Setting worthwhile goals gives direction to your life, but it can be incredibly frustrating and demotivating if you fall short. Few understand this better than Michael Molfetta, founder of Molfetta Law, who also happens to be a former collegiate athlete. Anyone can start a side hustle or play a sport recreationally. Yet, it requires dedication and strategic planning to play sports at the collegiate level and operate a high-profile law firm. Molfetta attributes much of his goal-setting success to the skills he first honed and perfected as an athlete, which he cultivates by hiring former Division I athletes to work at Molfetta Law. Consequently, Molfetta’s leadership and service to clients are unparalleled.
Because goals are anticipated worthwhile accomplishments, striving to achieve them will help you make positive changes in your life. Whether your goals are health-related or career-centric, it’s a worthwhile practice to adopt and perfect. However, it’s not simply enough to decide you want to improve in certain areas. In Molfetta’s experience, how you choose and set your goals will influence how likely you will be to achieve them. Use these proven tips to help put some structure behind your goal setting and increase your chances of success.
Start with your long-range goals.
Long-range goals clarify where you want to be or what you want to achieve within five or ten years. They are big picture ideas, like deciding to buy your first home in five years. But don’t stop there, stresses Molfetta. Achieving long-range goals is nearly impossible without defining intermediate steps to get you to the finish line.
Set short-range goals that help you accomplish intermediate goals that help you achieve your long-range goals. Your short-range goals should be achievable within about a month, and intermediate goals should take no more than a year to complete.
Set specific and measurable goals.
As Molfetta explains, the more specific and measurable a goal is, the more power it has to change your life. For example, there’s not much power in a goal to read more—there’s too much distance between that vague desire and taking action. But, if you define that goal as “I will read at least one self-help book each week,” you know what you need to do and when.
Make a plan.
Former American professional football player and coach Tom Landry famously said, “Setting a goal is not the main thing. It is deciding how you will go about achieving it and staying with that plan.”
If your goal is to buy your first home in five years, your plan should include a series of supporting intermediate and short-range goals. Those goals would be accomplished by executing a plan, with steps such as setting up an automatic deposit to your savings account. If that’s not attainable, step one of your plan might be to research a gig-economy opportunity that could supplement your income to allow you to meet a savings plan.
Make yourself accountable to others.
If you are the only person even aware of your goal, it’s too easy to let it slide. Molfetta makes it a habit to share his goals with his leadership team at Molfetta Law. Your friends or colleagues can help by encouraging you. If that’s not the appropriate medium for you, share them with your spouse or another trusted friend. The idea is to create a situation where you feel you may disappoint more than just yourself if you abandon your goals.
Reward your achievements.
Be nice to yourself when you achieve incremental successes. Rewarding yourself will look different for each person and make the reward relevant to the goal. If you’ve exceeded your savings plan one month, splurge a little and buy yourself something nice. If you’ve finished the self-help books, you set out to read, give in and pick up a mindless novel as a treat.
Nearly every successful person, including Michael Molfetta, will tell you that setting goals were a large part of their triumph. Be smart about setting goals and making it easier to achieve your dreams.
About Michael Molfetta
Michael Molfetta is the resolute force behind Molfetta Law, a founding partner of CRM Sports Advisors and the CEO of Invictus Sports Management. As a veteran litigation attorney with over 30 years of experience under his belt, he has been lead counsel in nearly 300 jury trials and a legal correspondent for major news networks. Before starting his legal practice, he was the Deputy District Attorney in Orange County and was “1994 Prosecutor of the Year”. Since then, Molfetta has continued to garner acclaim and distinction within the legal field. In 2021, he was named “Litigator of the Year” by The American Institute of Trial Lawyers.
