My whole life I’ve been known as a ‘goal setter’ or ‘goal digger’ as I like to say (it’s punny and you’ll soon come to learn how much I appreciate a good pun).
I’m constantly thinking about the future, which can be stressful sometimes (I’ll be sharing some tips for easing that anxiety in a future post), but at the same time it’s exactly what has motivated me to get to where I am.
If it wasn’t for my goal setting habits, I honestly don’t think I’d be where I am right now.
For example, having a blog is a goal I’ve had for years and although I put it off for a while (silly insecurities) I said ‘screw it, I’m doing this for myself because I want to and maybe one day I’ll inspire someone else to follow their passions as well.’
Another goal I had was to attend a university in the United States; I worked really hard to make sure I had good grades in High School, a good SAT score, and an exceptional college application, and well… I did it!
Today I invite you to set some goals, whether they’re short-term or long-term goals, just take some time and think about something you’ve always wanted to do and how you’re going to get there. I’m going to share with you some goal setting tips that have worked for me, but feel free to adjust it so it works for you.
Tip #1:
Find a quiet space free of distractions. I prefer to sit down in silence so I can do some soul searching and think about what I envision my life to be.
Tip #2:
I like to have pen and paper handy (I got this notebook at Michael’s and I love the quote on the cover) so I can write down my goals.
I’m a visual person and love writing everything down so that way I can track my goals and check them off (yes, I love lists!).
Tip #3:
Start with a grateful heart. I like to start by writing three things I am grateful for.
When you express gratitude, your mind and soul are at ease and you realize how lucky you are and how far you’ve already come- which is great motivation to keep going.
Tip #4:
Think about where you are now and where you want to be 1 month, 6 months, 1 year, 10 years from now. Whatever your goal may be, be realistic about your current situation and how long it can take to be where you want to be in X amount of time.
Let’s say your goal is to lose 10 lbs, keep in mind that it is not healthy to lose weight that quickly, so don’t set a goal to accomplish this in 1 week.
Or, say you want to become a homeowner. Think about the expenses you currently have, the expenses you will have, and your current income. Then you can set a more realistic timeline.
Tip #5:
Start small. Sometimes we have goals that can be accomplished in just a couple of steps, but most of the time we have big goals that require a lot of time and energy. For those big goals, I like to set myself ‘mini goals.’
Take this blog as an example. I knew I wanted to have a blog (big goal) but I needed to take a few steps to get there (mini goals). I set myself the following mini goals: decide on a name (boy did that take time), purchase the domain, purchase a theme, organize the content, and write a few posts, among other mini goals.
Tip #6:
Get moving. Once you write down your goals, don’t get too caught up on them. Follow Tip #5 and get started with those ‘mini goals’ right away. Don’t live in a ‘what if,’ turn that daydream into a reality!
Those six tips have worked really well for me, but you might have something completely different that works for you. Whatever that may be, use it to your advantage and create that life you’ve always wanted.
Let me know in the comments below any tips you have for goal setting, or if you try any of the tips above, I’d love to hear your feedback!