The 7 golden rules for achieving your goals
Do you know where you want to be in 5 years? Are you clear about your current goals?
If you want to succeed (no matter what "succeeding" means to you). You need to set goals. Without goals, you will lack focus and direction. Setting goals not only gives you the opportunity to take charge of your life, but also gives you references on your journey.
Setting a goal is good. But how to reach them? Without further ado, here are 7 golden rules to achieve your goals!
What is a goal?
First of all, what is a goal? A goal can be many different things. But what is certain is that a goal is not a dream or a hope. It is not enough to dream of traveling around the world or owning a condo in Old Montreal. These are super sweet dreams, but not goals.
A goal is specific and precise. It is a measurable element on which you can carry out follow-ups. For a goal to be a goal, you need to know how to get there and when you are going to reach it.
1. Choose the objective
First rule to achieve your goals: set a goal. HA!
It sounds silly, but it really is the hardest part. What do you really want? Find yourself a purpose that motivates you, something that you really enjoy. The important thing is to do something for yourself, not for anyone else! It can be big or small, it's up to you. On the other hand, if you are new to the lens, it is often easier to start small. Realistic and motivating goals are much more likely to be achieved!
2. Confront your limiting beliefs
A new goal is scary. And it's completely normal for you to doubt your ability to achieve the goal. Maybe you've tried to achieve this goal before and it didn't work.
Face your fears. Be honest with yourself and try to understand the why and how of these limiting beliefs. It is a good idea to write down these beliefs as well. That way you can become aware of it and maybe try to think about it a bit and put a new (hopefully positive) eye on those fears.
For example, if you want to learn how to invest in the stock market and your doubts tell you: I am not good with money… is it really true? Or is it fear speaking? Try to reposition that thought towards: I can learn to invest and manage my money.
3. Write down your goal
Write down your goals! Writing down your goals increases your chances of achieving them. It's a great way to get involved. When I say take in ours, I mean take EVERYTHING in note. What does your goal look like? What are the steps to achieve this goal and when do you want to achieve it? Put details!
Instead of noting, I want to move more. Note: I want to be able to do 10 push-ups, run for 15 minutes and do the split by December. This way you are 100% committed to your goal and you know exactly what it looks like.
4. Be specific
Goals that aren't specific are a recipe for failure. Making the decision that you're going to start a business or want to run a marathon is great, but it doesn't really give you any tangible way to achieve that goal.
Think about it a bit. It's much easier to know that you'll be able to run a marathon if you know exactly what you're going to do to get there. It takes a plan so be specific with your vision!
5. Make your goals real for YOU
Setting goals is all about clearing a path to accomplishment. On the other hand, it is perhaps a bit abstract to set a goal just like that. Techniques like visualization can help make your goal more "real" to you. This helps you focus on what accomplishing that goal will look like.
This practice really works wonders in terms of motivation and it is very powerful. Another great way to make your goals tangible is to create a vision board with photos and images that represent your goal and what it will accomplish for you!
6. Give yourself deadlines
Is a deadline goal really a goal? If you are not 100% committed to your goal, you will not achieve it. It's that simple. Obviously, if you tell yourself that you can work on your goal “anytime”, you will never get there. Procrastination is king!
For example, if your goal is to save $10,000, it will make a big difference if you give yourself two or five years to save it! Obviously, you will have to budget much differently to save in two years or five years.
7. No more guilt
It's hard to change habits and it's hard to achieve new goals. It's correct. Setting new goals, no matter how big or small, demands a lot of you. It's okay to get off track from time to time! Achieving goals is not a path without pitfalls. Please be kind to yourself. If you put too much pressure on yourself when you deviate a bit from the path, the goal will no longer be enjoyable at all and you will end up demotivated.
Nobody is perfect! If you are indulgent with yourself, it is much more likely that you will continue to move forward and ultimately achieve your goal!
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