"If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll probably end up somewhere else!”
Lawrence. J Peters
Setting goals provides clarity and helps you define what it is you want to achieve in life. It gives you a clear target to work towards and helps you focus your time & energy in the right direction. Without goals you may find yourself aimlessly drifting through life without a sense of purpose. Setting clear specific, challenging and meaningful goals will inspire and drive you to take action while providing the motivation you need to overcome challenges you might face along the way.
Here are a few things to think about:
- Write your goal down. Before you write your goals down, they are just a thought, or a wish. “I need to do …” or “I should really start …” Once it’s written down it becomes a goal. Write is somewhere you can ready it daily, attach photos to it, anything that will motivate you and ensure you are clear on your why.
- Set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant & Time Bound) to measure your progress and success, track your achievements and evaluate how far you’ve come. This helps you stay on track and if necessary, make small adjustments along the way. It also provides a sense of accomplishment as you reach milestones and move closer to your desired outcome. By applying the SMART criteria to your goals, you increase your chances of success by creating a clear vision and focusing your efforts on specific actions.
- It's important to set goals that challenge you to step outside your comfort zone and strive for continuous improvement. Goals should continue to support you throughout your life, instead of reaching a goal and then going back to your old way of living. The process of setting and pursuing goals pushes you to acquire new skills, knowledge and experiences. It supports personal growth, enhances self-confidence and shines light on what you are capable of.
- Once you are clear on your goal, following through with a strategic plan and break it down as this will help lead you to success. Instead of focusing on the outcome, focus on the journey and the small improvements you make along the way. Just 1% of consistent growth per day leads to large improvements over time, these positive changes will continue to support you in the long term. If you want to eat more veges, start adding vegetables to every meal, cut them up and make them easy to grab. If you want to learn how to do push ups, start with just 5 push ups every day. If you want to eat less junk food, don’t bring junk food into your home. If you want to run a marathon, start with putting your shoes on and running just 10 minutes per day. You can then stack new habits on top of these eg. If you want to watch less TV, set yourself a deal – once you’ve done your 5 push ups, you can watch half an hour of your favourite show. Do something that supports your goal no matter how small, this is better than doing nothing at all as it creates a sustainable habit, something you can build on.
- It is easy to feel discouraged if you focus on the outcome and expect quick results. Although slow steady results are less-noticeable they cultivate a habit of continuous growth. Take the time to reflect on how far you’ve come, regular self-assessment helps identify strengths, weaknesses and areas for improvement.
- Surround yourself with a strong network of connections that support your goal, if you want to get fit - join a gym, if you want to cut back on alcohol - look at your social circle, if you want to be more spiritual – join a meditation group. The people that you spend your time with have a huge affect on your daily habits. You are more likely to do similar things to the people you surround yourself with. Invest time and effort into building and nurturing relationships with your peers, mentors or potential partners.
- It is easy to create habits that bring instant gratification but then lead to negative outcomes overtime eg. vaping may bring feelings of instant stress relief however overtime it can cause breathing issues, overeating may bring instant feelings of comfort however overtime can lead to obesity, disease and poor self-esteem. This is why focusing on the small habits we can incorporate daily to benefit our future self truly matters – deciding who you want to become and taking action towards becoming that person starting today.
- Effectively manage your time! This is a strategic habit that involves prioritising tasks,
avoiding procrastination and allocating time for important activities. Successful people
understand and value their time, making conscious decisions about how to use it effectively.
- Take care of your physical and mental well-being is a habit that will ensure you have the energy, focus and resilience to pursue your goals. This includes regular exercise, getting enough sleep, managing your stress and maintaining a balanced lifestyle.
Overall, goal setting is important because it brings clarity, motivation, progress measurement, direction, personal growth and accountability to your life. It empowers you to take control of your actions and work towards creating the person you want to be.
“Everyone has the power to create the life they dream of”
Come join for my Goal Setting Workshop, FREE for ReDefined Members, $25 for non members
Saturday 22nd July 11am
Register here:
– Nadia Kettle
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