Do you set goals every year, and you already forget about them by February?
Maybe you set high goals, but you quit when you face a setback.
Perhaps you put too many goals; therefore, you lack time and energy to reach them.
Maybe your thought is, “What if I fail?”
Goal setting and planning sounds easy, but it’s not.
If you struggle with setting goals or achieving them, you are far from being alone.
Many of us tend to hustle and feel like we must always be productive until we burn out and feel guilty.
Whatever your fear or struggle might be, you can figure out how to achieve your goal.
My advice is: Keep It Simple!
Here is how it works!
To keep this blog post short and sweet, let’s dive into the nitty-gritty planning strategy for 2020.
Step 1: Define 1-2 things you would like to change in your life
It can be whatever you want.
Maybe you want to become financially independent.
Maybe you want to improve your health.
Maybe you want to create a more loving and trusting relationship with your family.
Maybe you want to get a new job.
Pick one, max two areas you would like to improve in your life.
Why?
Because if you run after two or more horses, you’ll catch none.
It makes sense.
The book Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown can help you get laser-focused so that you proudly reach your goal.
Step 2: Set a specific goal
Many people struggle with setting a specific goal.
Here’s what I mean.
“I want to create an emergency fund.” is not the specific goal.
The specific goal is: “I’ll have $3,000 by the 12/31/2020 in my emergency fund.”
“I want to get in shape.” is not the specific goal.
The specific goal is: “I’ll be able to run 5 miles by 11/01/2020.”
“I wanted to earn more money in 2020.” is not the specific goal.
The specific goal is: “I’ll increase my monthly income by $500 by 03/01/2020.”
When your goal is laser-focused, you know how to close the gap between where you are right now and where you want to be.
The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller can help you nail down specific goals.
Step 3: Find YOUR WHY behind your goal.
Do not skip this step. It’s crucial for your success.
Ask yourself why this goal is essential to you?
When you fail or face a setback, your WHY will help you keep going.
This exercise will decrease your possibility of failure and increase your success rate.
Here’s how you do it…
Ask yourself:
“Why having an emergency fund is important to me?” Because I want to have a calm mind when an emergency happens.
“Why do I want to have a calm mind when an emergency happens?” Because I get very anxious when unpredictable things happen.
“Why do I get anxious when unpredictable things happen?” Because I don’t trust myself that I will figure things out, and I panic.
“Why don’t I trust myself that I’ll figure things out?” Your answer.
Ask yourself the WHY QUESTION five times, and you’ll discover gems about yourself.
Step 4: Close the gap with the ban
You must make an action plan. You might not know all the steps yet. That’s okay because you need to know only the first step.
Now, this is important!
Let’s take the goal: “I’ll have $3,000 by the 12/31/2020 in my emergency fund.”
How do you close the gap?
- If you don’t do it so, start tracking where your money goes every month.
- Have an honest talk with yourself about what expenses are necessary and what is not
- Create a plan for how much money you’ll put into an emergency fund each month.
- Maybe you realize that you need to consult with a financial planner.
- Perhaps you realize that you are not very good at finances and would like to take a course on being smart with money.
Remember this!
Likely, you don’t know all the steps yet (the emphasis is on YET).
You will fry your brain if you’re trying to figure them all out.
You’ll get paralysis by analysis (read here how to overcome it), and you’ll quit before you even start.
If you are afraid that you’ll fail, don’t worry. I got your back. Read the blog on How to Focus on Progress When Stumbling on a Setback.
If you have never followed through with your New Year’s resolution so far, do not give up. Instead, try the four steps I shared with you above.
Warning: Success is on your way.
I would love to hear from you.
What is the number one reason for not achieving your goals in the previous year?
Let me know your answer in the comments below.
Want to get laser-focused but not overwhelmed? Click here and get your planner to help you get focused and productive.
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