The sense of achievement obtained after successfully completing a goal cannot be expressed casually. It is important to set goals, have a clear vision and plan to achieve the goals. Any vision without actual action is negligent. Accomplishing a goal has several benefits, as achievement makes us realize the value of commitment as the mind is clearly focused. Decision making skills are improved as there is more freedom of thought. A major benefit of setting goals is that we learn from failure, and learning from failure is one of the best ways to achieve success. Having a personal goal is important, as it helps our mind to focus on the things that benefit us personally and helps keep the mind and body active.
My Goal: To Drink More Water
I have set up a goal to drink more water on a daily basis to be hydrated throughout the day. I used to drink only 2 – 3 glasses of water in 24 hours, which I know is insufficient for my body, considering the physical and mental work I go through regularly. As 60 percent of the body weight is composed of water, it is necessary to keep the body hydrated. I have frequent headaches, and joint pain sometimes, and I feel tired and exhausted throughout the day. The goal that I have set to drink more water will help me restore the tissues and cells. I believe that once I start drinking more water, the energy reserves will boost and help me to be energetic and dynamic, and the good news is that the headache will go away completely. The cartilage in the joints will be kept soft and hydrated to reduce joint pains by drinking more water.
Obstacles in achieving the goal. The major obstacle I realize is that I have a tendency to procrastinate things, which might hinder in achieving my goal. Many times I do not remember to drink water after my meals, or I do not crave to drink water as I am already full. I feel I am lazy to fill the glass with water and I find myself to be more lethargic to fill the water bottles. Instead of water, I find myself gulping the beverage drink or soda.
Requirements to achieve the goal. To achieve my goal, I need to be focused and keep reminding myself about the advantages and benefits of drinking more water. I must fill up several glasses or bottles as soon as I wake up and keep a reminder to do the task. The other way to remind would be to use a planner and update the goal in the daily to-do list. The water intake required for a man is about 13 cups of water and for a woman it is 9 cups. I can also eat water by consuming fruits and vegetables that have high water content, for example, watermelon and tomatoes.
Developing a Support Group. Though the goal mentioned is personal, it also requires support from the surrounding people whom I interact with on a regular basis. It is important to let others know about my goal, and the benefits that I would be experiencing in the process of achieving it. Few people may be glad to hear my goals and even encourage me.
Plan of Action. I will break the goal into smaller sub-goals in order to achieve them quickly. While it may be hard initially to drink water as much as I need, I am confident that practice will help me to form good hydration habits. I would begin with a short term goal for two months, and perform the task of drinking water on a regular basis as required. Achieving the short term goal will motivate me to set longer goal which may result in setting up goals on regular basis. As soon as I wake up, I will drink a glass of water, fill the glass or the glass bottles and keep them ready for the next intake. I will collect posters or images of people drinking water and fix them in my room so that I am reminded to drink water regularly. Most of the times, things may not happen as planned, therefore I will revisit my plan of action on a weekly basis or monthly basis and restructure the planned activities. Another action that I would perform everyday would be to read the benefits of drinking water to stay motivated and focused with a high possibility towards accomplishing my goal.
