GOAL SETTING 101:
Dream Big but Plan Small Make it happen! Goal setting is a great way to bring your biggest dream to fruition. Follow this action plan to give your goals direction, stay motivated, and increase your chances of achieving the most important things in your life.
STEP 1 PUT PEN TO PAPER If you’ve set goals in the past, you’ve probably written down the Big Goal at some point. Think of this as your overarching goal—the one that will define the rest of your smaller goals. It should excite but not overwhelm. Don’t set more than one Big Goal a year; otherwise you may spread yourself too thin and be unable to follow through. STEP 2 VISUALIZE SUCCESS What will it feel like to accomplish your Big Goal? Get as specific as possible here. Picture what car you’ll drive, what house you’ll live in, and even what restaurants you’ll frequent. How will your loved ones react to your success? For this step, it’s helpful to make a vision board and put it in a prominent place, such as above your desk or on the wall where you get ready in the morning. STEP 3 IDENTIFY YOUR WHY Many people fail to achieve their goals because they visualize an outcome without also identifying the underlying motivation of that outcome. Set yourself up for success by being very clear about why you want to achieve your Big Goal. For example, if your goal is to make Executive Director, think about your primary motivation behind this desire. Is it to achieve more financial security for your family? Is it a matter of personal pride and career fulfillment? Having your why in mind will keep you from losing focus. STEP 4 BREAK IT UP Once you’ve written down your Big Goal and identified why you want to achieve it, it’s time to break it up into manageable pieces. Focus on the little actions you need to take throughout the year to bring it to fruition. What can you accomplish day-to-day, week-to-week, or month-to-month? One tip is to practice the “Five a Day Rule”—make five little moves a day to get closer to reaching your Big Goal. These small moves could include sending an email, making a quick phone call, or getting to bed early so you can have more productive mornings.
STEP 5 GO PUBLIC It’s true: you’re more likely to accomplish your goals if you share them with others. A study conducted by Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at the Dominican University of California, found that 76% of those who write their goals down and share them with a friend actually achieved their goals or were in the process of achieving them, compared to only 42% of people who simply thought about their goals. By partnering up and sharing your intentions with friends and family, you’ll form a network of people who can hold you accountable if you get off track. STEP 6 TRACK YOUR PROGRESS Take time to schedule check-ins with yourself as often as you feel is necessary to accomplish your goals. This way you can course-correct before you completely derail. Use a tracking system that works for you, such as a spreadsheet or calendar. Again, be specific and include reasonable due dates for your tasks. At regular intervals, go into your spreadsheet or calendar and record your accomplishments or take stock of outstanding tasks. Then set your next series of small goals. Remember: your small goals should support your Big Goal in some way. STEP 7 REWARD YOURSELF It doesn’t matter how small or large, everything you accomplish that feeds into your Big Goal is something to celebrate. This also makes the journey to achieve your goal more fun! Think of it as another way to check in—except instead of tracking progress in a spreadsheet, it’s through a massage or dinner at your favorite restaurant.
ONE STEP BACK, TWO STEPS FORWARD No, this isn’t how the saying goes, but this is how it should be! Don’t worry if you get off track or fail to achieve your Big Goal within the time limits you set for yourself. Just refocus, keep setting small goals, and continue to celebrate your achievements. Maya Angelou said it best: “It may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.”
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