In reality, when most people set a goal, obstacles and hurdles can arise and some people give up. Goal setting doesn’t have to be that hard! With a few simple tips and tricks, you can make goal setting work for you.
To all of our Alumni out there—you know that you can rise to any challenge because you did it on course! Now, all you have to do is apply that same drive to a real-world scenario.
Achieving your goals comes down to time management and properly targeting the steps to get there. These two factors will determine how well you adjust to obstacles and how fast you will reach your goals. Here are some simple tips and tricks to help you along the way:
1. Determine what you want to achieve and how much time you're willing to give it
This is the easiest part of goal setting. Just ask yourself, “What is it that I would like to achieve within one year?” One year is enough time to make a big goal a reality. To make it easy for yourself, stick to one big goal. If you have no clue where to start, pick one goal in one of the following areas of life:
- Health
- Career
- Relationships
- Happiness
2. Break down your steps to achievement
After you have determined what you would like to achieve, it gets more challenging. This is also the step where you can fall off the bandwagon. How are you planning to make your goal a reality? To fly from point A to B, you need to know the route. The same idea applies to goal setting.
Figure out your game plan. Start with the end in mind and break down backwards the steps it takes to reach your goal.
3. Write it down
You have to tell your brain that you are serious about this endeavor by making an investment to achieve it. By writing down your goals and steps, you have clarity but also you’re telling your brain “Hey, see, this is important to me and I’m investing in it so let’s not drop the ball on this.”
From our experience, writing it down on paper or on a whiteboard has a stronger effect than typing it in your phone. So write down your goals and steps.
4. Motivate Yourself
The destination is known, the map is clear, and the route is defined. All you have to do now is stick to the game plan. The big key here is to keep reminding yourself of the goal. Keep yourself motivated!
- Find motivational posters, quotes or web pages. Look at them every day. Make it part of your morning ritual.
- Tell the people closest to you about your goal and ask for their help.
- Surround yourself with people that align with your goals.
These small changes will dramatically increase your chances of succeeding.
5. Do one thing every day that brings you closer to your goal
How can you make sure that you’ll reach your goal? Work on it every day, if for only a few minutes or a few hours. Use the compounding effect in your favor; the earlier you start, the bigger the change as time goes by. The more time you spend working towards your goal, the faster you will achieve it.
Implement these 5 simple steps and you will reach your goal—good luck to you!