If you’re anything like me you’re constantly setting new goals for yourself – whether it’s losing 10 pounds, swimming a 5k or getting that promotion at work, there’s always something to strive for. And it’s all well and good setting goals, but goal setting alone does not success make… So here’s my quick guide to smashing your goals in time for summer.
Set achievable goals
Challenging yourself to run a marathon when the most you’ve done to date is pop down to Sports Direct and buy some shiny new running shoes is a recipe for setting yourself up to be disappointed. A more achievable goal might be to complete a Couch to 5k programme. If it’s your dream to run a marathon, I’m not saying you should give up on that dream – just break it down in smaller, achievable goals, when you smash one, move onto the next. I liken this part of the goal setting process to having a taste of everything at the buffet, celebrating five smaller victories is so much more fun than only celebrating one!
Don’t set too many
There are only 24 hours in a day and only seven days in a week so trying to lose weight, get fit, declutter your home, bag that promotion, save for a house deposit, start your own business and redesign your bedroom all at the same time is way too much for your brain to handle, no matter how much of an organisational rock star you are. I like to get started on one goal at a time to give myself a chance to concentrate on establishing the new behaviours needed to achieve it. That doesn’t mean I only work on one goal at a time, but I don’t start everything in the same week. This really helps me to get and remain consistent.
Set a time limit to achieve each goal
A goal without a timeline is just a distant dream… Putting a time limit on something drives us to take action and action is what gets results. You have to be realistic though, if your Couch to 5k programme takes 10 weeks, don’t try to cram it all into five, it’s a 1o week programme for a reason. If you’re not following a preset programme be totally honest with yourself about how long you have to commit to working towards a goal each week and then set your timeline accordingly. A friend of mine recently signed up to a language class that fitted right into her schedule, but she didn’t consider the hours outside of the class that she’d need for learning new vocab and practicing pronunciation.
Make a plan and stick to it
Remember, failure to plan is a plan to fail. I used to be so guilty of making grand plans and never following through because I simply failed to plan properly. I big part of my weight loss success comes from proper meal planning and preparation. If I don’t spend an hour on a Sunday prepping my breakfasts the week starts off badly and all of my meals can end up spiralling out of control. So meal prepping is now part of my Sunday evening ritual, I prep my breakfasts, plan my other meals and then treat myself to a relaxing bath complete with luxury face mask and candles.
Track your progress
Tracking things like weight loss and fitness are easy, pull out the tape measure or sync your fitness tracker, but what if your goal is to practice gratitude or meditate regularly? That’s where journalling comes in and I’m so excited to share my journalling secret weapon with you…
*Drum roll please!*
Introducing the Daily Greatness Journal. This rock star journal combines a yearly diary, goal and appointment planner alongside daily tools and tips for self-mastery. It will guide you to form great habits and keep yourself accountable, as well as providing a place to track your progress. You can record the things that are helping you move towards your goals and the things that might be stopping you from moving forward. This journal has helped me to identify and battle through some of the sticking points that have led me fail on my weight loss journey in the past. It’s also really helped me to get clear about what I really want in other areas of my life. It really is your very own personal guide to greatness. Get yours now along with 5% off with my referral link!
Celebrate the small stuff
Achieving your goals feels great and those achievements should definitely be celebrated. Treating yourself to a massage after a big fitness event, or a mani-pedi after some hard core decluttering will leave you pumped for the next challenge. And like I said before, celebrating lots of smaller victories is so much more fun than only celebrating one!
Finally, don’t be afraid to fail
Accept that you’re not going to achieve every goal first time and failure is not something to be feared. If you had the chance to ask any of your idols about their journey to success I’m sure their stories would be filled with anecdotes about times they hit a wall. Overcoming these failures makes us better at what we do and gives us the feedback we need to set ourselves up for success the next time around. I’m a huge believer in progress not perfection. Go forth and fail once, fail again, fail better next time 😉
I can’t wait to hear all about your goals and progress in the comments below.
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Great article.
Just what I was looking for. Came here by searching for goal setting in Google and got everything I need. Thanks so much Jemma!