New year, new me, right? For some, change is good. If you’re not changing, in some way, you’re not growing, and the way to change is by setting goals. Some people make some awesome goals. They get pumped, they start working towards it with excitement, and then, a month or two later, they lose motivation or just forget. If that’s the case and you want to keep actual goals, here are 7 actionable tips you can take on how to set life goals for yourself.
1. Think deeply about what you want, and why.
No goal is worth completing unless you have a personal reason as to how and why that goal will benefit you. If you want to write a book, but you actually hate writing and are only doing it to be famous, then it’s probably not a goal that will be fulfilled. If you want to write a book to share a personal story that’s important to you, then you’re much more likely to write that book, even if writing isn’t your best skill. Think deeply about what you want, and then even more deeply about why you want it. What emotions come up when you imagine achieving your goal? How will it impact your feelings about yourself, about your life, and about the world? If the reason is substantial and makes you feel excitement or passion, then that’s a goal you’ll want to reach for. This is a good start to set life goals.
2. Make sure they’re S.M.A.R.T goals. (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound)
S.M.A.R.T. goals are a concept that originated in the ’80s, and it’s stayed relevant ever since. There have been adjustments here and there, but the main idea remains the same. First, you want your goals to be specific. Saying, “I want to get in shape this year” is not doable, because there is no definition of what in-shape means to you. Do you want to have the stamina to run a mile? To squat 40 pounds? To do a pull-up? Be specific. The M stands for measurable. You need a way to be sure you’ve reached your goal, or are progressing towards it. For example, if you want to make more money this year, your goal needs to have a number. The A then moves us to attainable. If you’re 80 years old and you want to become an astronaut after studying accounting your whole life, this is not an attainable goal. Be realistic. The R brings us to relevant. This ties back into our first step – your goal must connect to you and your life. Don’t pick something just because other people think it’s a good idea. Finally, we have T for time-bound. A goal without a deadline is just a dream. Set a date for completion, and be hard on yourself to stick to it. If you can stick to this, you’ll have a solid achievable goal.
3. Make a plan.
Ok, so you decided on your goals. You want to do A, B, C, D before actually reaching it. You know when you want to do this by. And it should be something you’re passionate about completing. Now, how will you do it? You don’t just wake up one day and run a marathon. I mean, unless your body is capable of doing it. Every goal has multiple steps. So, take the time to plan and prep it!
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4. Write it down.
A goal without a deadline is a dream, and a goal not written down is just a thought – one thought out of thousands that you have every day that fall through the cracks and don’t mean much. Write your goals down. Print or cut out pictures to envision what reaching your goal would look like. Put it all together into something neat and appealing. Make it stand out. This is your FUTURE, after all!
5. Keep your goals visible.
Remember when you wrote down your goals? Now it’s time to publish them. Only for you, though. Hang them up somewhere you can see them every day. That’s right, every single day. You know the saying, “out of sight, out of mind,” so it’s important to always have your goals in sight and – you guessed it – in mind! I normally stick mine on the ceiling above my bed so every morning when I wake up, it’s the first thing I see.
6. Tell someone.
While it’s not good to go blabbing about what you’re planning to do when you haven’t actually done it, a little blabbing can actually go a long way. That’s because when we tell someone about something we are working on, it puts pressure on us to finish that project. If not, we are not only letting ourselves down but that other person as well. Confiding in someone you trust about your goals could give you a support system and accountability all in one. Ask them to check in on you every now and again, or turn to them when you feel stressed about completing your goals.
7. Take action!
Alright, my friends, you’re getting there! You have your goals. They’re meaningful to you, they’re S.M.A.R.T., they’re written down, posted, and shared. Now, let’s get to it. Take that first step, that first part of your plan, and do it today. You might be tired, you might want to wait until the weekend, but there’s no reason to postpone. Make a stride towards your goal today, and you will thank yourself tomorrow! I promise.
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Conclusion:
This list really pumped me up. I’m always envisioning my own goals and getting excited about how I’ll feel once I reach them. There’s nothing like that feeling of accomplishment while making moves towards your own version of the big leagues. So there you have it, 7 actionable tips on how to set life goals.