It’s a great time to set goals and lay the groundwork for a rewarding year. And despite all the press about how many people fail to meet their goals you can (actually!) accomplish the outcomes you want with a few simple strategies.
You’re wise to set goals because by doing so, you play to your strengths and contribute to your self-esteem. Assessing your current state grounds you and provides a meaningful starting point. And establishing a vision for the future reinforces your belief in your capability to make it happen.
And all of these are significant ways to express hope and optimism—which are linked with wellbeing, mental health and even longevity.
Simple Strategies to Reach Your Goals
So what are the actions that will help you reach your aspirations? They are straightforward and relatively simple—you just need to execute.
1. Be Clear
One of the first ways to ensure you succeed is to be super-clear in what you’re striving for. You can do this by keeping your list of goals short—with three goals at the most. You can always add more goals when you reach them, but less is more at any one time.
Also be specific in what you want to accomplish. You’re not seeking to just lose weight, you want to lose 10 pounds by October 1. You’re not just looking to advance your career, you want to gain six new certifications in the area of digital marketing.
When you’re clear about what you want to accomplish, you’ll be more likely to stay focused and give your goal attention and effort, according to a study published by Educational Research Review.
2. Be Uncomfortable
Another surefire way to boost success is to embrace challenge—because among the best goals are those which are tough to accomplish. You can’t grow without discomfort and any goal represents change—which can be difficult.
Set your sights high enough that they require effort. The things you want may be hard, but the current circumstances can also be hard. You’ll want to choose your hard. Working in a toxic environment is hard. Seeking to a get a job with a new company is also hard. But you can put effort toward the difficulty with terrific payoffs.
You can also distinguish between discomfort and pain. For example, if you lack the energy to go out with friends and fully engage with your people, it’s painful. On the other hand, working out regularly to enhance your stamina will be uncomfortable, but the discomfort is in service to a rewarding outcome.
And there is proof positive of the benefits of challenge—because the research in Educational Research Review finds that demanding goals will be more likely to keep you motivated.
3. Be Consistent
You can also ensure that you reach your goals by taking consistent action to manage your habits. Perhaps you want to write a book: You’ll need to establish a habit of writing regularly—perhaps each day for 30 minutes. Or maybe you want to get in shape, so you need to cement a habit of packing your gym bag each evening so you can walk out the door with it each morning.
Habits add up beautifully, and math can be motivational. Consider that reading 20 pages a day turns into close to 30 books in a year. Or that saving $8.00 per day adds up to $3,000 per year. Or walking 10,000 steps each day is about the same as achieving 70 marathons each year. Small habits can make a big difference in reaching grand goals.
Another way to ensure consistency is to link the new habit with an existing routine. You brush your teeth every morning, and during that same time of the day, you can do the sit-ups and pushups you want to commit to.
4. Be Collaborative
For many people, collaborating with others helps to meet goals. You can think of this in two ways—both in terms of working with others and for others.
You have a goal to get healthy and you decide with your friend group to attend yoga classes together three times a week. Or you have a goal to help reduce children’s food insecurity and you join the advisory group for the charity working toward that goal—contributing to others through your actions.
Work with others to reach your goals and work for others to make an impact that matters.
5. Be Counted
Another way to increase the likelihood of achieving your goals is to ensure you get feedback on your progress to your goals. This is according to data based on Goal Setting Theory.
One of the best ways to get regular feedback is to track your progress. Use an app or a calendar system to mark the days you invested time in the learning that will help you reach the new professional certification. Or track the number of times you’ve reached out to business contacts in pursuit of your goal to grow your professional network.
You can also increase your accountability by sharing your intentions with others. When you to public with a goal, you increase the visibility and healthy pressure to reach it. So let your colleagues know about the ways you’re planning to continuously improve your productivity or contributions to the team, and keep your friend informed about your goal to eat more healthfully.
6. Be Committed
Another way to achieve your goals is to ensure you’re personally committed to what you’re setting out to accomplish. While this may seem obvious, it’s easy to get swept up in what your friend is doing or the latest social media trend. But if you’re not working toward something based on your own passion, it will be tough to make the effort day to day and week to week.
Establish a compelling reason for the goals you want to reach. Perhaps you want to improve your responsiveness at work, so you can advance your career. Or maybe you want to seek out a mentor, so you can develop greater passion for your work. Or you may want to enhance your work-life choices and decision making, so you’re more available for your family.
When you’re changing your behavior through the year, remind yourself about your why and the bigger picture of how your goals matter—to you.
7. Be Future Focused
You’ll also be more likely to meet your goals when you stay focused on the future.
Self-gratification and short-term rewards (think: watching another episode of your show rather than going to the gym) are tempting. But when you can put aside what you want in the moment for what you want in the long term, you’re more likely to get the outcome you desire and to achieve greater happiness.
Ultimately, fulfillment and satisfaction with life are more correlated with getting better, rather than just getting happy.
Reach Your Goals
It’s possible to reach your goals this year—using just a few simple strategies. It may feel like you’re climbing a mountain, but with a bit of planning and with the management of your thinking, you’ll be able to achieve the outcomes you want—and the future you envision.