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January 25, 2005 • RDH Magazine
by Juli Kagan, RDH, MEd
What we know for sure is that it’s time to create a challenge for yourself.
Oprah Winfrey often asks her guests, “What do you know for sure?” I often ponder this question myself, and, without hesitation, I know for sure that writing goals down is the first step in making them a reality. The remarkable thing about putting your goals down on paper is that they most often manifest themselves in time. Sure, you may place more attention on some than others, but somehow they will all come to fruition.
In 1986 I wrote that I wanted to be an aerobics instructor. Even though I was a full-time dental hygienist and not actively seeking that position, I loved fitness and wanted to be more actively involved in the industry. Coincidentally, within a year an opportunity arose at a new exercise studio in my community. I met with the owner and by year’s end, my goal of becoming an aerobics instructor was realized. I couldn’t believe I had achieved that goal, and it wasn’t even that hard! I just knew my intention and was clear about what I wanted.
Sound unreasonable? It isn’t! Writing down your goals clarifies ideas and crystallizes them into a tangible form that is as clear as black and white. There is no question about your intentions when your ideas are lucid and unambiguous. Research shows that goal setting directs attention.1 The more specific and behavioral a goal, the greater control the person feels over it. Writing also transforms them from the non-physical (ideas) to the physical (ink on a piece of paper).
Creating lasting goals is more feasible if they are based on your values. There needs to be a motivational reason or meaning for you to stick to the goal. If you simply write that you want to lose 10 pounds but have no underlying reason or purpose to the weight loss, the goal will be less important and less valuable to you, and therefore, less attainable in the long run.
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