New year’s resolutions, bucket lists, work goals – all these are expectations and goals you set for yourself to complete at some point in your life. Look back at the past plans you’ve made before; how many of them have you checked off the list?
If you still have many untouched goals, you may have trouble following through with them. It’s not uncommon for your plans to fall through, but you should take charge if you want to strive to achieve them. Goal setting may seem tedious, but it’ll help you in the long run. Here are a few tips to help you set more realistic goals.
1. Visualise your goals
Putting your goals down on paper and using visuals like pictures can be extremely helpful in helping you to set the goal you’re aiming for. Trying to remember every single one of your goals mentally may be difficult as you are more likely to lose track of them and forget what you’ve set in the first place.
Keep a journal with all your goals written down, and make it more enticing by creating a small collage of related pictures. You may also do this with your notes application or a goal-setting application on your mobile device. It is a better and more tangible way to organise your thoughts and objectives as you’d be approaching it with a clearer mind.
Visualising your goals will also help you with evaluating which one has top priority, serving as a structure for which to complete first. The more you see your goal being a successful outcome in your life, the more you can achieve it.
2. Set clear milestones
Goals are easier to meet when you take little steps at a time; those small steps will be your specific milestones. After visualising the goal you want to achieve, list a few particular milestones to complete in a sequence. For each plan, start by setting at least two or three milestones with short descriptions of what they are.
Milestones are one of the keys to completing goals, as breaking one plan down into smaller segments makes it seem more achievable and manageable compared to an entire big one. It also helps to keep you on track, especially when you have multiple goals you’re aiming for. Giving yourself a way to feel the progress can also motivate you to work towards what you’ve set your mind on.
3. Use the SMART framework
SMART goals are one of the most effective ways to set a goal you can ensure you’ll follow through with. If you have experienced life skills workshops or personal coaching services in Singapore, you may have also heard of this framework. It encourages you to evaluate and think deeply about what you want to achieve with your plan and how.
To give you a better understanding, these are a few good examples of SMART goal summary statements for your reference:
- I will write a 30,000-word novel in three months by 30 August 2022. I will do this by writing 2,500 words a week.
- I will have bonding games with my teammates every two weeks for three months to develop a better bond.
- I want to complete ten tasks in two weeks, doing five tasks each week by 30 July 2022.
Now that you have a small gist of what a SMART goal is supposed to look like, here’s how you can create yours:
- Specific – start by narrowing down your goal and avoid being too vague or general in your aim.
- Manageable – provide a means of data or evidence to show how you have progressed over your targeted deadline.
- Attainable – ensure that you can achieve the goal within your specified time frame and that you have the means or ability to do so.
- Relevant – your goal should align with your long-term plans or interests to feel more comfortable approaching the goal.
- Time-based – set a realistic and achievable time frame to achieve your goal fully, be it days, weeks, months, or years.
This framework is great as it’s a method that can be any goal that you have in mind. Whether it’s a personal life goal, fitness or work goal, you can reach for anything as long as you have your eye on the prize.
Conclusion
Goal setting can be an essential part of self-development to be a well-organised person and even a better leader in life. It is also a way to take control of your life’s direction, allowing you to feel more fulfilled and confident.
At BestOfMe, we provide a personalised coaching experience that can make accomplishing goals a piece of cake and help you with more. We can help you to bring out your best potential and help you push yourself to heights you never knew you could reach. Discover the best version of yourself today and visit our website for more information.
