Do you want to learn how to set goals and actually achieve them?
Take control of your life starting today by following these 6 easy steps to setting goals and achieving them.
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All about goals
You can set a goal today.
The benefit of doing that is you being able to go in the directions of a life that truly fulfills you, because you know what you really want!
Let’s first talk about the reason why we need to set goals and then, the simple process to get you there.
Let’s get started! 🙂
Why setting goals?
Setting goals is essential!
It helps you clarify what you really want to live. Let’s face it! Many people don’t even know what they want to achieve or what’s important for them!
Another reason is that it’s giving you the motivation to take actions.
You know what you want and you feel motivated!
Feel like you already got there!
I love the idea of Brooke Castillo when she’s asking the question: Who do you want to become?
She’s saying that to reach a goal, you need to already think like the person who reached that goal.
For example, someone who wants to lose weight needs to think like someone who’s already thin! 🙂
This person won’t have thoughts like “what am I going to eat today?” or “should I eat this and that?”.
When you think about someone that has no weight problem, this person isn’t consistently talking about it and obsessing about what she’s going to eat, right?
Another example: being an actor. He’s not waiting for the end of the movie to get into his character!
Before playing, he’s thinking: “What does my character think? How does he behave?”. He’s thinking about it even before he got to play it!!
So, that’s the same with you and your goals! 🙂
Try to think about the way you will feel, the thoughts you will have, the moment you will have reached your goals! Picture yourself already there!
How does that make you feel? Empowered?! Motivated? Determined?
What do you need help with?
(Choose between the 2 options)
The 8 life categories
When you read the questions “what are your goals”, it may be a bit overwhelming!
We all want a million stuff, right? 🙂
So, to organize where you should start, have a look at these 8 life categories, as Natalie Bacon presented them.
You have:
- Health
- Relationships
- Career, business
- Money
- Personal, spiritual, religious development
- Organization, home
- Fun, entertainment
- Contribution, service
Now. what results do you have right now in your life in each one of these categories?
Are you happy with the results?
If not, what do you want instead?
Grab a paper or open the application “notes” on your phone and write next to each category, what you want to achieve, what results do you want.
For example, I know that I have as a goal to eat less and better, more vegetables and fewer burgers. 😉
What are the results that YOU want?
How to set goals in 6 steps
I learned in Natalie Bacon’s course Personal Development For Her how to set goals properly.
She’s presenting it super clearly, you get a workbook, it’s amazing, really!
She has a whole system on how to set goals, here I’m just giving you the main 6 steps that in my opinion, made me reach already one of my goal (which was about organizing my home).
I summarized in fewer steps so you can get the idea:
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What do you want to achieve?
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Why do you want to reach that goal?
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What will be different when you’ll achieve that goal? And how are you going to feel?
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What obstacles are you going to meet? And what strategies can you think of to overcome these obstacles?
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List the actions that you need to take and write them down in your calendar/agenda
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How will you know that you reached your goal?
An example…
Let me give you an example with all the questions so it will get clearer! 🙂
- What do you want to achieve?
I want to eat healthier, so I can feel better in my body. - Why do you want to reach that goal?
Because I’ve been feeling tired and low-energy lately and I know that it has something to do with the way I’m eating… - What will be different when you’ll achieve that goal? And how are you going to feel?
I will feel energized, I will be able to put energy in things that are important for me (building my business, meet my friends more often…) and feel better in my body in general! - What obstacles are you going to meet? And what strategies can you think of to overcome these obstacles?
Probably, I will have times that I will want to eat things that are not the healthiest (like burgers, sweets, ice-cream…). To overcome this, I’ve decided to eat a little bit of them, but not as much as I used to. - List the actions that you need to take and write them down in your calendar/agenda
Do 10 minutes workout every day. Go for 30 minutes walk per day minimum. Eat less at night, only vegetables, because I don’t really need calories for sleeping! 😉 - How will you know that you reached your goal?
I know that I will have reached my goal when I feel a bit better in my clothes and when I will sleep better, and feel better in my body in general! 🙂
Think about the model
Remember the model?
It can really help you to reach your goals!
What results do you really want in your life?
What actions do you need to take to get to these results?
What feelings are you going to have that will motivate you to take the required actions?
And then, what thoughts will you have that will create these feelings?
This model is so powerful, really! 🙂
It’s not always about setting goals…
I don’t know if you heard of James Clear and his New York Times Best-selling book Atomic Habits?
He’s really the world leader when it comes to habits!
And actually, he talked about goals in his famous article Forget About Setting Goals. Focus on This Instead.
He basically says that goals can help in giving you a direction (to get what you really want) and that they can also give you kind of a “push” of instant and short-term motivation.
But he’s saying that what is really good and even better than goals are systems.
Systems are basically everything you are doing to reach your goals, it’s the actions you are taking.
Why is he saying that? Since systems are more about every step you’re taking towards your goals, he says that you will get over the obstacles, the mistakes, because you have a system in place, a routine that you can follow.
Also, he observes that the problem with goals is that you kind of get momentum the moment you reach them.
And what do you do when it has passed? What’s happening next?
It actually made me think of the quote “happiness is a journey, not a destination”.
James Clear is saying the same with goals and systems. 🙂
Systems are the journey, when goals are the destination.
He’s adding: “I’ve found that goals are good for planning your progress and systems are good for actually making progress.”
Interesting point of view, right? 🙂
Have a look at his famous book!!
Setting goals and self-confidence
Of course, I was going to talk about the connection between goals and self-confidence! 😉
Knowing yourself better and what makes you happy is helping you build your self-confidence.
Because you are comfortable being who you are! And when you are comfortable, you don’t take things personally, you are more relaxed!
It’s kind of a circle! 🙂
And having goals is giving you a direction and it’s like everything when you have a direction, you know where you’re going, you’re walking less hesitant, you’re just going for it! 🙂
Also, when you’re reaching for your goals, you’re taking actions. Taking actions consistently is helping you build your self-confidence because you can see that you can do it and even if you don’t get the results, you know that you will be okay, no matter what! 🙂
To sum up!
As you can see, setting goals and creating systems is a great way to take control of your life.
It’s asking you questions that you maybe never thought of asking yourself!
Take the time to do it and also consider James Clear‘s message of “creating systems” and not only reaching for goals.
Now write down your goals and let’s get this new life of yours started!! 😉
