Goal-setting is about being clear about what you need to do to achieve something. It might sound like a bit of a pain, but research has shown that setting goals is a great way to achieve the things you want to do.

Some common things people have found goal-setting to help with are:
achieving and keeping a healthy weight
getting good grades
dealing with depression or anxiety
making new friends
getting a job
doing chores
doing well at sport
Motivation
Motivation is what drives you to get things done - it drives you to achieve goals that you set
Our motivations for doing different things can vary, and so can the results... If you are studying something at university or college because you didn't know what else to do, or your parents wanted you to do it, your motivation may not be great. However, if you are really interested in a subject, or can see that it will get you into the sort of work you really want, your motivation will be high.
To succeed in work or study, you need skills and information - but these will not be of much help if motivation is not there. By setting goals, getting in a routine, and seeing that you are making progress you can keep yourself motivated for just about anything.
Dreaming and goal-setting
Take a minute to think about where you want to go in life. Can you come up with a dream picture of yourself in 12 months, 5 years, or beyond?
The picture might be having a party with loads of friends, writing a successful novel, getting a university degree, travelling the world, or whatever.
Your dream picture might seem hard to achieve, but you don't have to do it all in one step.
By breaking your goal down in to smaller, manageable steps, you can begin to make progress.
If you don't make your smaller goals manageable, you will find you lose that precious motivation due to predictable failures.
One way to work through your goals is to think of things you could do tomorrow, and the day after, and so on.
So, if your goal is to make new friends in the next 6 months, your first goal might be to work out what to say to someone you don't know well.
The next day's goal might be to practice this on a friend or family member.
Write it down Studies show that writing down your goal is a way to make a mental commitment to the goal.
Write down your dream. Now, what is the very first thing you need to do? When will you do it by? How will you do it? If your goal is to get into shape, what sort of exercise will you start to do?
Reward yourself One good way to keep the motivation up is to reward yourself when you achieve goals - even the easiest ones, such as calling a gym to check the prices, or making your bed.
Tripping on the steps If you miss a goal, or break a routine you are trying to keep, don't be too hard on yourself. This is all part of the process.
Focus on the positive things you have achieved so far. Now think about the last goal you had - was it realistic; do you need to break it down smaller? Then get back into it.
Keeping positive The people you hang out with can influence your motivation and how positive you are.
It's a good idea to have someone supportive to encourage you along, and even better if this supportive person wants to try and reach the same goals. If you find that someone is making you slip up more, it might be a good idea to go it alone or find another supportive person to discuss your goals with.
Routine When you first start, it can seem really hard to get going towards your goals. This is normal, as creating change can be tough.
With good routines, over time it gets easier. The cravings for cigarettes, the desire to eat junk food, the anxiety in social situations, these all reduce over time with a good routine. Routines themselves eventually become something you just do; you won't even need to think about them much after awhile.
Now don't forget to have fun, will you? You won't stay motivated if all you do is worry about achieving your goals. Remember, everything in moderation, including moderation.
(Source: cyh.com)