6 Simple Steps to Accomplish Any Goal
Have you ever set a goal and no matter what you did, you were not successful? Believe me, I have set countless goals over the years, and of those goals, there were many that I did not achieve.
I decided long ago to NOT set New Years Resolutions. I mean, how likely am I to actually keep them for longer than, like, four to six weeks? If I’m being honest and realistic, not likely! Over the years, I have found that I have been much more successful in accomplishing goals if I make small, realistic goals over a short period of time and reassess them on a regular basis.
As I reflect on the past year and settle into the new year, I have come to realize that there is a simple, straightforward approach I use to accomplish my goals. There are five steps and they are super simple to apply. Will it be easy? No. It will not be easy but, as the saying goes, anything worth having is worth working hard for.
Decide
Of this entire process, for me, deciding is the HARDEST step! I am VERY indecisive until I’m not. I am a type-a-perfectionist-overthinker-analysis-paralysis type personality so I spend a lot of time THINKING about what I’d like to do instead of just making a choice and doing something, ANYTHING to get the process going. I have noticed that once I DECIDE, I can move forward and ACTUALLY accomplish SOMETHING that will get me closer to my goals.
Commit
This next step is just as important as deciding. If you make a decision about your goals or what you’d like to accomplish, but you are not committed to it then it’s highly likely you won’t take action on it. Not taking action will prevent you from getting the results you want. The best example of this is weight loss. Sure, anyone can decide “I want to lose weight.” But if that person is not committed to taking the necessary steps that are needed to actually lose the weight such as eating healthy and working out then the likelihood of that person losing weight drops significantly.
Write it Down
Writing down your goals is strongly associated with goal success. It gives you focus, motivation, and most importantly, it gives you a clear, concise picture of what your goals are instead of a vague idea of what they might be. Studies show that you become 42% more likely to achieve your goals and dreams by writing them down on a regular basis. Writing down your goals engages both the right and left hemispheres of your brain essentially bringing your goals from just thoughts and imagination into something more concrete where your body and your mind understand and accept that this is something you are truly serious about and that you want it bad.
Devise a Plan and Set Small, Achievable Goals That Lead Up To The Big Goal
Making a decision and committing to your goals is a really great start, but it is simply that, a START. Embarking on a journey to accomplish a specific goal without a plan is like expecting to lose 50 pounds but changing absolutely NOTHING in your diet or lifestyle. Have you ever known a person who lost 50 pounds who did not have a plan? I highly doubt it. Creating a plan is a roadmap to success. It is a way to track progress as you move closer to that goal. It can be daily, weekly or monthly goals. It’s up to you. Have you ever heard the expression “How do you eat an elephant? The answer: “One bite at a time.” The same is true with achieving goals. Breaking the “big” goal down into bite-sized pieces will help to make the goal seem less daunting. With measurable steps along the way, it will provide small victories and create confidence as you move closer to achieving the desired goal.
Execute
Now that you have made the choice, committed yourself to that decision, written it down, and created a plan including small, achievable goals it’s time to take action! I believe that it is in the execution process that the magic happens. This is the time when you’re following through on your plan, making things happen, and seeing progress. This is a time when you may begin to feel more confident and you can actually start to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Conversely, this is the time where you may experience setbacks, obstacles, and frustration. This is the part where you need to hunker down, stay focused, and keep going. In other words, this is the part where it is HARD and where you may experience some struggles. Embrace that and soldier on. A good friend told me once, every rejection, no, or setback you experience gets you one step closer to the yes, or your end goal. Whatever you do, do not stop. Once you stop, that’s the end. You won’t know if you would ever reach your goal because you quit. The fact is, you may never reach your end goal; life happens or circumstances beyond your control may interfere with what you’re working toward BUT it is when you stop trying that you intentionally choose to not pursue your goal or dream anymore. Simply put, if you stop, you will never know.
Reassess on a Regular Basis
One thing that keeps me motivated and “in check” is regularly reassessing to make sure I am on track to reach my goals. Sometimes I’m spot on other times I need to pivot or redirect completely! The goals are the PLAN but the plan can always be altered. Nothing is ever set in stone. A certain level of flexibility is needed because life will ALWAYS pop up with unplanned surprises. If you prepare for that ahead of time you can address it, overcome it and continue to move forward.
Summary
Goals are not achieved overnight, nor are they achieved by simply thinking and dreaming about them. Certain things need to happen in order for you to reach your goals. If you decide, commit, write it down, create a plan that includes smaller, achievable goals, and execute that plan and reassess on a regular basis, I am confident that you will be able to achieve any goal or dream you set your mind to.
