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Goal-setting, positive thinking go hand-in-hand

Most people embarking on a trip will determine a route in advance, and often consult a map to help chart the best course. Having such road map to guide personal and professional decisions and establishing attainable goals is an important way to ensure success.

Take time to think about the future and what you want to accomplish, advises Business Psychology Associates, Idaho’s employee assistance program provider. BPA provides the following information on its Web site for state of Idaho employees:

Setting goals is a positive step. Your first goal might be to become a more positive thinker. People who are optimistic tend to be happier and live longer. With a little persistence, you can begin to change your negative attitudes.

Negative thinking can become so pervasive you don't even notice it. Try enlisting the help of close friends and family. Have them tell you when you are expressing unreasonably negative ideas or thoughts. Try reminding yourself - notes pasted on the bathroom mirror or in your car might be silly, but if they can stop a negative thought here and there, they can be helpful.

For positive motivation, try to focus on the end results. For example, if you want to be neater around the house but feel overwhelmed or discouraged, try to think about the end results of cleaning the house. Imagine how nice it will look and how you will feel about yourself after it is clean. Imagine doing something you enjoy in your clean house. Imagine the house is clean.

The following is a list of steps to help you set and meet goals in your life.

Setting goals
1. Decide on your goals
If you choose several, determine if they can be grouped in any way. For example, "do the dishes every night" and "keep the leaves raked" are examples of managing small chores so they don't accumulate and become overwhelming.

2. Be specific if possible
If you set a goal to be more outgoing, acknowledge that there will be situations where it isn't necessary to be outgoing. Choose specific situations where you want to be outgoing, for example, at parties, at work, with your neighbors, etc.

3. State the goal positively
"I want to eat healthier foods" as opposed to "I want to quit eating junk food."

4. Make a plan to achieve your goal
Determine what resources you will need, what resources you have available now, and obstacles that might arise. Write down your goal and your plan, and review this periodically. This will help you stay on track.

5. Choose individual goals
Make sure you can complete the goal yourself, and don't have to rely on changes in others for the goal to be accomplished.

6. Choose realistic goals
A goal to gain acceptance from others, or to be more liked at work, is really a goal to feel good about your self. You can't make other people like you, but you can learn to feel better about yourself.

7. Reward achievement
Sometimes it is appropriate to reward progress toward a goal, or a goal achieved. For example, if your goal is to eat healthier foods, and you are succeeding, you might occasionally reward yourself with a favorite dessert. This can be a useful tool with children as well.

To view the original article or get information about BPA services available to Idaho employees, visit the organization's Web site.