When it comes to goal setting, you may feel like you’re swimming against the current. The majority of us are surrounded by a culture that shames those who set long-term goals and instead teaches us to focus on day-to-day tasks as if they are our only responsibilities until they become second nature.
The problem with this approach is that it makes it very uncomfortable to think about your future self because it tends to make us feel anxious and afraid that we won’t be able to achieve our goals in the future. If we don’t face the terrifying truth about our capabilities and dreams firsthand, then the idea of actually doing anything about them often feels too daunting an endeavor.
If you struggle with goal setting as much as the rest of us, then you might want to read on for some practical tips that help others break free from the shackles of their fears and discover a bold new self.
#1 Define your goals
If you don’t know what your goals are, then it’s going to be harder for you to move forward. To help yourself break free from the fear of goal setting, ask yourself some basic questions about what your goals are. What do you want to achieve? How will you measure success? What are the steps involved in reaching your goals?
#2 Set realistic and achievable goals
It’s important not to set goals that are too out of reach, otherwise you might get discouraged the moment they feel unattainable. The idea is to set a goal that you can work towards with a deadline in mind so that you can see progress and create momentum for further success.
Perhaps you are interested in establishing a side business as an e-commerce store owner. You might want to set an initial goal of making $5,000 in your first month, which would be something achievable if you put in the necessary time and effort for sure.
#3 Set a timeline for your goals
The next step is to set a timeline for your goals. What does it look like? Will this goal take months or years to achieve? Will it take weeks, days, or hours? Consider the size and scale of the goal that you have in mind, and decide how long it will take before you can see yourself reaching your destination.
#4 Create a plan of action to achieve your goals
This is the most important part of goal setting because it will help you to get started on your journey. When creating your plan of action, think about what actions you need to take and concrete actions that will help you achieve your goals. Next, work out how long each action will take and put a timetable together that shows when each task will be completed.
Finally, assign a deadline for when you want to see the results of all of your efforts so that you can track how well you’re doing. Having an end date in mind forces us to set deadlines and make things happen faster than we would otherwise do so.
It’s also important for us to remember that only by taking these steps does our confidence grow because we’re finally setting ourselves up for success rather than just hoping it happens by chance or magic.
#5 Take action and don’t give up
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the daunting task of goal setting. But when you’re feeling stuck, think about taking the first step. Most people feel like they need a plan of action before they can begin working toward their goals. This is true because the first step often seems like an insurmountable hurdle to overcome.
If you are struggling with this initial step, then it might be time to take action and just start doing something even if it’s not exactly what you want. Just getting started is enough to make progress and inspire your confidence a little bit more. Eventually, as you get closer to your goal, you can change course accordingly and adapt in order to achieve it.
Conclusion
Achieving your goals is a process and sometimes it doesn’t happen on its own. In order to achieve your goals, you’ll have to put in the work, but it’s worth it.
Pick one goal you want to achieve and write down that goal in as much detail as possible. Once you have your goal, identify all of the steps you need to take to achieve that goal. Then, determine where you can get help with each step. As you make progress toward your goal, make sure to celebrate the achievements along the way.