How to Set and Accomplish Goals That Stick All Year Round
[Originally published on the My Fair Olinda blog.]
(Photo by Michał Grosicki)
Let’s talk about how to create and define our goals today! We want to not only come up with goals, but we want to define them in such a way that we can actually attain them! To start we need to believe that our goals are more than hopes and wishes.
Goals help you live intentionally.
We want to be intentional with our goals to live with purpose and with passion. Set goals to prioritize the important things. If you know what you’re working towards you can make better informed choices to get there. Goals not only give you direction, they give you a destination. A point to work towards. Think of your goals as your mapped out route to success. Goals not only keep you organized they keep you on track. When you set goals and focus in on your passions it enables you to translate what you love into something you can share with others. Coming up with goals means narrowing in not only on what you want to accomplish, but how you want to live. I don’t think it will come as a surprise that wishy-washy goals won’t get you far. Ask yourself, what is it you want to accomplish when you set goals, what end results are you looking for, and how will your goals help you grow? Let’s talk about How to Set and Accomplish Goals That Stick All Year Round!
1. Get specific and make a plan:
To define and expand your goals dive into the details. If your goals are too broad or vague you’ll lose sight of them. When writing goals identify what your end result will be and what steps you will take to get there. When identifying the end result you want to outline your goal as clearly as possible. The more detailed your end result can be the better.
Being specific with your goals means clearly defining what they are and how you will achieve them.
A detailed end result will help you write achievable goals that you can actually accomplish. If I say, “This year I want to blog more.” What does this goal mean? Right now this is not an actionable statement.
A stronger goal would be: “I plan to grow my blog in one year by writing three posts a week about do it yourself projects.” Now I have a clearly defined, actionable and achievable goal.
2. Be Brave. Be Bold:
Step outside of that little box known as your comfort zone. Put yourself out there, explore new ideas and take risks. Have a crazy idea or two you are dying to try, but worried will flop? Try them anyways!
Go ahead, do something you’ve never done before!
Are you worried about what others will think or if they’ll approve? Why are you worried about how they’ll react?
Look at how you’ve done things before. Did you get the result you were looking for? What worked well? What didn’t work? When you set goals be willing to do things differently. The whole reason you are setting goals is to make changes and find forward momentum. So be brave and go for it!
3. Invite others to participate:
Sharing your goals is a great way to get fired up about them. I love to brainstorm and I love working with a team. When we invite others into our goals we have someone to bounce ideas off of, to support and encourage us and to keep us accountable. Including others in the process starts with sharing your goals with them.
Find accountability with people you know are going to cheer you on and be supportive of your goals.
My friend Julia became a part of my goal making process from the moment I shared my goals with her. Talking about my goals with a friend made me feel so fired up about them. Sharing my goals out loud helped me not only to articulate them, but it made them real. Share both the celebratory moments and the setbacks. And just keep pursuing those dreams!
Now that you know How to Set and Accomplish Goals That Stick All Year Round, try taking these Action Steps today:
- Write an actionable statement identifying your goals and what steps you will take to achieve them.
- Take a risk by being bold and getting out of your comfort zone. What’s one thing you can do to start today?
- Share your goals with someone who will cheer you on!
Need someone to cheer you on? Let me know what your goals are in the comment section.
Want more on setting goals? Read these 4 Key Ways to Set Achievable Mini Goals.
