GOAL SETTING & GETTING GUIDEBOOK
approx 12 minute read
Don’t lose sight of your goals
Joanne always had a passion for writing, ever since she was a little girl.
She spent her free time scribbling down stories and imagining new worlds.
When she was around 5 or 6 years old, she wrote a story about a rabbit who caught measles.
Since then, she had always dreamed of becoming an author.
However, life wasn’t easy for Joanne. She lost her mother to a long illness and struggled to make ends meet as a single mother.
Despite these difficulties, she never gave up on her dream of becoming a writer.
With a clear vision and an abundance of belief, Joanne set her sights set on her goal.
She was very disciplined, creating a schedule for when she would write, and committing to it.
She shared her stories and her dreams with her daughter, who adored her work.
It took 6 years but upon finally finishing her first book, she was delighted.
However, her manuscript was rejected by every publisher she reached out to.
Anxious, but undeterred, Joanne persevered.
Until one day, her book was accepted by a small literary agent, who worked on a deal to print 500 copies.
Two years later, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” was published.
Joanne, who you will no doubt know better as J.K. Rowling, has a reported net worth of 1 billion dollars.
10 Tips to help you achieve your goals
Eager to take your business or personal life to the next level? Great, let’s start right here.
These 10 tips help you get started, stay on track, measure progress, and keep you motivated.
(Be sure to think of us when you sign that 7-figure book deal)…. Happy goal-getting!
- Set SMART Goals
- Clear Vision
- Write it Down
- Sharing is Daring
- Break it Down
- Upskill Productivity
- Keep Track
- Rely on the ‘Why’
- Reward Yourself
- Enjoy the Journey
Check out the ‘free download cheat sheet’ at the end of this article!
#1 Set SMART goals
SMART goals are a memorable way of saying “make your goals Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely.
SMART goals help ensure that your objectives are clear, actionable and have a deadline for completion.
For example, instead of just saying “I want to lose weight”, make it a SMART goal by saying “I want to lose 5kg in 3 months by cycling to the gym 3 times a week and eating lettuce instead of bread”.
This simple starting point greatly increases your chance of success.
Check out our Goal Setting Cheat Sheet for the perfect spot to commit to your goal.
#2 Clear vision
Your vision is a clear picture of where you want to be in life. Your goals create a roadmap to your vision.
If you can’t clearly define that end goal then it’s impossible to build a roadmap to it.
Close your eyes. Can you imagine it? Can you see it? How does it feel? Why do you want this?
Never forget the ‘Why’. We’ll come back to that later.
Visualisation isn’t restricted to your imagination of course, display them in prominent places like the fridge door or screen on your device.
#3 Write it down
Writing down your goals, you are more likely to achieve them. Once written down you can pop the prompt in highly visual places, just like that fridge door again. Or the laptop. Or the biscuit tin.
Daily reminders of your goals help guide your habits. Which in turn drives your chances of success.
But that’s not the only reason you should write them down. Something more magical is at work.
Humans retain information better when it’s something they have created themselves.
The act of writing down your goals triggers your brain to encode the information differently.
Almost subconsciously, you are hardcoding the goals directly into the place you do your decision-making.
#4 Sharing is caring
Talking about your goals with others helps in a number of ways.
It holds you accountable and so you are more likely to stay on track.
The same people can also offer support when you face challenges or feel discouraged.
Imagine you set yourself a goal of running a marathon with a friend and training together.
You’re much more likely to stick to the training plan than if you were on your own.
#5 Break it down
Sometimes goals can feel overwhelming and that can be because you do not know where to start.
Breaking your goals down into smaller steps will help them to feel less daunting.
Also, you’ll be able to track your progress and celebrate small wins along the way.
If you find yourself paralysed by the magnitude of the project ahead, just take the first step.
That could be as small as getting your running clothes out the night before.
What obstacles are in your way? How can you best prepare for success?
#6 Productivity
Here are 5 productivity tips to get your teeth into:
- Schedule a ‘Power Hour’ to dedicate an hour per day to the tasks most important to your growth
- Plan the next day the night before so hit the ground running the next day
- Our decision-making ability dwindles throughout the day. Don’t waste it on menial tasks.
- Use deadlines. The most important minute is often the last minute. Without the last minute, not as much would get done.
- Power napping can be useful for increasing productivity. However counter-intuitive, taking naps can help to improve mood, reduce fatigue, and boost alertness and mental performance.
#7 Keep track
Documenting your progress is imperative to stay on track and keep motivated.
This can be as simple as keeping a record of your checked-off achievements.
Tracking weight loss, pages written, number of signups, books read, money saved, weights lifted, or miles travelled. You get the picture.
Recording progress helps you stay motivated and celebrate smaller wins along the way.
Plus, with regular review milestones, you can identify any obstacles or challenges that may be impeding your progress.
This allows you to make any necessary adjustments to your approach.
#8 Rely on the ‘Why’
Most goals fail because people eventually give up. J.K Rowling didn’t give up.
Persistence is as important as any other aspect of success. But persistence is fuelled by motivation.
We’ve already shared a few tips that help you stay motivated along the way.
But the main one by far is to focus on the ‘Why’. Keeping this reason for ‘why’ close to your thoughts helps you find the discipline and motivation each day to keep grinding.
If you’re running a marathon or hitting the gym, again, regularly remind yourself ‘Why’. Health, Family, Wedding? Or maybe just because sky-diving is on your bucket list.
Financial goal? Why? Is it so you can have the time and resources to travel or do more of the things you enjoy?
Pursuing your dreams can obviously be challenging at times, with ups and downs.
So whatever YOUR reason, keep your ‘Why’ close at hand.
#9 Reward Yourself
Treats don’t only work on dogs. We too are programmed to enjoy a little reward along the way.
Not only does a treat provide another extra hit of feel-good brain chemicals, but it also provides a little respite.
It’s very typical for a healthy-eating plan to have a Cheat Day. Or a home budget to allocate for a wee family splurge.
The reward can be as simple as eating ice cream, or even taking a walk. But only after you’ve finished updating the business website, ordering those business cards or emailed those proposals.
In addition to the perks, it’s simply important for motivation to recognise and celebrate small wins along the way.
This creates a positive feedback loop. The satisfaction of achieving a goal and receiving a reward leads to increased motivation to set and achieve the next goal.
The process fuels a self-perpetuating goal-getting machine.
This in itself can act as a reminder of your accomplishments, which helps reaffirm the actions and choices you’re making.
#10 Enjoy the Journey
While it’s important to work towards your goals, always keep some perspective.
Your goal is a means to an end. Don’t make yourself miserable in the pursuit. Don’t burn out. This will bring an abrupt end to your goal-seeking adventures.
Don’t be the Grand Designer with the dream of building their own house, only to end up broke, divorced, and hating your new home.
Be kind to yourself. Step back from your plan at regular intervals and evaluate the bigger picture. Enjoy the journey.
What are your business goals?
What goals have you set for your business this year? Go ahead, write them down and share them with us.
We can work together to check off some of those important business milestones to success.
