For all the ambitious people out there. For the over-thinkers who want to make progress but are feeling stuck. For the people who get really excited but never know where to start. Let’s start simple, set some goals and get organized! There are so many reasons that we can set goals. Here is the thing tho… the goal setting step is step one. So let’s get this first step done really well so we can build plans and habits and crush those goals!
So if you like the “SMART” goal setting process, great go use it, I support you in that! The best thing you can do for your goals is get them written down and using the “SMART” goal setting process is one way to do that. One of the reasons it didn’t work for me is because none of those letters helped me make a plan for getting to my goal. So however you choose to set the goal, make sure you include making a plan for it as part of that goal setting process.
Here is why I like taking the time to write down my goals. If I have a goal and I keep it in my head, then it is very likely that my goal will get lost in the chaos of my head. Writing my goal down on paper does a few things for me. First, it’s like a physical download. Once that goal is downloaded onto a piece of paper, that frees up WAY more RAM in my brain for things like making a plan for that goal. Second, the act of writing my goal down makes it more real for me. It’s no longer an intangible thought in my head, now it is in the physical world. And because it is in the physical world, I can look at it objectively and break it down into steps AKA the plan!
Once you have that goal AND a plan written down, your next step is to take action! Keep it simple and repeatable AND keep going! We will talk more about making the plan and taking action in another episode. For now, remember that effective goal setting includes,
a goal, AKA the thing you want
a plan, AKA how you are going to get it
taking action, AKA your first step.
and reviewing and evaluating the above 2 things until achieve your goal!
For more on why I like setting goals, enjoy this video episode!