You find yourself at point X in your life, and you have a burning desire to reach point Y. Right now, you have X things, but you aspire to have Y things. Let's bridge the gap and make your dreams a reality.
· You want to lose weight
· Start a business
· Do a certification
· Play guitar
· Read books
· Learn a new skill
Any of these could be your dream that you want to achieve. But how do you turn your dream into reality?
Well, the answer lies in goal setting. Without setting clear goals, your dreams often remain as lofty ideas without any concrete action.
What is a goal?
The key difference between a dream and a goal is that a goal has a timeline attached to it. So, if you're serious about what you want to achieve in life, it's worth trying SMART goal setting and building a system around it.
My struggle before goal setting:
In the beginning, I had my fair share of hesitation when it came to goal setting. Even though I understood its importance and had numerous ideas floating in my head, I resisted putting them down on paper and failed to create a systematic approach.
I would start one thing and then abandon it midway to move on to the next. Without a tangible step-by-step action plan, I couldn't see the desired results. I didn't assign timelines or metrics to evaluate my progress, nor did I establish clear pathways to turn the invisible into the visible. Consequently, the outcomes I wanted to see remained elusive.
And I soon discovered that I wasn't alone in this struggle. It turns out that many people have a tendency to set New Year's resolutions, only to abandon them around February, with an astonishing 80% failure rate.
But one day, I decided to give goal setting a serious shot, and it made all the difference. Now, I know exactly where I'm headed and how far I've come. Whenever I feel myself drifting off course, I make the necessary adjustments and get back on track. I've realized the importance of having clarity in my goals and a structured plan to guide me towards success.
If you're ready to see real progress and transform your dreams into reality, then it's time to embrace goal setting to start with, try reverse engineering. When yon reverse engineer something, you start with the end in mind.
You first visualize the outcome you wish to achieve and then work backward to figure out the steps needed to get there. It can make all the difference in your journey towards achieving what truly matters to you.
How goal setting helps:
Give clarity:
Once I started implementing goal setting into my life, something interesting happened - my brain took notice. It seemed to say, "Ah, she's serious about this. Let me help her out." Suddenly, there was a clear structure and roadmap in front of me, showing me where I currently stood and where I wanted to go. Everything started to fall into place.
I started seeing my goals objectively:
Goals have become my roadmap, providing me with a clear vision each day. It's like having a GPS guiding me, showing me which lane, I need to be in and when to make my next turn. As a result, my mind and body started working in perfect harmony.
Know what to prioritize:
It became easier to decide what I should and should not be doing because my priorities were connected to a purpose, allowing me to determine what is truly important and what is less significant.
Looking at the loopholes:
I began to recognize the flaws, mistakes, and areas I had been overlooking, but now I could proactively eliminate distractions and loopholes that were not in alignment with my desired outcome.
Sense of accountability:
Reflecting on the times when I drifted off course created a strong sense of accountability, motivating me to stay focused and committed to my goals.
Why people fail with goal:
Let's say you have a goal of losing 10 kg of weight. One day, you make the decision to cut down on carbs, artificial sugar, and other unhealthy habits. You follow this plan diligently for a while, but after a month, you lose track and revert back to your old lifestyle.
Tackling this issue requires us to understand how our minds work and come up with a system that actually helps us reach our goals.
The first step is to:
Define your goal:
Get clear in your head about what you want to achieve and then write it down. I know it might seem simple, but trust me, there's power in putting pen to paper. When you have your goal written down, it gives your brain a clear target to focus on. It's like giving your subconscious a roadmap to success.
And here's a cool stat for you: a study by the Dominican University of California found that people who wrote down their goals and shared their progress with others were 33% more likely to actually achieve their goals. So, grab that pen and paper, get clear on your goal, and let's make things happen!
Set SMART goal:
S.M.A.R.T. goal-setting framework is about setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals.
When setting your goals, ask yourself are they aligned with your overall objectives and aspirations. Are they meaningful to you? Do they contribute to your personal growth and fulfillment? Make sure your goals are relevant to your values and aspirations, so that you stay motivated and focused on what truly matters to you.
If your dream is to start your own business, it would be relevant to set goals that align with that vision. Maybe your goal is to complete a business course, secure funding, or build a customer base. By setting relevant goals, you're ensuring that each step you take brings you closer to your ultimate objective.
Specific: Be clear and concise about what exactly you want to achieve.
For example, "I want to lose 10 kilograms in 3 months by following a balanced diet and exercising regularly."
Measurable: Once you have defined your goal, you need metrics to track your progress.
For instance, you can measure your weight weekly and track your body measurements to see how far you've come.
Achievable: Avoid setting unrealistic goals or timelines that could set you up for failure.
Start with short-term goals like losing 2 kilograms in the first month and gradually increase your target. This way, you can build momentum and stay motivated.
Relevant: Ensure that your goals are relevant to your overall objectives and aspirations.
For example, if your goal is to improve your fitness level, setting a goal to run a 5k race or complete a certain number of push-ups can be relevant and motivating.
How to set up a system to achieve goals:
Before you start:
Tasks: What are the activities needed to achieve this goal?
Order: What is the order and sequence of actions I need to take up to move towards my goals?
Deadline: By when I need to finish each action step
Roadblocks: What could prevent me from accomplishing this goal?
Break your goals into specific action steps:
Once you are clear on what you want to achieve, break it down into a step-by-step process and create actionable steps around it.
For example, if your goal is to lose weight, your action steps could include:
Creating a meal plan
Scheduling regular exercise sessions and
Tracking your progress with a fitness app.
Develop an action plan and create a daily routine:
Allocate specific times for exercise.
Meal preparation, and
Self-care activities related to weight loss.
Comprehensive steps:
Determine which goals align with your values, passions, and long-term vision
Develop a clear vision of what achieving your goals will look like
Create an action plan: Break each goal down into smaller, manageable tasks.
Set deadlines for each task: Establish specific deadlines to stay on track and maintain accountability.
Use productivity tools: Leverage digital tools and apps to organize your tasks, set reminders, and track your progress.
Connect emotionally with your vision to stay motivated and focused.
Visualize your desired outcomes and imagine the positive impact they will have on your life.
Identify potential obstacles and plan solutions:
Develop contingency plans and strategies to overcome these obstacles.
Be proactive in addressing potential roadblocks to maintain momentum.
Using metrics and measurement tools to track your progress
Evaluating your performance and making necessary adjustments
Share your goals with an accountability partner or group.
Regularly review your progress and hold yourself accountable.
Seek support and guidance from mentors, coaches, or like-minded individuals.
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