4 Steps To Help You Set and Achieve Your Goals
I think it’s safe to say that every person on the face of the planet has had at least one goal (probably a bunch) they’ve set for themselves that they’ve not been able to achieve. Whether it’s a big goal, or small ones, we all have goals that we struggle to accomplish. It can be overwhelming AF to figure out how to reach all your goals effectively and efficiently. But, I promise you’re not alone.
The issue is probably that you haven’t had a structure, and you just dive into it blindly with no plan. Not to say that strategy doesn’t work some of the time, but it’s definitely less stressful and more productive to follow a course of action. Make sure you’re setting realistic goals and creating actionable steps for each one. If you follow your plan you’ll never have that feeling of not knowing where to begin again!
Make sure your goals are “SMART” goals
Maybe you’ve heard of “SMART” goals, and maybe you haven’t. If you haven’t heard of them, listen up, because they are the most important part of successfully setting achievable goals.
“SMART” is an acronym and stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timely. Let’s break down each one:
Specific: Make sure your goals are clear and concise. You don’t want them to be too vague or broad.
Measurable: You should be able to measure the goal and the progress. Create indicators or milestones to help you track your progress.
Achievable: Your goal needs to be realistic. Think of all the potential constraints to you achieving this goal and the realistic ways of working through those constraints to achieve that goal.
Relevant: Make sure your goal aligns with you. Not only should it meet your mission and vision, but also make sure it’s the right time and place to work towards this goal for yourself.
Timely: Make sure you have a timeline and a deadline set. Be specific and realistic about how long it will take and if it’s doable for you.
Make sure your goals meet all this criteria before starting the process of working toward your goals. It will make your life 1000x easier and make reaching your goals much more manageable.
2. Prioritize your goals
I know that working on a million goals at once may make you feel like Superwoman for a short period of time, but it’s not sustainable (and not great for your mental sanity). Try not to focus on too many goals at once - you can focus on multiple if they’re small, but it’ll be easier to focus on one at a time for your bigger goals. You’ll also be able to put more of your energy into each thing to ensure the quality is the best it can be.
Go through your list of goals and set the priority for each - from low to high. List them in order of what should be completed first to last - based on the urgency. Also be sure to remember that you may not be able to achieve certain goals without completing other goals first - so make sure you prioritize those goals to keep everything moving seamlessly!
3. Make a plan for each goal
Go through each goal and break them down into small, actionable steps. Whether it’s your biggest goal, or your tiniest goal, turning them into bite-sized pieces will make it less overwhelming as you work through them. By completing small steps, one at a time, it will keep your confidence and motivation heightened because you’re able to visually see yourself chipping away at each task to bring you closer to achieving that goal.
Create a list, in order, of the steps you need to take in order to complete that particular task or goal. Creating daily or weekly milestones to keep yourself accountable and on track will help ensure you’re continue to move forward.
4. Track and readjust
Part of this process is trial and error. It’s never going to work out perfectly and exactly how you planned it. But, this is part of the process! That’s why tracking your progress is SO important. Don’t just go through the motions - make sure you’re reflecting and reevaluating everything as you go.
If you aren’t completing something as quickly or easily as you thought, make sure you reassess your goal and all the steps. Then, tweak your currently plan, the steps, or timeline and deadlines as needed. OR if there are too many adjustments that need to be made, scratch your current plan and create a new one altogether. Sometimes we just need to start fresh to get on the right path. Being able to adapt to the setbacks will contribute greatly to your success.
One of the biggest challenges when it comes to reaching your goals is not having a set plan to follow for each one. But now, you do! Remember, make sure your goals meet the “SMART” criteria, create a priority system for your list, break down each goal into smaller bits, and keep readjusting as you go. This formula will help you achieve your goals with ease, without that feeling of overwhelm. And you won’t just reach your goals, you’ll CRUSH them!
