Goal-setting theory gives you a process that you can follow to set goals that matter. Goals come in many different shapes and targets. You need to have a variety of goals that keep you motivated today and for the rest of your life.
When you apply the following goal-setting theory, you start working on the process over the event. The event is the overall big picture that the world will celebrate. The process is what gets you there, it's the little things people do day in and out that you never get credit for.
There are a few tips for establishing goals and achieving them. Let's look at these four significant elements that you will have to possess to accomplish any goals you set for yourself. Goal setting for success can be much easier when you know what you are doing.
Goal-setting theory gives you a process that you can follow to set goals that matter. Goals come in many different shapes and targets. You need to have a variety of goals that keep you motivated today and for the rest of your life.
Tip #1 of Goal Setting Theory: Think of Your New Goals
Reserve a particular time every year to write your objectives. Turn this to a tradition you look forward to. Consider writing your plans between Christmas and December 31st so that you can share them with your loved ones on 1st January.
Wouldn’t it be excellent for your children to grow up hearing about your dreams and aspirations and how you managed to achieve them? What an impression it will leave on them to see you achieve your goals annually!
If the holidays are too busy, try goal setting in August before the school year begins or pick a suitable day. The trick is going to be consistency. That day might even come to be a celebration of those goals achieved the prior calendar year.
Today's Action Step: Begin to move your goal setting for success forward. Decide to write down your goals. Specify a date, location, and time.
Tip #2 for Goal Setting Theory - Start With Sensible and Balanced Goals
If you don't exercise much, planning to run at the Boston Marathon in a month isn't a brilliant objective. That is not to say that you should always be realistic, but you need an accurate time frame for how long it will take to succeed.
What makes people give up on their goals is getting the time frame wrong. We overestimate what we can do in a year, but we underestimate what we can get done in 10 years. You have to expect more from yourself in the long run, but you can't expect things to come fast.
Think about writing one goal for each of these areas: spiritual life, family, business, health, and financial. Most goals that people set are loaded in the financial section, and it makes your goals unbalanced.
What is the point in making a tonne of money if you are unhealthy, your family hates you, and you lose touch with your spiritual grounding? There is no point to that. You want your goals to cover all the different areas of life.
Tip #3 for Goal Setting Theory - Post it!
Place your written goals where you can see them easily and regularly. Habit Stacker is great for this because you can set your goals right in the app and track their progress.
In the event you write goals and then put them off for an additional year, likely, you did not place them where you could easily find them. Remember, out of sight can mean out of mind.
But if you taped them on your bathroom mirror, your wardrobe or door of the fridge, it would be straightforward to read them each evening before going to bed. You want to run into these goals everywhere you go. Burn these goals into your mind!
Tip #4 for Goal Setting Theory - Break Down Your Goals Into Digestible Habits
If you've never exercised before, the idea of just jumping into a marathon is not smart. You want to start smaller and build daily habits. Therefore begin with training every Monday and Friday for a month.
As you create a new standard to your workout regimen, you'll be in a position to add more workouts. Before you know it, you will be able to train every day. The habit of training daily will turn working out into a lifestyle that represents who you are.
Once something becomes a daily habit, the results are inevitable. If you write every day, it will not be long before you have enough content to publish a book. If you run every day, it will not be long before you are in great shape. The power is in changing something you do every single day.
Rule #5 for Goals Setting Theory - Review Your Goals Daily
Another habit you want to add to your repertoire is being intentional about reviewing your goals every day. Too many people set goals and then never look at them again. You want to read them and see them daily. Feel what your life will look like when you accomplish that goal.
Habits help you to accomplish your goals but reviewing your goals helps you to remember why you are chasing what you are. It helps you to go through with the hard things each day because you are chasing something more significant.
Why Goal Setting is Important
Goal setting is an exceptional possibility to push yourself to the next level. Nobody wants to die with unfulfilled potential. You'll be an inspiration to your family, and several more!
When setting your targets, it's imperative to recognize whether you have the skills required. You might need to acquire the skills or essential tools to reach goals you have set for yourself because real-life goals are those that you have the potential of actually accomplishing.
When establishing your goals, it's critical to set yourself up for failure. The secret to success is to have the relevant skills required and also the ability to observe your progress. For example, you can't become a doctor without getting into med school to be trained.
All your goals don't have to be attainable at first, but the short term goals should always be achievable. The goals should all build on each other. As you accomplish one small goal, it leads you to one that is a bit bigger.
Goal Demands Measurable Goals
It's always best to track your progress when establishing any goals or objectives for yourself. Having measurable goals allows you to reflect on how much you have progressed and how much further you need to go to accomplish them.
Additionally, this gives you a sense of management and keeps you motivated. Without measurable goals, you can throw goal-setting theory out the window.
Not having measurable goals would be similar to playing a game of darts in a dimly lit room and attempting to hit the bull's eye. With no other update or indication of a person's progress, you'd probably just quit and walk away because of frustration, lack of interest, or just plain boredom.
Habit Stacker forces you to set measurable goals with numbers for this reason. Otherwise, people set weak goals like "I want to be rich." That goal will get you nowhere because you can't measure progress with it.
Setting Short and Long-Term Goals
Long and short term goals require two completely different mindsets to allow them to be reached successfully. Determining what is necessary at the early stages of planning will enable you to effortlessly and adequately prioritize your efforts.
Your expectations of the time it would take you to complete will be decided at this point, which is essential to avoid needless frustrations or anxieties that could come with setting goals with unrealistic timeframes.
With short-term goals, your efforts are usually more concentrated and intense compared to the longer-term goals. Knowing what to expect at the beginning is undoubtedly going to make all of your preparations so much easier.
When you write your goals, always ensure that they are realistic and actionable. Avoid writing down goals that are vague, overly complicated, and have no defined timeframe. Lack of consideration is often a recipe for failure and disappointment.
Last Words on Goal Setting Theory
The goals you wrote down are quite crucial to you. It's essential however when setting goals to consider if these goals are an excellent fit for you. You would likely need to acquire the necessary skills and resources (including the means) to track your progress to reach your objectives successfully. In the long run, it is vital that whatever goals you set includes the three elements we spoke of earlier for the best chance of success.
How to Get Started With Goal Setting Theory?
Habit Stacker provides resources to help you improve your habits and reach your goals. The first way we do this is through our online course Habit Mastery. The second way is with the Habit Stacker mobile app.
Olympian and founder of Habit Stacker Ian Warner, teaches the Habit Mastery course. He walks you through practical techniques that you can use to improve your life. No fluff or non-sense! You get instant access to over 45 different videos breaking down how to build good habits to reach your goals.
The Habit Stacker app is what you use to live out your habits daily. It's a habit tracker that lets you know what you need to do each day. The app sets your daily routine board for you each day, so you all you have to do is get the task done at the top of the list. You can look back and see your streaks and see how quickly you are moving toward goal setting for success.