The most important points in the formulation of the goal are usually the positivity of the formulation, specificity and responsibility.
- Positive
A positive statement of purpose is a statement in terms of affirmation, not negation. The goal statement should say what you want, not what you don’t like. To formulate what we DO NOT want is as productive as buying a ticket FROM Moscow at the station. You will be given a ticket, but where? Is it where you wanted to go? See →
Wrong Choices are Negative Goal Setting
- Concrete
The wording should make it possible to clearly determine whether the goal has been achieved or not. See →
- Responsibility
Your wording should concern only what depends directly on you, what you can really influence. If the tram schedule does not depend on you, it is pointless to set the goal «Let the tram arrive within the next minute.» See →
How to correctly formulate a goal in working on yourself
The situation of working on oneself has its own specifics — here, on the one hand, the role of emotions and moods is great, on the other hand, the results can be noticed (felt) directly. Empirically, basic tips were developed that help people correctly formulate goals in working on themselves. See →