Wondering how to achieve a goal successfully?
In this blog post, I’m going to tell you exactly how to set goals in 2022 that are actually achievable so you can finally enjoy ticking them off of your to-do list, for real this time!
Watch my video till the end for some great tips or read this blog post! By the end of this post, you’ll find out why goals are important, how to achieve a goal successfully and how to navigate goals without feeling overwhelmed.
Let’s dive right in.
It can be stressful to set and achieve a goal successfully
So 2020 is finally over! If you are anything like me, you are feeling a crazy boost of motivation and energy to set goals and plan 2021 out. I’m talking about reviewing your past goals, setting new goals for 2022, dreaming BIG, and pouring your heart out in your journal for what you want to manifest this coming year.
But here’s the deal, how many times do you look back at last year’s goals and just get smacked in the face by how little you’ve achieved? Or do you feel so overwhelmed by the amount you want to achieve that you just shut the notebook and give up altogether?
Getting stressed, overwhelmed or lacking directions from goal setting is very common.
How do we plan goals and make them achievable?
So we can enjoy the sweet satisfaction of getting that to-do list crossed out for real? Here are 7 tips that have worked for me in setting goals successfully and achieving them!
Tip 1: Focus on fewer goals
“Do one thing and do it well”
– Plato
Look at your goals list again. You probably have different types of goals in different areas of your life: maybe you want to get healthier, connect more with loved ones, travel more, read more books, work online and make more money, study more, and start a Youtube channel, write a book.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all these goals in all these different areas. The result: being incapable of achieving any one of those and feeling like a failure at the end of the year.
My advice is to pick 3 goals from 3 different life areas – the 3 areas you want to focus on this year.
For example, I want to:
- Learn more about business and being an entrepreneur
- Embracing Essentialism more
- Connecting deeply with my loved ones and improving my relationships.
So my 3 life areas are 1. Business/ Work 2.Self/ Personal Development 3. Relationships/ Family
I want to focus on these 3 goals in 2021 and everything I do will be motivated towards achieving them. Everything else is either distraction or leisure, and not as important.
When we have fewer goals, we can focus our energy more. We feel more in control and that fuels our motivation even more.
Tip 2: Do you really want it?
Think about what’s motivating you to achieve this goal.
Is it a burning desire inside of you where you’d want to do something even if there is no extrinsic reward?
If you are creative, this might be you. You might want to improve yourself at a certain technique of painting or use a cool editing tool. But there’s no reason to do these things other than getting a feeling of pure joy and accomplishment. There is no money involved, no medal if you win.
On the other hand, there is the outcome-specific goal. Goals that have a clear reward if you attain them are money, a high grade, a job, a promotion.
According to Brendon Burchard, high-performance coach and author:
“We are most likely to achieve goals and feel motivated with a combination of intrinsic motivation with extrinsic expectations“
The way I remain motivated intrinsically is by reminding myself of my “why”.
Why improving these 3 life areas are important to me from a personal, even spiritual, level.
And the best way to create extrinsic expectations is by having accountability. This can be through a group, a friend, a coach, or anyone you can trust. Tough love works!
Tip 3: Break them down
When I was studying for my Masters degree, we covered an idea coined by Fullan called “Simplexity”. In a nutshell, simplexity is about breaking down a complex task into smaller practical goals.
When breaking down your goal into smaller steps, define the smaller goals in great detail.
For instance, my goal for 2021 is to make a website. To build a website, I need hosting, a domain name, a theme or design it myself.
Write down all the smaller tasks you need to do to achieve that end goal of “getting more clients”. Then start working methodically, ticking them off your list one by one.
Tip 4: Stop comparing
One thing to note is that these tiny goals vary depending on the person.
For instance, one person can feel comfortable setting the goal of writing 500 words a day while another person can easily complete 2000 words a day. Either way, the idea of writing a 300-page book is scary for both.
The key takeaway here is that whatever goal you are setting for yourself today is you doing your best.
As humans we are growing, evolving and getting better at our craft every day. So, recognize that your improvements and success are not as linear as you might think.
If you really need a benchmark the best person to compete with is YOU, YESTERDAY.
Do a monthly review and see how you’ve improved.
Tip 5: Ask for help!
It’s always been hard for me to ask for help, it’s always made me feel exposed and vulnerable. I’d happily spend hours trying to Google the solution instead of just reaching out for help.
The truth is, goals become so much more achievable when you ask for help and collaborate with others!
There are so many amazing people out there who have achieved what you are dreaming to achieve. And they are ready to answer your questions and blow your mind! You can find these people on Facebook Groups, Clubs in your region, or even the people you’ve worked with!
Never hesitate to talk about your plans. Ask a question if you feel that this person can help you. The worst that can happen is a “no”.
Tip 6: Celebrate the wins- big or small.
As high-achievers, we often tend to ignore or dismiss our small wins. We call them luck or just a normal happening. The reality is that those small wins are what create the big changes to happen.
According to Michael Page, small wins have transformational power.
And by acknowledging, celebrating and rewarding them, we keep ourselves optimistic and motivated to continue the work.
We are also able to review and see how much we have grown! It’s always a special feeling when you see how something that seemed so daunting is now simple to do!
To achieve a goal successfully is not the goal.
“A goal is not always meant to be reached; it often serves simply as something to aim at.”
– Bruce Lee
The goal of setting goals is not to achieve the goal.
It’s the journey that it sets us on. A goal simply serves as a compass to guide us. If there were no goals, we wouldn’t know which way to run and where to hit the ball. We’d be living aimlessly. Every day, we would end up binging on shows we’d already watched or scrolling mindlessly on our phones. Ultimately, we would feel strangely unfulfilled, empty.
Setting goals and doing the work to achieve them gives our life purpose.
So next time you set yourself a goal, ask yourself:
- Why is this goal important for you?
- What kind of lifestyle are you trying to obtain from this goal?
- What is most likely going to happen once or if you achieve this goal?
- What will happen if you don’t?
These questions can help you identify how practical and important your goals are. These tips will allow you to know how to set a goal successfully and achieve them. Remember, ultimately a goal should send you on a path towards success and happiness, not frustrate and stress you out!