How to Actually Achieve Your Goals
“A goal without a plan is just a wish.”
To put it succinctly, the #1 way to actually achieve your goals is to have a plan!
While creating a plan can be overwhelming (where do you begin???), the three-step process outlined below will guide you on your journey.
1. Write your end vision
Think from the end mentality is really that effective!
Pick up a journal and pen or open a Word document and write what a day in your life would look like when this dream has been achieved.
What time will you wake up? What does your morning routine look like? What does your workday look like? Do you have a spouse, pet, or kids?
Get seriously detailed here!
When I was dreaming about moving into a studio, I envisioned waking up in my house in Littleton, sending my husband off to work, having a smoothie, petting my cats, driving my green VW bug down my road, pulling up to the Tannery Marketplace, and went on to write what my work day looked like. Even though my goal was business-related, I painted a complete picture of how that dream affected all areas of my life. (I didn’t have to work from home, I envisioned my short commute, what I did during the day for work, and how I could leave work at the studio.)
Clarity is the objective here.
2. Reverse engineer
Now that you know exactly what you want, write down all the steps it will take to get from where you are now to where you want to be.
Write down large tasks first (write a business plan, design a website, find a commercial space), then break those down into smaller tasks (“design a website” -> determine website platform, apply branding to site, write website copy, compile photos, etc.)
Break down your tasks as many times as you can. It’s much easier to get started on “write about page copy” than it is to “write website copy.”
Then, organize all of these tasks in order of when they need to be accomplished. You can use planning sites like Monday to make it easy. The list may still be overwhelming, so set deadlines for yourself and focus only on the next task.
Why You Should Expect Less of Yourself
3. Create a Vision Board
Okay, now hear me out. You don’t have to be spiritual or believe in the Law of Attraction to benefit from creating a vision board.
Initial research suggests that creating a vision board can help us achieve our goals more easily, mainly because vision boards are a visual reminder of what we’re working towards.
You don’t have to scour magazines or make a vision board out like an elementary school arts and crafts project. The tutorial below will help you design a beautiful vision board on Canva (a free, cloud-based design software) that you can then print and frame. No poster board here!
Once you have a plan that’s clear, easy to follow, and holds you accountable with deadlines, you’ll be on your way to actually achieving your goals.
If one of your goals is start a business, check out my no cost Begin Your Business course. We’ll cover the steps you need to take to build a solid business foundation, and in what order you should take them. The course dives into pricing, making your business legit, renting a space, writing a business plan, and more!
If you’re looking for more tips on goal setting, there’s an entire Formula on how to set and achieve your goals in my Debug Your Business membership.
