Goal Setting

"We cannot become what we want to be by remaining what we are"- Max Depree

Hi Friend!

Do you set the same New Year’s resolutions every year? Do you recommit to the same goal, promising yourself that you’ll finally finish it?

If you answered yes, know that you’re not alone. Many people are stuck in the same cycle of setting goals, forgetting about them or failing to complete them, and then setting the same goals again with a renewed (but temporary) resolve to meet those goals.

Goal setting is a purposeful and explicit process that starts with identifying a new objective, skill, or project you want to achieve. Then, you make a plan for achieving it, and you work to complete it. 

When you set goals, you take control of your life’s direction. Goals provide you with focus. The decisions you make and actions you take should bring you closer to achieving those goals. When you set goals, you create a vision of what your life could look like. Then you start pushing yourself to get the best results possible.

How to set goals in 7 steps

If goals are so important, why do we fail to achieve them? Because we don’t plan the steps to get there.

A goal setting process forces you to think about the journey (in other words, how you’re going to complete your tasks) instead of just the end destination. Here are some suggestions to keep in mind:

1. Think about the results you want to see

Before making a goal, take a closer look at what you’re trying to achieve and ask yourself the following questions: 

• Is this goal something you truly want? 

• Does it align with your values or other goals?

• Is it important enough to pour hours of time and effort into it? 

If you’re not willing to put in the time, it may not be worth pursuing.

If you create a long list of goals to pursue all at the same time, you may have a difficult time achieving any of them. Instead, use the questions above to determine which goals matter the most to you right now, and then focus on those few.

2. Create SMART goals

Once you’ve zeroed in on what you actually want, ensure your goal meets the SMART criteria:

• Specific- Clearly define what you want to accomplish. Avoid vague or general statements.

• Measurable- With specific criteria that measure your progress toward the accomplishment of the goal

• Attainable- Ensure the goal is realistic and attainable based on available resources and constraints.

• Realistic- .Within reach, realistic, and relevant to your life purpose.

• Time-bound- With a clearly defined timeline, including a starting date and a target date. The purpose is to create urgency.

The most important part of SMART goal setting is to make your goal specific so you can clearly track your progress and know whether you met the goal. The more specific you can be with your goal, the higher the chance you’ll complete it.

3. Write your goals down

When you write your goals down, they become real and tangible instead of a vague idea that resides only in your mind. Once you’ve written your goals down, keep them somewhere visible––put personal goals up on your mirror or near your computer screen. This tactic reminds you to keep working on your goals daily. As you're writing down your goals, use a positive tone so you stay excited about completing them.

4. Create an action plan

Many people decide on a goal but never create an action plan to determine how exactly they will meet that goal. Your action plan should include the overall goal you’re trying to meet and all the steps you need to take to get there.

Don’t be afraid to get creative with your action plan. Write out your goal using crayons, markers, or colored pencils, for example. According to Forbes, creating an action plan this way activates a different part of your brain and cements the goals in your mind.

5. Create a timeline

As part of your action plan, use a timeline marker to help visualize roles, tasks, milestones, and deadlines to achieve your goal. Once you’ve set those dates, try to stick to them as closely as possible. A timeline creates a sense of urgency, which in turn motivates you to stay on schedule and finish your goal.

6. Take action

Now that you’ve planned everything out, it’s time to take action. You didn’t go through all that work just to forget about your goal. Every step that you take should lead to another until you finish your goal.

7. Re-evaluate and assess your progress

You need to keep your motivation strong to complete your goal. Consider scheduling a weekly evaluation, which could include measuring your progress and checking your schedule. Once you see how close the finish line is, you’ll feel more motivated to push through to the end. If you're a little behind schedule, make necessary adjustments and keep going.

3 Big-Time Benefits of Achieving Your Goals

Goal setting is a year-round activity. We set different types of goals on a daily basis without even realizing it. Small, easily attainable goals, like “I’ll cook my favorite dish for dinner,” or more… challenging goals, like “Today I won’t lose my patience, no matter what!”

1. You develop a new mindset

Setting goals, putting in the hard work, and achieving them will help you create a whole new mindset. Once you start acting instead of sitting passively in the back seat, you set yourself up for success.

You develop agility, problem-solving skills, proactiveness, and resilience. And guess what, every time you achieve a milestone or a short-term goal, that keeps you motivated, and you keep aiming higher and higher.

2. You get a confidence boost

We’ve all felt that sense of pride when we achieve a goal. It’s proof that we can accomplish something once we set our minds on it and commit to it. And that makes us feel good and confident about ourselves.

Confidence has a massive impact on every aspect of our lives, so it’s essential to seize and create opportunities for you to boost your confidence. Even smaller goals can have that effect.

3. More reasons to reward yourself

Learn to reward yourself each time you achieve a personal goal. This makes pursuing your goals even more worthwhile and gives you an extra incentive to do so.

Rewarding yourself also helps you develop a more healthy relationship with yourself in which you become your own source of motivation, the person who acknowledges and rewards your accomplishments. So as you’re setting your goals, remember also to set your reward!

What goals are you working on, but feeling stuck? Let’s work together and get you feeling “unstuck” and moving forward towards your goal(s).

XO Jenna