In this goal setting how to guide I share with you why creating sustainable goals will be the key to your inevitable success!
Before I started my business in Forever I was aware of setting goals, but did I always stick to them? No.
Did I have the right goals in mind? Sometimes, but not always.
It’s definitely been a journey learning how to formulate achievable goals that I can take aligned action on.
That’s why I felt I had to write an article on this topic in the hope that it can help you on your path to setting successful goals!
What’s Goal Setting?
I’m sure you’re familiar with having new years resolutions, which most often than not become a list of things we want, but with no clear action steps to get there.
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This is not always a true reflection of setting goals.
For some people sticking to goals can be challenging because they don’t differentiate their goals from more informal, everyday self-improvement endeavours.
Just because you decide to start going to the gym every day doesn’t necessarily make that a conscious goal.
So let’s explore what goal setting means.
Genuine goal setting is identifying something you want to accomplish and denoting measurable objectives and timeframes to help you achieve it.
It’s important to remember that goals are unique to every individual and they can look different depending on someone’s lifestyle, values and definition of success.
What a friend is striving for may not be congruent with what you want to achieve and that’s totally okay.
We’re all walking our own paths.
Why Goal Setting is Important
It’s easy to dream about what you want, but if you don’t have a clear idea of what your heart truly desires to achieve, then how would you know what to focus on in life.
We would just aimlessly float along...
Goal setting is such an essential cog in the wheel to life in that it helps you decide and focus on what’s really important to you.
It gets you clear on your future and then gives you steps to creating it.
When you are able to effectively set goals you can then measure your progress and visualise your dreams.
When you have the big picture in mind you’re able to overcome procrastination because you know what you’re working hard towards.
Setting goals will also keep you fully accountable to yourself and others.
Whether you’re setting goals for work or in your personal life, sharing your goals with others makes you more likely to determine the patterns that will achieve them.
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Setting goals can help you grow and expand in so many different ways, it pushes you to transform and strive for what you want in life.
They serve as an anchor and guide that you can constantly refer back to, ensuring you are moving in the right direction.
True fulfilment comes from feeling that you have a purpose, goals give us that purpose.
Tony Robbins says, “Progress equals happiness,” and setting goals is what gets us there.
Tips for Goal Setting Success
1. Visualise Your Ideal Future and Lifetime Goals
Taking action towards your goals means nothing if you don’t have a clear picture of what you’re working towards.
It’s one thing to say you want financial freedom or to be able to spend more time with your family, but is this at the forefront of your mind driving the action you take every day?
The first step in goal setting how to is visualising your dreams and life goals.
What does your ideal future look like in both life and business?
Here are some general categories below from Mindtools that can give you an idea of important areas in your life you can set goals for (or use them in conjunction with areas of your own that are important to you):
- Career – Are you happy with the career you are in? Is it fulfilling you? Are you wanting to reach a new level in your career?
- Financial – Are you satisfied with your current income? What is your dream salary? Does this relate to your career goals?
- Education – What are you interested in learning? Do you want to upskill?
- Family – What dreams do you have for your family? Do you want frequent holidays and time spent together?
- Artistic – Do you have any artistic goals you want to achieve? Like starting dance or painting?
- Attitude – Is any part of your mindset holding you back? Is there any part of the way that you behave that upsets you? (If so, set a goal to improve your behaviour or find a solution to the problem.)
- Physical/Health – Do you have any fitness goals you want to want to reach? How do you want to look after your well-being? What steps are required in order for you to achieve this?
- Pleasure – What makes you feel good? How can you have fun and enjoy life?
- Public Service – Do you want to help humanity and make the world a better place? What can you do to be of service?
Once you are clear on the big dreams and goals you want to achieve visualise it in as much detail as possible.
By doing this you enable yourself to get a true perspective of what this future looks like.
Get as specific as you want. Feel into what it would feel like if this was already your reality.
Then ask yourself what do you have to do in order to make this vision a reality.
As you move through this process make sure the life goals you want are really yours that you want to achieve and not ones that are pressured from the outside.
2. Set SMART Goals
A powerful way to hone in on your goals is by using the SMART mnemonic. There are many variations as to what SMART stands for, but the most common one I’ve seen is:
S – Specific (or Significant).
M – Measurable (or Meaningful).
A – Attainable (or Action-Oriented).
R – Relevant (or Rewarding).
T – Time-bound (or Trackable).
Once you’re clear on your big life goals, you can create smaller goals in the form of action steps you need to take with the big picture in mind.
Using SMART goals can work really well here.
Say one of your big goals is to lose weight and feel healthier. As this is quite broad you can use SMART goals to get really specific.
A very generic example would be:
I want to lose 10kg by the 4 of November 2020, by exercising every day and watching my calorie intake. I’ll track my progress by weighing myself at the end of every week.
3. Write Down Your Goals
Writing your goals down really cements them into reality and they become more real instead of just some vague thought that only lives in the mind.
Write them down in your journal and then also put them somewhere visible so you can see them every day.
I often like to use Canva and create my own iPhone screensavers with my goals so that every time I look at my phone I’m reminded of what I’m working towards.
Putting them on sticky notes and placing them on the bathroom mirror also works nicely.
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4. Make an Action Plan
A goal means nothing without taking action steps to get there.
Deciding on a goal is much easier than determining the action plan you will have to implement in order to meet that goal.
So it’s incredibly important to create an action plan with clear steps you are going to take. This can be seen as breaking your bigger goals down into smaller short-term goals.
If you want to make more money, what steps do you have to take to make that possible? Maybe it’s researching job opportunities, or getting on a call with someone like me to discuss a network marketing opportunity.
What will also help you is making sure these steps are on a timeline so you have clear dates for when you want to get something done by.
This creates a sense of urgency, which in turn motivates you to stay on schedule and complete your shorter-term goal.
5. Hold Yourself Accountable When Setting Your Goals
This is essential because if you’re not accountable then it’s easy for things to fall by the wayside.
Keep yourself accountable by sharing your goals with your partner, family or friends, or work with a coach who will be able to hold you to that higher standard.
This will also keep you motivated and give you the incentive to make things happen.
6. Re-evaluate and Assess Your Progress
Take time once a month to see how much progress you’ve made or where new direction may be required.
Also, make sure to celebrate the achievements that were made during the month.
The journey to achieving your goal is as meaningful as having actually achieved the goal.
7. Stay Consistent
Consistency is key!
Find ways to keep yourself inspired and motivated and enjoy the experience of working towards something significant.
When you finally reach it, it will all feel so worth it!
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Further Tips for Goal Setting
- State each goal as a positive statement – expressing them positively – “I am going to look after my body by eating well” is a much better goal than “You’re so fat, stop eating so much.”
- Be detailed – ties in with SMART goals, assign dates, times and amounts so that you can measure your progress and achievement.
- Prioritise your goals – This will help you feel less overwhelmed by having too many goals. It will also give you a better indication of where you can direct your attention to the most pertinent ones.
- Keep short-term goals small – you want these to be small and achievable. If a goal is too large and you have no way of realistically achieving it within the desired timeframe, then it can seem that no progress is being made at all.
- Set performance goals, not outcome goals – Set goals that you will be able to have as much control as possible over. It’s incredibly discouraging to not reach a personal goal for reasons beyond your control!
- Set realistic goals – It’s all good and well to dream big but you have to actually believe it’s something you can achieve. Otherwise, you will leave yourself feeling disheartened and demotivated.
Ready to Smash Your Goals Into Infinite Success?
So there you have it, some steps to goal setting success!
I know it can seem like a lot to take in, but once you go through the process and start getting into the habit of goal setting, it will flow.
Having goals gives us the framework for our life, giving us the map towards the destination of our dreams.
I do hope that this Goal Setting How To Guide served you and that you found it a useful resource.
What is your biggest life goal?
Drop me a message below, I would love to hear what you are working hard towards.
Please click the social icons below to share this article with all the amazing mums in your inner circle that you feel it will bring value to, until next time.
With love,
Nat
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