Setting goals can seem like an intimidating task if you’ve never done it before. You may be wondering what kinds of goals are most effective and how to actually accomplish them when you set them, especially if they’re not tangible tasks like wash the dishes or exercise five times this week. However, goals are an important part of life that can help you achieve your wildest dreams and improve your quality of life in ways you may never have thought possible before.
Pick your goals
Think about what your goals are and how you can reach them. There is no right or wrong way to set a goal, just make sure it’s an achievable one. The hardest part of starting out on a new path is taking the first step. After that it’s all about staying committed and reaching for your goal. It may seem impossible at first, but give yourself a little time and you’ll see it come together!
Create an action plan
Establishing a goal is the first step in achieving it. Pick one goal to start with and outline a plan of action that is realistic, achievable, time-dependent, etc. Write down all the steps you will need to take, create checklists or other guides you can use along the way, review your plan periodically to ensure you’re staying on track. Focus on one task at a time; this helps keep your plan manageable while still feeling like you are making progress. It also eliminates any possibility of losing focus because there’s always something to do! If you feel overwhelmed by the amount of work involved, break your goal into smaller pieces.
Take action
Setting goals is necessary but taking action is more important. Do not just set goals for yourself but always work towards it and it will definitely be achieved. For example a university students who wants to succeed in his exams should learn to read his books, by reading his books his success is guaranteed.
Track your progress
Achieving your goals is an incremental process. By breaking them down into small achievable goals, you can create a pathway for success that is well-defined. Here are some questions you should ask yourself when setting goals: What do I want? Where am I going? When will I be done? Why am I doing this? Who am I doing this for?
Create accountability
You should make your goals public, either to a group of friends or on an online platform like a blog. Public accountability makes it harder for you to back out when things get tough because you don’t want people judging you if you don’t follow through. Also, public accountability helps keep you from procrastinating because someone is counting on you reaching the goal.
Do something everyday that keeps you going
I use an app called ‘AchieveKit’ that sends me reminders for things I need to do each day. Those reminders are one of the tools I use to help stay focused on my goals. If you feel overwhelmed, start with small steps that you know you can achieve each day, then start building from there. As long as you’re moving forward, it’ll be easier as time goes on.
Break up big tasks into smaller, easier ones
It is best not to look at a task as just one thing. Think about how you can break up that large, long, daunting task into smaller more manageable tasks that are easier to work on. By breaking your goal down into smaller tasks it will make the process of reaching your goal seem more achievable. For example, if your goal is to lose weight, then maybe you want to set aside 20 minutes each day for exercise. Or if you have the goal of saving money, then create a budget plan and follow it by sticking with your shopping list when grocery shopping.
Remove distractions that keep you from achieving your goals.
Every day, you are being distracted by some of the small things. Small things like your phone buzzing from a notification, or scrolling on social media. Unfortunately, these distractions take up your attention which keeps you from focusing on achieving the goals that you have set for yourself.
