The sixth of the 7 things not to do to achieve your goals is not forgetting who you are.

1. Don’t include “shoulds” – do things because you have an appreciation for the benefit to be gained or the pain to be avoided that is associated with the goal
2. Don’t obsess over the bull’s eye – give yourself a range to shoot for instead of a single point.  In addition to the target, identify a lesser amount that you would be pleased with.  At the same time establish what you would consider a stretch goal.
3. Don’t “try” anything -  write your goals in a way that identifies the actions you will take, not what you will try to do.  In the words of the wise Jedi master, Yoda, “Do or do not … there is no try.”
4. Don’t focus on other people – if your goal is dependent upon others, re-write it to only include the action you can directly control.
5. Don’t ignore your past performance -  if you haven’t been able to accomplish something in th past, it’s not reasonable to expect high performance.  Take baby steps if you need to and giant leaps when that is appropriate

6. Don’t forget who you are

There is no perfect list or set of goals that is absolutely right for everyone.  How much exercise do you need?  It depends.  How much water should you drink?  It depends.  What is the perfect weight?  It depends.  How many customers should you have?  It depends.  How much revenue growth is appropriate?  It depends.  How much money is needed?  It depends.

What do these things depend on?  They depend upon you and your situation.  Elite athletes staying on top of their game need more exercise than the reasonably fit person just trying to maintain their weight.  If you sweat a lot, dehydrate easily, or live in an arid climate, you may need greater amounts of water.  Businesses selling widgets at $10 a piece need more customers than consultants who charge their clients thousands of dollars per project.  The maturity of your industry and the available cash you have to invest will affect your revenue targets.  The amount of money you need is based on your preferences and choices around lifestyle.

Your goals, objectives, likes and dislikes, passions, finances, skill set, and competencies will all play a role in crafting the right set of goals for you.  Not taking these things into consideration, or worse, merely copying someone else’s goals, is not a set up for success.  Realistically consider what is appropriate for you and your situation if you want to succeed.

The rest of the list

7.  Don’t be vague