscious mind may get the message that it has all the time in the world to deliver, and it works accordingly.

We had made some progress in this direction with our examples above, but we could have been just a bit sharper. For example:

* I want to earn £100,000 per annum by 2015 - could be expressed as, "it is July 31st, 2015 and I have successfully achieved my goal of earning £100,000 per annum".

This is likely to give your inner resources a sense of urgency and put you in control.

Trap 4. Goals that lack proof.

That is, although you may set your goals as above, it makes a big difference to your motivation and success if you answer the question, "ok, but how will you KNOW that you have achieved your goals?".

This helps a lot with visualisation of success.

So,

* I want to earn £100,000 per annum by 2015 - could be expressed as, "it is July 31st, 2015 and I have successfully achieved my goal of earning £100,000 per annum.

And I know that I have achieved my goal as I look at my bank statements" (and income tax returns - sorry about that).

Adding the "proof" of success is a really smart thing to do to be resourceful.

Trap 5. Goals that ignore support needs.

That is, depending on the goals you set, of course, it is unlikely that you will be in control of everything needed to achieve success.

Most of the time, we need help and support from others.

Ignoring this in goal setting is a trap that will weaken your motivation (especially when significant others aren't supportive) and make it harder to achieve your goals.

You may need to communicate and, sometimes, persuade but this will be effort well spent.

Trap 6. Goals that ignore consequences.

That is, for every action there can be an opposite and equal reaction.

Your goals, if achieved, are likely to change things.

When goal setting, think it through - if I achieve my goals, what effects will that create for me, for others, for the situation etc.

No one can predict the future with 100% accuracy, of course, but thinking ahead a bit, and / or involving trusted others with their different thinking preferences may prevent nasty surprises and improve your goal setting.

Trap 7. Goals that don't connect.

For example, you may want to make £100,000 per annum but you also value and believe that family life and sharing your children's growing up is vital.

And your unconscious mind knows this and may therefore not be willing to let you sacrifice this.

So, again, you need to check - are your goals connected to what really matters to you?

Ask yourself, "WHY is this goal important for me to achieve?".

If need be, use the 5 WHYs to really challenge yourself and your goal setting.

Goal setting may seem fine but if you fall into any, or all, of these 7 traps you are likely to finish up frustrated.
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