How to Set and Achieve Your Goals
Happy New Year! I hope you had a restful and joyful Holiday season. This is the time of year when many of us reflect on the past 12 months and look ahead, noting the highlights and taking stock of areas that need improvement. Usually, we end up with goals for the next year- our New Year’s Resolutions. We have all done this, and many of us (myself included) have probably failed at achieving these goals. This month we will look at how to set attainable goals and how we can meet them.
Smart Goals
A popular system that has helped me lately is SMART goals. SMART goals are manageable, achievable, and relevant. Let’s use an example goal (one I hope to meet this year) as we go through each step.
Specific
Be clear and direct about what you want to achieve.
An example that needs work: I want my company to be successful.
This statement is generic, there is no breakdown of how I know my company is successful or what my company even is. There is no starting point or endpoint to this statement.
Decent example: I will find Linklater Administration 2 new clients by the end of the year.
This statement is specific- I state what I want to be successful (Linklater Administration) and how I know I have succeeded (gaining 2 new clients).
Measurable
The goal needs to have a way to measure progress so you know when you have succeeded.
In the example above, gaining 2 new clients is how I know I have achieved the goal of my company being successful.
Achievable
Knowing that the goal is within my ability and skill set.
Gaining 2 new clients is much more achievable than 50 new clients. I do not have the resources to take on that many clients (for now) but by keeping the number of clients lower, I know that it is possible.
Relevant
Set goals that align with your values or the area of life that you want to improve.
For entrepreneurs, setting specific goals for your company or team helps you stay focused and motivates you to complete your goals.
Time Bound
Set deadlines for your goals.
In the example above, I give myself a timeframe of 1 year or 12 months. This gives me a deadline to work towards.
Goal: I will find Linklater Administration 2 new clients by the end of the year.
Now that we have our goal, how do we ensure that we can obtain it? Below are some tips I use, and I hope they help you too.
Write it down somewhere you will see it consistently. Break it down into actionable steps.
Writing your goal down (ideally with ink on paper) reminds you daily. I have mine on my agenda, written with my favourite pen. You could put yours on a sticky note in the bedroom, bathroom, or kitchen. This could also be where you break down your goal into actionable steps. In my agenda, I have “I will find Linklater Administration 2 new clients by the end of the year“ written at the beginning of each month. In the daily tasks section, I have make Instagram post and interact with accounts on Instagram. Finally, I have written attend networking events in the weekly sections.
Side note: I use Happy Planners to organize myself. They are customizable and have Monthly, Weekly, and Daily sections to break down tasks, goals, deadlines, and appointments. Life changing and I have not looked back. https://thehappyplanner.com/
Schedule time for goal tasks.
This could be a daily alarm or blocked off time in your agenda. Whatever works best for you. I have daily tasks and regularly scheduled appointments in my Google calendar.
Be aware of barriers and plan for them.
Take time to critically reflect on things that could get in the way of your goal. Think of ways you can mitigate these challenges. For me, the biggest challenge is remembering to complete tasks consistently. So, I have my alarms, tasks, and appointments set up (they go off a lot and are annoying but they work for me). Another challenge is motivating myself to complete tasks. Read on to find out how I hope to challenge this.
Track your progress.
This could be a checklist of tasks, a star in your calendar, a flow chart, or even a piece of artwork that gets done (a flower that gets petals added). I have a chart like this:
Every day I fill in the sections. Filled charts or colour-coded agendas are my favourite. I love looking at a completed monthly calendar. This motivates me to fill these out.
Or Find yourself an accountability partner.
Ask a friend, coworker, or family member to work on goals with you. They could be the same goal or different goals with similar tracking plans.
Reward Yourself.
Choose a point in the process where you treat yourself (within your means). This provides motivation and is so satisfying. Start small and consistently to start, then spread the reward out as you gain momentum on your journey. I will treat myself to a vanilla latte at the end of the month if I complete the weekly and daily tasks each week.
Finally, we aren’t perfect and can set goals too high, or add too much too soon. So, take time to reflect and adjust your goals or tasks as needed.
Life happens, bugs go around, your car breaks down, or you forget you’re disabled (hi…). These are normal and can get in the way of plans. Take time every few months to sit down and check your progress. See what you achieved and note where things could be tweaked.
Hope this helps you on your New Year's Resolution journey!
