The Simple Goal Planning Advice I Shouldn't Have Ignored During My Early Days

Imagine setting a goal and counting days as you fail to achieve it. Have you decided on a New Year's Resolution only for it to stay unfulfilled, forgotten by the year's end? I know I have.

Many of us struggle to fulfill our goals. I've been struggling with setting and achieving goals for so long. It's still a challenge, but I learned a few tricks that helped me.

In this article, I'll share what I learned about setting goals throughout the years. Read along and you'll learn the benefits of writing your goals down, measuring your progress, and the importance of deadlines.

For a long time, I thought I simply lacked discipline. That's a factor of course but it's just an excuse. People who achieve their goals have a systematic approach that allows them to bypass their lack of discipline. They set their goals correctly and follow them well.

Write. It. Down.

For a long time, I ignored writing my goals, thinking it was pointless. "How can writing my goals magically help fulfill them?" I underestimated the importance of this step.

Most people have a subconscious fear of failure. I used to avoid starting working on the projects I wanted because I subconsciously thought: "If you never set your goals, you'll never know if you fail them." Failing without starting is the sneakiest type of failure.

Writing your goals down helps you prepare for the goals and attract the people and things that help you fulfill them. I use my notes app on my tablet, but you might choose a journal or a productivity app featuring reminders. Something you could go back to read occasionally.

Write what you want to achieve, and prioritize them by importance. Write everything you need to achieve each goal. Break down each goal into smaller tasks. You'll start imagining the small steps as you write them and you'll be more prepared.

Bring Your Map Alone

Can you reach a destination without a map? To start a journey you should know where you're going. If you don't want to get lost you must know where you are in your journey path.

Your Goals Must Be Specific and Measurable

If you can't measure your success, you'll succumb to procrastination more often. When you don't have a specific aim, you might feel lost or lose motivation.

Try changing the way you refer to your goals in a way you can measure them. Convert them to tasks or habits that are easy to track down in a notebook. Instead of "Instead of 'Get in shape,' try 'Lose 5 kg in 2 months.' Instead of "Become healthier" try gradual and "stop drinking carbonated drinks. Focus on one aspect until you master it.

To achieve this, you'll need to have a way to track your progress. Start small, and build habits that will build up towards your goal.

Ambitious, Attainable, Actionable

"Realistic goals maintain your confidence, while ambitious ones stretch your potential. It's the sweet spot where magic happens."

Be realistic but also set goals that are one step above what you think you can achieve. Especially if you're someone like me, needing confidence in your ability. I've achieved the most when I had work that I didn't think I could get done but my only option was to work on it.

When you set ambitious goals, as long as they're specific and measurable, your brain will start developing ways to achieve them. You'll surprise yourself with what you can achieve by stretching your (creative) muscles a bit more than usual.

This works! When I started thinking of more ambitious writing goals, I found myself working harder and seeking better places to publish my work.

Don't be afraid of adjusting your goals if you find them too hard or unchallenging. Life changes and so should your approach to goals as you progress. Don't forget to celebrate small milestones as that help boost your confidence.

The Importance of Deadlines

"I don't think non-procrastinators exist! All of you are procrastinators. Now you might not all be a mess, like some of us, and some of you might have a healthy relationship with deadlines. Remember, the monkey's sneakiest trick is when there's no deadline." -- Tim Urban (Ted Talk)

All of us like instant gratification, especially in this modern age. Deadlines help combat this tendency for comfort. Having a deadline triggers our inner motivation, and propels us to progress in our goals journey.

I used to treat deadlines as threats but they shouldn't be. Rather than being overwhelming, deadlines are supposed to challenge you and force you to start..If you don't meet the deadline, it's okay Adjust and keep going! Maybe track your reasons for meeting it so you can jot down more realistic deadlines next time.

Remember that sometimes, life throws curveballs. Acknowledge that plans face obstacles sometimes. You could get sick, or face circumstances that delay or stop some parts of your plan. As long as you keep going you'll achieve your goals!

On the Road to Success!

To plan your goals better, you have to write them down, make them specific and measurable, let each task be challenging just enough to not be overwhelming, and set realistic deadlines. You'll face setbacks but shouldn't let them halt your progress.

I hope this article helped you reignite the motivation in you or enrich your perspective a little. I'd love to hear about your journey, so share your successes and struggles in the comments below. I drew the images of this article myself, so I'd love it if you provided feedback on them as well.

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