It is time to kickstart your 2021 with Goal Setting! Have you thought about where you want to be in 2021? What path do you want to take? It is so important to set your goals in advance! We all want success, right? So it’s time to put a plan together, set your daily/weekly/monthly/yearly goals. Anyone can set a goal, but not everyone achieves them. You can’t just say “I want..” and expect everything to happen overnight, it just doesn’t work like that. Here are some of the things you should consider when goal setting that will help you reach the end result.
Too often, people set goals that are very unrealistic. By doing this you are setting yourself up for confusion and frustration. Taking the time to think about where you want to be, what you want to change, and what you would like to be your end goal is a great place to start. Once you have your main goal worked out, you can start by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable tasks. Small, realistic, and specific goals that lead you to your dream. Make a note of it, share it, and action it.
5 TOP GOAL SETTING TIPS
Make an action plan
This step, funnily enough, is missed a lot in goal setting. You often enough get caught up focusing on the overall outcome, you get sidetracked and forget to take the small steps in between to get to the final result. Making an action plan can be exciting and motivating. Listing all the steps you need to take before achieving that ultimate goal you have been waiting for. The beauty of setting these smaller steps is that you can tick something off each and every week. This keeps you accountable and keeps you on track. This is super important, especially when you have a long term goal. Action planning provides the opportunity for reflection and guidance through following a time-frame.
Set motivational goals
Motivation is the key to achieving goals. It’s what drives you towards an end result. When setting your goals, you need to think about whether they motivate you? Are they important to you and will they add value to your overall achievement? It’s often found that setting goals that don’t interest you or make you happy, are not achieved. Goal achievement requires commitment, so to maximise the likelihood of success, you need to have an ‘I must do this’ attitude. A good habit to get into could be writing down your goals and why they are valuable to you. This will soon rule out if they are important or not. Set yourself deadlines, this will help track your progress and give you the satisfaction of achieving your goal, especially when you complete it before the set deadline!
SMART Goals
I’m sure you have all heard this one before. For your goals to be powerful they need to be designed SMART. Have you ever found yourself working ‘harder’ but just not getting anywhere? Well, this is where SMART goals come into play. They allow you to clarify your ideas, focus your efforts, use your time and resources productively, and increase your chances of achieving what you want in life.
Specific – Your goal needs to be clear and specific. Think about the what, why, who, where, and which. This is a great way to narrow down each goal.
Measurable – Setting measurable goals is super important. Measurable goals allow you to track your progress and stay motivated. Having the ability to track progress keeps you accountable and focused on meeting deadlines.
Achievable – Making sure your goals is achievable and realistic. When setting an achievable goal, this should be something that stretches your abilities however is still possible.
Relevant – Is your goal relevant? Before setting a goal ask yourself, is this worthwhile? Does my goal match my needs and efforts? Is this the right time?. Your answer should be ‘yes’. There is no good reason to set irrelevant goals that don’t matter to you.
Time-bound – Set a target date. Give yourself an allocated amount of time to reach your goal. This needs to be a realistic amount of time allowed however will keep you on track and give you something to work towards.
Write down your goals
Take the time to write down your goals. Writing down your goals on a piece of paper will give you no excuse to forget about them. Get yourself some sticky notes or post-it notes, note down your goal and deadline date, and post it all around you. On the fridge, above your desk, on your computer monitor, on the mirror, etc! Surround yourself with visible goals that will remind and motivate you every day to take another step towards achieving your overall goal.
Stick with it!!
Don’t forget, goal setting is an ongoing occurrence, not just a once-off when you decide to set a goal and forget about it. You have to stick with it! Make yourself accountable for achieving your goal. One great way to do this is to build-in daily or weekly reminders to keep yourself on track. It is also important to also set aside time to review your goals. Your long-term achievement can stay the same however the action plan involving the small steps along the way can change significantly.
Effective goal setting allows you to measure progress, overcome procrastination, and visualise your dreams. It is the vehicle that will drive you to your desired destination. We are all at different stages when it comes to goal setting. You may be learning how to set goals, you may be already achieving your goals. No matter what stage you’re at, there is always room for reflection and growth. Share your goals and achievements with people, this could drive you to show them how you are going to achieve them. It all takes time though, so don’t lose track and back out, keep motivated you will be reaching goals in no time. You should be feeling excited!
KYLIE WALKER – DIRECTOR – BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT & MARKETING