7 Actionable Steps To Personal Goal Setting
Are you ready to learn how to set realistic personal goals that you’ll actually stick to?
Personal goal setting is all about having vision for your life. Where do you see yourself this time next year or even in the next 5 years?
The key to setting goals that will actually push you towards your biggest desires is to challenge yourself. Think about what matters to you and attach a realistic goal to it.
This will require hard work, discipline and patience. They are goals for a reason right? The goals that you set are not supposed to be easy but that’s all a part of the journey!
This post is all about personal goal setting!
1. Pause
Just take a deep breath.
You are about to set goals that will change the trajectory of your life.
Think about everything you’ve been through (good + bad) and how it’s led you to this point where you are today.
If you’ve been on a path that isn’t serving you, isn’t developing you as a person, isn’t pushing you towards your goals then it’s time to reevaluate.
Is this truly what you want to be doing or are you doing this because of someone else?
If you answered no, think to yourself “If I could be doing anything, what would I be doing?”
It’s your time to start the business, quit your job, move away from your hometown, take the trip, buy the car, invest in an online course.
The pause is necessary because you weren’t meant to be working on overdrive.
Pausing and slowing down really helps to put things into perspective and gives you time for very necessary reflection.
It’s time to make these goals real and personal. It’s time to lock in and focus.
2. Think micro goals first
Having a big goal won’t get you very far because there’s no aim. This is where micro goals come in.
Micro goals are the smaller goals that help you reach your ultimate goal. Think of it like you’re breaking down your goal into smaller, more attainable pieces.
Every goal should have a few micro goals.
For example if it’s your goal to workout 3 times a week for the entire month. This is where you get specific.
How are you going to do this?
Micro goal #1: Workout Monday, Wednesday, Friday
Micro goal #2: Monday: Lower body, Wednesday: Upper body, Friday: Full body
Micro goal #3: Workout at the gym at 6AM.
The more specific you get about your goals the easier it will be to accomplish those goals.
Don’t make your micro goals too outside of the box. This will make it more difficult for you to reach your goals and cause unnecessary frustration.
When creating micro goals make sure that you are choosing something that is realistic and attainable for you based on your lifestyle.
3. Make your goals actionable
Actionable goals are just as they sound. Goals that make you want to put action behind your words.
The action behind your goal pushes you to do something that will push you towards your goal.
Think of these like the tiny steps that you take.
An example of an actionable goal is going to the gym 3 times a week.
You set a goal for a certain number of times of week.
The key to setting goals is that there should be a balance between being challenging and a bit too easy. Keyword balance.
Because you’re making personal goals, think about the goals that get you out of bed in the morning.
You have to find the sweet spot between being excited to accomplish your goal while still having the discipline to lock in.
If you’re finding that it’s too difficult for you to want to put in the work, reevaluate your goals.
Think about everything that you have on your plate and do what makes the most sense.
4. Make your goals measurable
The big theme around measurable goals is having the ability to track your progress.
You need to be able to measure your goals and attach a quantity to them.
Whether it’s more convenient for you to track these goals every week or every month you’re making sure that you worked out 3 times a week.
When you create measurable goals this gives you the ability to look at your goals over time and analyze your progress.
This can sometimes answer the “why” behind why your progress is or is not accelerating the way you expected it to.
For example, if it’s your goal to work out 3 times a week you can keep track of this in a habit tracker, your phone, a journal, etc.
Keeping this helps you keep track of your progress and may even push you to increase the amount of times you work out.
Over time you might learn that 3 times a week is not enough to see the progress you want.
5. Write out your top 3-5 every single day
Every single day write out the top 3-5 tasks you need to get done.
Life happens and you don’t always have time to commit to everything.
Stop putting more on your plate than you can handle.
Oftentimes, having a to do list of 10+ things is what slows you down because your mind is everywhere.
Slow down and focus.
For example, if it’s your goal to work out 3 times this week and meal prep your 5 lunches for Monday - Friday, what are the top 3-5 things that you need to do in order to make sure that you can accomplish your goal? (again think micro goals + actionable steps)
1. Plan your lunches for Monday - Friday
2. Create a grocery list for your lunches
3. Go to grocery store
4. Make sure your workout clothes are ready to go for the week - so you can have your fits ready!
After completing your top 4 for the day, you have your meals prepped and your workout clothes ready to go for the week.
Check that off your list and proceed to your next step.
The purpose of sticking to your top 3-5 is that it helps you stay focused. It takes the unnecessary stress off of your plate that makes you feel like you have to get these things done.
As long as you stay focused, accomplishing your top 3-5 shouldn’t be a problem!
This makes it more attainable for you to reach your goals.
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6. Organize your time
Now that you’ve created your goals, it’s time for you to organize your time. What does your daily schedule look like?
Take some time to write down your daily to-do’s. THIS is the perfect planner to do so!
For example, if you want to lose weight and have a goal of working out 3 times a week, what time are you waking up to work out?
Get specific.
If you want to work out before work and you know you have to be at work by 8AM, this could mean you’re waking up at 5AM, leaving for the gym at 5:30 and returning home no later than 6:30 so that you can leave for work at 7:30.
Organizing your time is a mindset + action. You have to be so convinced that this schedule you created for yourself is what works for you.
Think about your ROI (return on investment).
You should be giving your time to the people and things that will be worth your investment.
If it’s a waste, it has to go!
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7. It’s all a mindset
It starts and ends in your mind.
You have to shift your mindset and understand that the key to accomplishing your goals is acting as if you’ve already accomplished.
Once you have your mind set on the things you want to accomplish, you’re unstoppable.
Oftentimes, the biggest roadblock you’re facing might be you.
Stop telling yourself you can’t do it. Stop making excuses. Stop stalling. Stop saying you don’t have time. Eliminate the distractions.
Life is only getting busier. You have to create time.
Find a space for yourself where you can get in the zone and focus on bettering yourself and getting that much closer to your goals. (ei: the gym, your home office, your garage, etc)
Sometimes this means sacrificing your mornings or late nights to make sure that your micro goals are getting done.
It all comes down to strategy.
Strategy is like the secret sauce.
Being strategic in your personal goal setting all comes down to training your mind to believe that these are the necessary steps to take in order to accomplish your goals.
This is where action enters the chat. You may not feel like “doing it” before you begin, even if it’s your biggest dream, but you just have to start.
Review your micro goals. If they aren’t small enough, break them down even smaller.
Again, the smaller, the more attainable.
Strategic goal setting also means that you’re holding yourself accountable for the times you do and don’t show up.
This post was all about personal goal setting!
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