Who else is guilty of making goals and not sticking to them? Don’t worry, you are not alone! According to Science, a whooping 92% of people are guilty of not reaching their goals (and I was also once part of that 92%). However, over the last few years, I have learned some key tricks to help me achieve my goals.
1) Set micro-goals.
“Set small goals along the way and don’t be overwhelmed by the process.”–Kara Goucher
Aim high, but start small. We all have bold ideas and incredible ambitious goals. However, those lofty mega-goals can often feel unattainable – can you really open your own shop? Can you really start an online business? Can you really hit your 500K sales target this year?
In order to keep ourselves focused, we need to break up our larger goals into series of steps (often called micro-goals). These goals help you keep track of what needs to be done and when. It allows you to wrap your head around what you can realistically accomplish today, this week, this month, this year. In other words, setting micro-goals helps you focus on what you should be doing now to get you to later. And there is some science to back this method up! Breaking your goals down into a series of steps has been shown to increase motivation and productivity.
2) Celebrate small wins.
“Track your small wins to motivate big accomplishments.”– Teresa Amabile
We give more attention to small mistakes than the accomplishment of small goals. This can negatively affect motivation and make it much harder to achieve long-term goals. While the professional world has placed a large emphasis on creating and sustaining a culture of recognition, most of us seem to resist translating this recognition culture into our private lives. Remember to acknowledge yourself often. Buy a champagne bottle or order that extra dessert. The recognition of small accomplishments motivates and inspires us. A little confidence boost never hurt anyone, and that’s exactly what you get each time you achieve one of your micro-goals. Life is too short not to celebrate small wins.
3) Adapt goals as needed.
“You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight.”– Jim Rohn
Life happens. Priorities shift. Things change. We need to remember to be flexible with our goals. Most people can relate to this on some level as many goals became meaningless due to the pandemic of 2020. That doesn’t mean you have to ditch your goals when circumstances change. Revisit and adapt goals as needed. A pro-tip that I received a few years ago was creating goals that were input-driven instead of output-driven. Input-driven goals you can control (email 200 prospects this month), while output-driven goal you cannot (book 2 clients this month). Having input-driven goals is important in our professional and personal lives. You shouldn’t let the world dictate your goals. Place yourself in the driver seat. Keep your eyes on the road and make adjustments when needed.
Happy goal achieving! If you have any other tips, feel free to share!