It is no longer news that we are already into the first week of 2018. I love this time of year because it has proven to be the most productive for many people: gyms are packed, motivational quotes are tacked to office and room walls, and people are constantly talking about their new diet or their new pledge to becoming a better person. But then, it makes me a little sad to know that a few weeks from now, the zeal to follow through with these resolutions might be no where to be found. According to a story by U.S News & World Report in 2015, about 80 percent of people give up their new year goals by February.
As January drifts further into the rearview mirror, it can be easy to settle into old habits and forget about the resolutions and goals established at the turn of the calendar. Below are some steps you should take in order to increase your chances of achieving your goals.
1. Write Down Your Goals
Take time to write down carefully what you want to accomplish with your life. I have found out that writing down one's goals makes one more decisive. The fifteen minutes you invest in making a Daily Schedule will be multiplied 100-fold before the end of the month. Visualization of a goal builds remarkable confidence. Planners can predict their success. The secret of uncommon achievers is linking tasks to their calendar.
"And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it," (Habakkuk 2:2)
I already handled this area of goal setting alongside other equally important areas in my previous post. Please read more here>>> HOW TO PLAN 2018 TO BE YOUR BEST YEAR YET
2. Break Down Your Goals Into Smaller Achievable Units
It's alright to have big goals on the horizon, but you will never get there if you can't break it down into actionable steps. Goals that are way too ambitious are destined to fail. It's best to start small.
You see, when a goal isn't trackable on a daily basis, it becomes exponentially more difficult to feel as though you're moving in the right direction... And as humans, unless we feel like we're making progress, we tend to give up on our pursuit.
Ask yourself, "If my massive goal is to make ten thousand sales this month, what do I need to get done this week in order to move myself in that direction?"
People often ask me how I manage to read one non-academic book per week, especially being a final year Mechanical Engineering student.
I simply reply: "First, I didn't just start reading a book per week in my final year, this is something I had been struggling so hard to do since my second year, but it wasn't until my fourth year that I achieved it. Second, it didn't happen because I love reading: many people genuinely love reading, but it's a little difficult for them to read through an entire book. Most stop halfway because good intentions are not always enough. It was possible because I discovered a method which is to break bigger goals into smaller unit. What I simply do is to calculate the number of pages in a book (most of the books I read for now usually don't exceed 350 pages), then I divide it by seven, which is the number of days in a week. The result I arrive at is the daily portion I read per day."
It's a very simple principle, break the mountains obscuring you into rocks, break the rocks into bricks of stone and you would soon get rid of it.
Unfortunately, most people set big, overarching, difficult-to-measure goals for themselves because they're in love with the idea of the end pursuit. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if that strategy didn't plan out very well for you in 2017, then it's probably not going to fair much better in 2018.
Henceforth, I challenge you to only set goals you can accomplish within 7 days. If you can't accomplish it in 7 days, the goal is too big.
3. Be Intentionally
When it has to do with achieving your goals, good intentions aren't enough. It takes more than just a numbered list to plant a goal and really have the emotional wherewithal to achieve it. That is why you've also got to be intentionally.
Being intentional is a deliberate action step, in the now to be committed to your goals. On the other hand, good intentions don't last, they are about unfulfilled longing, and they are passive. That is why staying on course and achieving one's goals requires one to also live intentionally.
READ MORE HERE: HOLIDAY IS OVER; GET STARTED!
4. Know Exactly the "Why" for Setting the Goal
Most people think goal setting is some routine or ritual that one has to carry out every new year. If you think that way, you are very likely not to achieve the goals you have set for yourself. If you can't tell the reason why you want to achieve a particular goal, it is only a matter of time before you lose motivation and enthusiasm to carry on with your plans.
For instance, if your goal is to lose some weight, say 20kg, but without an understanding of why you have the extra 20kg, or a big enough motivation to lose it, it's easy to let the extra calories slide, or skip that extra gym session. When you realize that the 20kg is a lot to carry around, that it represents a safety barrier for you from love and relationships, that when you lose it, you feel better, look better and your love life improves - then you can be motivated to stick to the diet and exercise.
5. Be Focused and Discipline
Be clear about what you want to accomplish. Vague goals can also fail. Rather than saying you want to make money this year, it's better to pinpoint exactly how much money you want to make, like one million naira in two months, as an example. Have a focus.
Also, you need to be disciplined. Staying on course and achieving one's goals requires a lot of discipline. Discipline is sticking to the plans you have put in place to achieve your goals whether you feel like it or not. Don't wait to feel right. Just do it!
6. Be Accountable
It is very possible to derail or totally abandon our goals. Hence, we need to have accountability partner(s). I found out early in my own life that I am more productive when I make myself accountable to others. I know this is not an easy thing for most people to do, especially in our today's world where everyone is claiming "their-own-space." But it is a necessary requirement in reaching our goals.
Accountability partner(s) hold you accountable to your goals. They are the ones you report your progress to, and who spur you to continue in achieving more.
They are responsible for helping you achieve almost all (if not all) of your goals, instead of stopping halfway, and feeling like you have done enough.
They help you get rid of excuses. They help you think of alternative solutions, in case you hit a snag. They go further to help you by exposing you to their network of friends and associates. And they join you in celebrating your successes, little or big.
You may be good, you may even be better than everyone else, but you will never be as good as you can be without being accountable to someone. We reach our potentials and goals faster when we have someone watching our back.
So, as you set your goals for the year, it's important to find a person or persons as your accountability partners. Sometimes, you may not have the inner strength to move, you may just need that extra push from someone outside of you.
7. Be Willing to Restart
You may not be able to achieve a goal at first go. Don't feel bad about it. Accept the failure, see it as an opportunity to learn and simply restart. Things often turn around for better after no more than three or four times. Don't give up! Try again!!
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