New goals can be daunting. At first you might feel motivated to hammer down and get things done. But as time goes on, that feeling can fade, leaving you wondering if setting goals was the right call. Suddenly, the goals that used to wake you up in the morning are the same one’s making you hit the snooze button.
Just five more minutes, right?
We’ve all been there, but the problem is when we stay there. To help you overcome goal-setter’s gloom, I’m going to share my BEST tips & tricks to help you set goals you actually WANT to achieve.
Tips & Tricks for Setting Goals You Actually WANT to Achieve
Set Specific Goals
Setting goals that are both effective and motivating need to be specific. You must state WHAT you’ll accomplish and WHEN you’ll accomplish it.
For example:
I will WRITE MY FIRST MANUSCRIPT by JANUARY 19TH 2023.
It also needs to be measurable. You need to be able to track your progress in a tangible way. Vague goals like “I plan to feel more fulfilled by January 30th” will be difficult to track. If it's measurable, it’ll be much easier to move on to step two: make it manageable.
Break Your Goals Down
If you’re setting goals that are specific, odds are you’ll need to break them down to make them more achievable.
You’ll need to consider how busy your schedule is, when you’re most productive within a day, and how you can unravel your goal into smaller, weekly goals.
For example, if you want to write your manuscript by January 19th, you might break it down like this:
I will WRITE MY MESSAGE IN 1-2 SENTENCES by JANUARY 7TH.
I'll OUTLINE MY STORY by JANUARY 14TH.
I CAN WRITE MY FIRST MANUSCRIPT DRAFT by JANUARY 19TH.
When you break a bigger goal into smaller pieces, you’ll have more wins to celebrate and keep yourself motivated. You’ll also avoid overwhelming yourself with something that seems too big to be achievable.
Interested in Writing a Children's Book?
Find an Accountability Partner
Finally, a great way to promote success is to find a reliable accountability partner.
Accountability partners are great because they can help you stay on track, stay motivated, and they’ll remind you of your progress.
A good accountability partner should be someone who…
- Isn’t a close friend or family member — they might let you get away with more procrastination than a business partner or acquaintance
- Is willing to be honest — your accountability partner needs to keep you on track, and sometimes that means delivering the hard truth
- Is organized — if they can’t keep track of your commitments, there’s no point! They probably won’t keep you accountable if that’s the case
Never Give Up
Lastly, no matter what happens or what hurdles come your way, you need to keep going. The only way to fail is to stop trying. You CAN achieve your goals as long as you keep at it.