you’re probably setting goals all wrong. i know because i’ve been there before. every january, i’d make a new year’s resolution and then forget about it three weeks later. sometime’s i’d really try to stick too it, but would get lost in planning next steps.
the problem was that my goals weren’t actually achievable.
you’ve probably heard some self-help guru or another give advice about goals. to each it’s own, but my issue wasn’t a lack of guidance. it was that year after year, my goals lacked the five elements below. in fact, when i think about goals that i achieved before making this shift, such as earning my law degree, i unknowingly followed these steps.
use this blog post as your guide this year to creating achievable goals. also, please know that goal setting doesn’t only occur in january. you can take any and every moment to set and achieve new goals.
all you gotta do is start sis.
How to Create Achievable Goals
reverse map your goals. too often we think of big lofty goals with no real rhyme or reason. for example, let’s say one of your goals is that you want to lose 50 lbs this year. the question is why? why is losing 50 lbs important? is it important because you want to feel better about yourself, reduce your risk for health challenges or fit into your wedding dress? the reasons are just as important as the goal itself.
knowing your why will add meaning to your goals and shape their trajectory. for example, instead of setting a weight loss goal, the better goal might be to change your habits that lead to weight gain or can assist weight loss. i call this method of goal setting a habit reset and teach it in my bullet journal workshops. it’s one of the practices that anchors my self-care and personal development status.
you can learn how to reverse map your goals with a habit reset by purchasing my bullet journal workshop replay available at this link.
make your goals measurable. it’s hard to know when you’ve achieved success if you haven’t defined what success looks like. making your goals measurable defines your path.
one of my goals this year is to increase my business income by 30 percent. however, i can’t leave it there. increasing my income will require hiring staff to more efficiently manage my current contracts and content, putting administrative systems in place to streamline workflow and increasing my clients. i’ve quantified each of these areas to make it easier for me to actually track my progress towards the larger goal of increasing my profits.
failing to make your goals measurable is like shooting in the dark. you have no idea what you’re going to hit.
make your goals bite-sized. ever heard the age-old adage, “how do you eat an elephant? one bite at a time.” yea, i know it’s trite, but it’s also true. breaking your goals down helps to make them attainable.
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let’s go back to my goal of increasing my business income. in order to do so, i’ll break this larger goal into weekly and monthly goals. for example, i might set a monthly goal to identify four potential clients, and then break that down to a weekly goal of hosting one exploratory call each week. then i can set a goal of booking one new client each quarter. using this tactic, i’m actually working towards my yearly goal each and every day in measurable steps.
too often we expect to blink our eyes and have achieved our goals. nah sis. you gotta break that shit down.
write down your vision. my bullet journal is clutch here because that’s where not only my habit reset is located, but it’s also the place where i write down my weekly and monthly goals. plus, i also create my yearly vision board which i look at each day.
it’s so much science and spiritual literature about the power of writing down your goals. making them visual helps to attract what we want to achieve. go read gabby bernstein’s super attractor for more on the subject.
celebrate small wins. obviously, your big goals for 2021 will take some time to achieve. however, that doesn’t mean that you can’t celebrate along the way. every step you accomplish in the direction of achieving a goal should be recognized.
for example, if you’ve broken your goals down into bite-sized steps, then each step you complete is a win. every task, week and month are getting you closer to your dream. celebrate it sis! treat yourself to a nice bottle of wine, go for a day trip some place beautiful, eat a delicious steak or buy that impractical item that you’ve been wanting.
celebrating the small wins will keep you motivated and focused. plus, our brains crave positive reinforcement.
give these five tips a try if you’re struggling to achieve your goals. they’ll help you to focus on what truly matters and get you started on the right path. if you’d like to go deeper with making a plan for your success this year, then grab my bullet journal workshop replay to learn more!