Goal Set, Goal Met
The most effective way to accomplish things you want to do in life is to set goals. Here are some tips to help you achieve what matters most.
1) Write Down Your Goals – Research has shown that people who write down their goals are more likely to achieve them than those who simply think or talk about them.
2) Choose a Worthy Opponent - Not all goals are worth pursuing. Make a list of all the items you have thought about doing. Take several days to make sure you get as many items on your list as you can think of. Then take a cold, hard look at the list. How many of the items will actually enhance your life? Oh sure, you make want to collect every Harry Potter toy ever made, but will it really make your life better? Are there any goals that are not consistent with your values? Begin by eliminating those from your list.
3) Be Honest About Your Feelings - Acknowledge that some goals will be difficult to accomplish. You will find yourself procrastinating over some items on your list. You will have to work at motivating yourself. Know that this is okay. Don’t beat yourself up for not wanting to clean the garage. Instead, devise strategies that will encourage you to succeed in spite of how you feel.
4) Divide and Conquer – Divide your goal list into three parts: 1) Want to Do 2) Have to Do and 3) Should Do. Make sure you have more Want to Do’s than Have to Do’s and Should Do’s. If you don’t have enough Want to Do’s, think small. Are there any Want to Do’s that don’t take much time? How about playing a new game, calling a friend, reading a magazine article or eating a new kind of food? Add these little goals to your list too.
5) Organize Your List - Now that your goal list is in categories, it’s time to decide on the order of attack. Begin by writing down a Have to Do. After that, write down a Want to Do. Your next item should be a Should Do. Now it’s time for another Want to Do. Keep writing items down in the order you will do them but make sure you follow this pattern: 1.Have to Do 2. Want to Do 3. Should Do 4.Want to Do. Keep repeating the pattern until you have placed all your goals somewhere on the list.
6) Give Yourself Deadlines - It is far too easy to put off items that can be done any time you feel like it. Put some helpful pressure on yourself by setting a ‘needs to be completed by’ date. Enlist outside pressure if necessary. Nothing motivates organizing a guest room quite like scheduling houseguests. Garages often get cleaned out faster when a yard sale is looming.
7) Report to Your Friends - Ask your friends to check on how you are doing with your goals. Set up a system to make it easy for you to report your progress. Social media works well for this.
Celebrate Your Success – Each time you complete a goal on your list, make a big deal over it. Treat yourself to a movie, an ice cream cone, a visit with a friend or whatever matters to you. You accomplished a goal! Take time to congratulate yourself and relish your
If you are ready to achieve your goals, why not schedule a free 20 minute coaching consultation with certified Personal Life Coach Aurelia Williams and start forming your plan of action today!
