Without goals you lack focus and direction. Goals provide purpose and meaning and are a benchmark for determining achievement and success.

Vague goals are not very helpful. Your goals need to be SMART that is, Specific, Measureable, Adequate, Realistic and Time bound.
 

Specific                                                                                       

According to research, specific, clear, challenging goals lead to greater effort and achievement than easy or vague goals. A specific goal should answer the questions why, when, how, and where. Provide enough detail so that there is no indecision as to what exactly you should be doing when the time comes to do it. An example of a general goal is something like "I want to get into shape". However a more specific goal is "I want to lose 2 kgs by 3 months by jogging for one hour 5 days a week."

Measureable                                                                                  

Your goal should be such that when you are through you have some tangible evidence of completion. To determine if your goal is measurable, ask questions such as: How much? How many? How will I know when it is accomplished?

Adequate                                                                                          

If you achieve your goal, will it help you solve your problem? Does it serve the purpose? For example, if you do jog for an hour every day, will it be sufficient for you to lose the desired weight? If you are overweight and also have high cholesterol levels, will the jogging be sufficient or do you also need to change your diet?

Realistic                                                                                          

To be realistic, a goal must be something that you are both willing and able to work towards. Your goal is probably realistic if you truly believe that it can be accomplished. Additional ways to know if your goal is realistic is to determine if you have accomplished anything similar in the past or ask yourself what conditions would have to exist to accomplish this goal.

Time bound                                                                                      

A goal should be grounded within a time frame. When will you start and when will you complete it? "Someday" won't work. But if you anchor it within a timeframe, for example in three months, then you've set your mind into motion to begin working on the goal.

When you are making your SMART GOAL remember:

-It should be something that you want to do and not someone else's goal.

-Make your goal sufficiently challenging. If your goal is too easy, it will exert a low motivational force, while if it is too difficult or unrealistic, you might be setting yourself up for failure.

-Write your goal down on paper, or print it out. It will serve as an act of commitment, in addition to helping you keep track of it.

-Give yourself some flexibility. Setting a goal in which every minute in the day is accounted for is unrealistic; unplanned events will crop up and wreak havoc with your schedule.

-Track your progress on a regular basis. We work best when we are able to see results. Take stock of everything that you've accomplished on a regular basis, even the small progresses.

-Reward yourself for sticking to your plan of action and whenever you reach your goal. This will serve to keep you motivated.

-Quicker success makes for greater reinforcement. Seeing yourself meeting goals will spur you on to achieve more.

-Get yourself an accountability partner if possible, someone to whom you can report your progress and who will encourage and motivate you when your own motivation drops.

However, remember that YOU are still responsible for yourself.