How to Achieve Goals and Increase Your Chance of
Success
Does it ever feel like the things you want to accomplish always
end up on the back burner? If the answer to that question is “yes,” you’re not
alone. Only about 33% of people consistently work toward their goals. In some
cases, their goals may seem too lofty to accomplish, or else they aren’t sure
how to make a plan for them.
If you don’t come up with concrete steps to take toward your
goals, they’ll remain dreams. There’s nothing wrong with being a dreamer, but
being able to turn your dreams into goals you can realize will help you lead a
happier and more fulfilling life.
Luckily, you can realize almost any dream when you harness the
right goal-setting methods.
In this article, I’ll show you how to achieve goals and get
closer you success.
1. Break your
dreams down into specific and measurable steps
We couldn’t talk about goal-setting without mentioning SMART
goals.
SMART goals are specific, measurable, assignable, realistic, and
time-related.
Specific and measurable steps are so important because if we
don’t know what our target it, how can we ever hit it?
Take all those beautiful dreams you have for yourself and make
them into things you can actually do. If you want to be an entrepreneur, for
example, a step toward realizing your dream might be researching what you’ll
need to start your business.
2. Have at least
one clearly defined goal for every interest and role in your life
It’s so easy to become complacent or stagnate. We often think
that our careers are the only places where we need to set goals, but we aren’t
only what we do.
To make the most of your life, take the approach that you’re
always learning and growing in everything you do. Anything worth doing is worth
doing well after all.
Set goals whether you’re sponsoring an activity for your child,
taking up guitar lessons or trying to prove your worth at work.
You’ll notice that this approach forces you to constantly
develop new skills. It can also be fulfilling to put more focus and value into
all areas of your life— not just the ones related to our careers.
3. Align your goals
with your life’s mission, purpose and passion
Take the opportunity to do some soul-searching. What is it that
you want to do with this precious life of yours?
Anything that conflicts with your life’s purpose is bound to
cause discontent. Staying in a bad relationship, doing a job that goes against
your values, or maintaining the status quo just because it’s
comfortable are not options for you.
Thinking about your goals in this way can help you eliminate
things in your life that don’t serve you. This frees up mental space that you
can use to do the things you care about the most.
Many of us struggle to find the time to work on our goals, but
this strategy enables you to make more time.
4. Create goals
that ignite your spirit and inspire you to take action
If you can’t be fired up about your goals from the start, they
might not be good goals for you.
The road to success is often tough. You’re going to have times
when you might feel tired or discouraged.
You need to feel inspired enough that you’ll be able to overcome
obstacles as you encounter them.
If what you’re doing motivates you to be the greatest version of
yourself, you’ll be much more resilient.
5. Write down all
your goals in specific, measurable detail
This is your road map for what success will look like. The more
you define what you want the finished product to be, the greater the chance
that you’ll reach that vision.
When you write down your goals, you’re creating a document that
you can revisit to make sure you’re on track.
When you’re in the middle of trying to achieve a big goal, it
can be hard to see what’s working for you. The things you write in this
step will help you stay on-message as you take your goals out of your mind and
into the real world.
Don’t just write down your goals and stash them away in a folder
somewhere. Take the extra step to put them somewhere where you’ll see them.[1]
If you have too many goals to post on your desk, write a summary
or choose one or two steps to work on for the day. Just seeing them will keep
them in the front of your mind.
6. Commit to
hitting each of your targets without exception
You wouldn’t have created the target if you didn’t think it was
necessary. Hold yourself accountable for taking the steps to succeed.
You can always adapt your strategy or break your targets into
smaller steps if you find that they aren’t attainable as you originally wrote
them.
Hitting even the smallest target is cause for a celebration.
It’s a step in the positive direction. Your success will make you crave more
success.
We often make excuses when we get tired or overwhelmed. Take
away the option to make excuses. You will only be satisfied with the best
effort from yourself.
7. Share your goals
with others to motivate each other
There’s something so powerful about people sharing their goals
and dreams with one another. Doing so gives voice to some part of us that could
remain hidden (and therefore never be accomplished).
When other people know about your goals, they can cheer you on
and hold you accountable. When people share their vision with you, you can do
the same for them.
This strategy is particularly beneficial when you’re trying to
develop healthy habits. Post about your workout on social media, or do a
healthy eating challenge with your best friend. You’ll be less likely to slack
when temptation arises, and you’ll probably encourage someone else to reach for
their goals too.
8. Set a series of
daily, weekly and long-term goals, complete with starting times and deadlines
Many goals never reach realization simply because the
goal-setter doesn’t check their progress. People tend to forget what they set
out to do, or their goal gets crowded out by other obligations.
Forcing yourself to revisit your goals at regular intervals
breaks them into smaller steps and it reminds you to think about them.
Giving yourself regular deadlines for smaller tasks related to
your goals also helps you reflect on your strategy. You’ll figure out what
works for you, whether your timeline is realistic, and whether or not you need
additional help to stay on track.
In addition, celebrating small wins helps you stay motivated.
Here’s how:
How To Celebrate
Small Wins To Achieve Big Goals
9. Take 10 minutes
every day to imagine how great it will feel to achieve your goals
Visualization is such a powerful tool. Some of the most
successful athletes, celebrities and business people take time each day to
think about how success looks and feels for them. Imagining
that feeling of satisfaction can be a great motivator.
When you do meet your goals, take some time to be grateful.
Thank yourself for showing up and doing the work. Be grateful when the stars
align properly to help you advance to the next step.
It’s not just getting to the destination of your goals that
matters. How you take the journey is important too.
10. Take an action
step toward reaching your goals every day
Your goals can easily get buried in the hustle and the
bustle. Even the smallest step in the right direction is still moving you
forward.
Keep chipping away at the work every day and before long, you’ll
start to see those dreams come to life.
Maybe you didn’t start your business today but you designed the
logo that’s going to go on your website and business cards. Doing that task
well is going to help you so much in the long run.
Concrete actions day by day draw your dreams out of obscurity
and into the realm of possibility.
Change begins today
Dreams can inspire and overwhelm us. By turning our dreams into
goals that we can work toward, we increase our chances of success. Things that
once seemed impossible are suddenly within reach.
It’s time to start turning your dreams into goals and your goals
into realities.
Leon Ho
https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifehack/10-ways-to-achieve-your-goals-quicker.html
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