If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably been setting goals and crushing them since long before they were cool. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you’re probably new to the concept of goal-setting—and that’s okay! Here’s a quick rundown:

Setting goals is a good way to give your future self something to work towards. Setting small, realistic goals can help make sure that you’re focusing your energy on things that really matter, instead of wasting it on dumb stuff like not having enough money for rent or getting fired from your job. And when we achieve our goals, we feel good about ourselves!

So today’s blog post is going to be all about setting realistic goals for yourself and then achieving them—which may sounds like something basic. But if this is your first time reading one of my articles so far in life, welcome! I hope it will help motivate us both toward realizing our dreams.

HOW TO SET GOALS

We are all creatures of habit, so having a habit of setting goals is a fantastic way to ensure that you’re always moving forward and improving in your life.

A goal is simply something you want to achieve; it can be anything from getting fit and healthy, to making more money or being more productive at work. The key thing is that it’s something specific and measurable; if you don’t know what your ultimate goal is or how much progress has been made towards achieving it, then it’s not really a goal at all!

So how do we set SMART goals? Well:

• Specific – make sure that everyone knows exactly what needs to happen (and when) for the project/task;
• Measurable – give people clear targets for success;
• Achievable – make sure that the target isn’t so high as to be unattainable nor too low as not worth the effort needed;
• Realistic – don’t set out unrealistic expectations for yourself or others (unless this is part of the challenge);
• Timely – give yourself enough time for things like research etc., but also make sure there’s enough urgency about completing them when needed

WRITE YOUR GOALS DOWN

Now that you have your goals, it is time to write them down. This step is important because writing something down has been shown to help create a feeling of commitment and accountability.

If you write your goals in one place and then move on, it’s easy to forget about them or slip out of the habit of working towards them. This won’t be an issue if you post them somewhere where they are visible every day—like on the fridge or next to your bed—but even better than seeing them daily would be writing them in present tense as if they are already happening!

Use words like “I am increasing…” instead of “I want to increase…” Also try using positive language rather than negative versions (e.g., “I am taking care of myself by eating healthy food” instead of “I will not eat junk food anymore).

Finally, make sure that when writing down these goals, there is an element that makes you feel good about yourself; this will keep you motivated for longer term success!

SMART Goals

SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound.

If a goal is not specific, you can’t identify how to achieve it or measure your progress. If it’s not measurable, then you don’t know when you’ve reached it. If it’s not achievable or relevant to what matters most in your life, then there’s no point setting that goal in the first place.

And if your goal isn’t set with a deadline for completion as well as an end date for completion of each step along the way (or at least some indication of what needs to be done by when), then how do I expect myself to keep myself accountable if I don’t have a concrete plan?

That said…

I’m not saying that you can’t set goals that are less specific or more vague. I’m saying that those are NOT the kind of goals I want to set for myself when I’m trying to accomplish something big and important.

My life is too short and precious to waste on things that don’t matter.

COMMIT TO YOR GOALS

Once you’ve set your goals, it’s time to put them into action.

• Commit to them. Commitment is the key ingredient to success. You need to give yourself a deadline and write down your commitment so that it’s recorded—and seen by others—in order for it to be official.
• Make sure they’re realistic and achievable. If your goals are too ambitious, break them down into smaller ones that are more attainable so you can feel like you’re making progress toward completing them often enough that it doesn’t feel like an insurmountable task (which will only lead you back into procrastination).

If you need help, find it. Whether you’re trying to lose weight or save money, there are tons of resources available to help you achieve your goals.

Talk to friends who’ve been where you are and have already succeeded; find a support group at work or in your community; or sign up for online forums where people share their experiences and offer advice on how to get past roadblocks.

WORK ON YOUR GOALS EVERYDAY

The most important thing you can do to make your goals a reality is to work on them every day. It doesn’t have to be a lot of time, just enough to keep you motivated and moving forward. Here are some examples of things that can help you work on your goals every day:

• Write down what you did each day in a journal or planner so that when you look back at it later, it will remind you of how far you’ve come.
• Make a list of all the tasks that need to get done before the end of the week/month/year and check them off as they’re completed so there’s always something new for yourself (or others) to focus on.

This helps keep you motivated and on track. Set a timer for 15 minutes each day and work on one task at a time. If you’re having trouble focusing, try listening to music while doing your work or reading something that interests you.

FIGURE OUT WHAT GETS IN THE WAY OF YOUR GOALS AND CUT IT OUT

When it comes to achieving your goals, the first step is figuring out what gets in the way of them. You must make a list of all the things that are preventing you from achieving your goal.

For example: If your goal is to have a healthier lifestyle, then some potential obstacles might be: Not having enough time to exercise every day; not having access to healthy food; not being able to afford gym memberships or classes/training sessions/nutrition advice etc.; feeling too tired after work so cannot fit exercise in; having an injury that stops you from doing certain types of exercise (like running).

Once you’ve made this list, look at each item on it and ask yourself: “What could I do about this?”

For example if one item says “not having enough time”, can you change how much TV/computer games/social media use there is?

Can someone else take over some chores for me for an hour or two so I can go out for a walk? Can I get up earlier than usual so that my day doesn’t start until 8am instead of 7am?

DONT GIVE UP

Sometimes, life gets in the way and you just can’t get the job done. But the very nature of goals is that they’re attainable—if you keep going and don’t give up.

The most important thing to remember when you’re experiencing difficulty or setbacks is that they are temporary; they will not last forever.

Don’t let your negative feelings get in the way of your progress! Stay positive: it’s much easier to achieve goals when you’re happy, so find ways to have fun while working toward them (like listening to music while cleaning or using treats as rewards).

If things go wrong, learn from them and keep going!

SET GOALS AND CRUSH THEM

It is time for Goal Crushing!

Setting goals is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. Goals give you something to work towards and help keep you motivated, especially when times get tough.

They also help improve your self-esteem by helping to affirm that you are achieving something great in life.

The best way to set goals is by knowing exactly what it is that you want, writing down those goals, and being specific about them so there will be no confusion about what they are.

You’ll need to be realistic with these because if they’re unattainable then there’s no point setting them at all! Setting deadlines for each goal will also help keep things organized and on track so nothing falls through the cracks or gets forgotten along the way!

Conclusion

It’s time to get in gear, set some goals and crush them!

By following the steps outlined in this blog post and doing your goal-setting you will be well on your way. It may seem like a lot of work but with our tips it will be much easier. So go ahead and get started today!

Get your vision board populated with your monthly goals, financial goals, or long-term goals!