In my last post, I walked you through establishing your goals. How to brainstorm & hone in on what you genuinely wish to achieve. Now that you have a few goals in mind let’s break them down into steps to develop a strategy!
I will be upfront; this step requires writing, and you will need to set time aside for this. Not right now, but later on. You might need a few hours, a whole day, or even a week to do this. So set the time aside, and get it done. It can be pretty daunting at first, but I have found the best prompts that make goal setting & strategizing a breeze!
You also NEED to write all of this down. I personally prefer old fashioned pen and paper. Did you know people who write down their goals are 42% more likely to achieve them? Write it all down, babes! If you don’t want to use paper, write them down in your phone notes, tablet, or laptop. Just get em down in writing somewhere!
1. Specify your goals. What do you want to accomplish?
Be specific. It doesn’t have to be grand and extravagant to be a worthwhile goal. We often take for granted little wins like brushing our teeth every day… Set a timer and take 5-10 minutes to brainstorm without commitment. Remember, there is no such thing as a bad or foolish goal. Write down anything that comes to mind that you’d like to accomplish!
2. Measurable. What are you willing to commit to?
Identify what you want to see, hear, and feel when you reach your goal. Break down your goal into measurable elements. Here are my favourite prompts:
- What am I willing to COMMIT to? What am I willing to SACRIFICE to make my goal a reality? These are two great prompts that make you dig deeper. It allows you to analyze whether or not your goal is measurable and achievable. If you aren’t willing to commit or make sacrifices, this may not be the right goal for you at this point in time. There is no shame in that! There is a time and place for everything, and everything happens for a reason.
- Where do I SEE myself when my goal is achieved? This helps you figure out what you want in the long haul. This will also help you refine the steps you need to take to get there later on.
- What do I want to FEEL? It’s scientifically proven that goals tied to an emotional statement are much more likely to be achieved
- What do I want to HEAR?If people talked about you without you being present, what would you WANT them to say – pick three words).
I’ll use one of my own goals as an example here. This summer, I will do one week on the A circuit. Now, let’s break it down! What is required to accomplish this goal? I need to make sure I am physically & mentally prepared, so riding consistently will be required. I want to lesson 1-2x a week and ride 3-4 times a week in total. I will need to make sure I set up my work schedule to allow this. I also need money…a lot of money! I need to be diligent with budgeting and saving my money. I am committing to saving 50% of my weekly pay check to ensure I can make this happen. I am willing to sacrifice my shopping addiction too – No more frivolous spending!
Breaking down your goal into smaller, actionable steps that you can work towards daily makes it less intimidating and much easier to follow through.
3. Achievable. Is this goal feasible with where I am in life?
Make sure this goal is not mission impossible for where you are at this point in your life. Consider all the factors you have to deal with right now and unexpected ones that could arise (i.e. Covid-19 lockdowns). Can this goal be accomplished within the given time frame? Are you equipped and ready for this goal? Don’t become intimidated to not try. If your goal is out of reach for the time being, there is no shame in putting it on the back burner and working on other goals in the meantime! You likely need to set some smaller goals to work up to that larger one. You want your goal to challenge you and push you outside of your comfort zone while still being attainable.
4. Relevant. Why is this goal relevant to you?
What is the motivation & meaning behind this goal? Why is this goal important to you? Why do you want to accomplish this goal? This is a personal reflection moment. Nobody can just hand you a vile of motivation.
Once you pinpoint the motivation and inspiration behind your goal, it’s time to set yourself up for success. Build an environment for you and your goal to flourish. Surround yourself with content and people who inspire you and enrich your life – filter your associations, analyze the content you follow on social media, and set reminders.
Reminders are very important. They come in various shapes and forms; motivational quotes, literal phone reminders, photos, etc.… You want to be motivated to work closer to your goal every day. You also want to re-evaluate your goals regularly to ensure they still align with the vision you have for yourself in the long haul. Our lives shift, and so do our goals. If you need to pivot, change some goals and life plans, that is okay and normal!
5. Timeline – When do you want to accomplish this?
Consider your current situation and uncontrollable factors that could affect your progress. Set THREE time parameters (outrageously awesome parameter, target parameter, worst case scenario parameter). Try to create realistic timelines for yourself! Pick a specific deadline, if possible (i.e. June 6th, or the first week of August). The more precise you are with your timing, the easier it will be for you to strategize, remain diligent, monitor your progress, and create checkpoints. Here are some of my favourite prompts when figuring out a timeline:
- What can I do in five minutes to bring myself closer to my goal?
- What can I do today to bring myself closer to my goal?
- What can I do tomorrow?
- What can I do next week?
- What can I do next month?
Now that you have all of the big stuff done, you will likely want to re-write a clean copy in bullet points to be easy to read. To recap, here’s what you want to make sure you’ve established:
- WHAT do I want to accomplish? (goal)
- WHY do I want to accomplish this? (motivation)
- WHEN do I want to accomplish this? (timeline)
- HOW am I going to work towards this? (game plan / strategy)
- WHERE do I want to be at the end of my goal? (outcome / result)
Feel free to download my free goal-setting worksheets below and explore the other goal-setting resources available for free on my blog. In my next post, I will give you a few helpful tips to follow-through and execute your goals seamlessly. In the meantime, connect with me on Instagram and let me know what your goals are for 2021. Tally ho!