Designing a life that you love, in principle sounds easy, however, the reality can be the complete opposite. Many of us know what we want to achieve in life, but when it comes down to it, we’re not too sure how to get there.
Everyone has a dream, big or small, and the majority turn those dreams into real life by setting achievable goals to help them get there. Here are some of my best tips on how to set goals, which I use myself on a daily basis.
Break Your Goals Down Into Stepping Stones
Having one massive overall goal can be daunting and can make achieving your dreams feel scary. Breaking your goals down into smaller chunks not only makes them feel less intimidating, but it also makes them far more achievable. Try setting yourself small goals each month that will act as stepping-stones to help you get closer to accomplishing your dreams.
Write Your Goals Down
Writing things down makes them feel more official and gives them more permanence. Writing my goals in my planner definitely motivates me and makes me feel more likely that I’m going to work towards making them a reality.
Don’t Make Your Goals Too General
Breaking things down into baby-steps definitely helps with this. One of your goals might be to run a half-marathon, but this is too general – how are you going to get there? Setting specific goals that are going to lead you to your end result keeps you focused and makes it more probably that you’re going to get there.
Be Flexible & Don’t Be Afraid To Change Direction
Life happens and what was working at one set time may not be working right now. It’s always important to reassess your goals to make sure they are still working for you and if not, it’s equally important to change things up so that they are working for you. If this means attacking things from a whole new direction, it might be just the push you need to be successful.
Keep Things Real
Marrying Prince William may be one of your life goals, but let’s face it, him and Kate seem pretty solid and it’s probably never going to happen. Be realistic when setting your goals and always ask yourself are they really attainable.
Keep Track Of Your Progress
Like with anything that you’re trying to achieve it’s always useful to keep track of your progress. Looking back at how you have done will help keep you motivated and allows you to re-evaluate what works best for you.
Goal setting is such a worthwhile exercise, it may not be for everyone but I find them far more successful than making a single resolution at the beginning of the year. There are so many ways to track your goals, personally I’ve downloaded Asana to my phone, which has been life changing – I love it! My monthly goals help to keep me focused on what I want to achieve out of life and motivated to chase my dreams.
I have started doing a checklist to help me keep track of what I am doing and it is working so far! It is important to be realistic like you said too!
Your check list sounds like a great idea! Glad it helping to keep you on track.
Having started my Romeo Project in January, I am all about setting goals now. They’re made a huge difference to improving my mental health over the last few months x
That’s great Zoe! Lovely to hear that they’re working for you.
Like you, I have all my goals for the year (and ones for life in general) jotted down in my planner because it’s something i use everyday so i find it much easier to track them that way! xxx
Same here, it’s nice knowing that they are all written down so I can stay on track.
This is a fab post. I set goals but its actually around my slimming world journey and weight loss. i find it really helps motivate me and keep me on track.
Sounds like goal setting is really working well for you! 😀
I have a life-coach friend who says very similar to this. I find small attainable goals work better than massive scary ones. I have my blogging goals for the year broken down quarterly and some of them into monthly, so I can keep a check and re-asses as the time progresses.
I like breaking major goals down into smaller chunks too. I makes them seem more attainable.
Great post. One of my goals is too loose weight and be more healtheir so I’m breaking it down to how I can do this.
Sounds like a great approach Joanna! 🙂
I love writing lists and do to do lists weekly. I have to otherwise I’d forget my head! I have never set life goals though and I think perhaps I should start xx
Life goals are a great way to give yourself some focus if you feel you need it.
I’m alla about writing lists – helps me to keep track so easily. it is satisfying to cross things off too!
I love making lists too! 🙂
This is so right. What a lovely post to read in the morning.
Thanks Jodie!
It’s always so encouraging and a bit more motivational to read blogs like these aha thank you 🙂