Katie-louise.com
Goal setting

The Ultimate Goal Setting Guide: 7 Steps to Create Achievable Goals

Have you ever set a goal for yourself and then never achieved it? Maybe you’ve even had this happen multiple times. It might be because your goals are too vague or not specific enough. Or perhaps they’re too big to be achievable in the time frame you have available to achieve them.

Setting goals is a tradition as old as time itself. But why do some people seem to achieve their goals?

The most practical goal setting is based on seven simple steps that anyone can use to transform how they approach their goals and strengthen their motivation to achieve them.

If you’re looking for a step-by-step guide on setting your best goals, look no further!

These seven steps don’t matter where you are starting from or your current success level. Instead, you’ll learn how to create achievable goals for yourself.

What is a goal?

A goal can be anything that someone hopes to achieve in the future. Goals are often short-term, but there are long-term goals too. There are five different types of goals: personal, occupational, health, educational and financial.

The old saying “where there’s a will, there’s a way” also applies to achieving your goals. First, you need to know what you want to do and work towards it daily. Working towards your goal every day will get you closer to it than not doing anything.

Whether you’re trying to be healthier, get a promotion at work, get better grades in school or just have something that will motivate you to get up each morning and take action.

This article will talk about setting goals for yourself and how they can help you achieve the life you want.

Goal Setting

The importance of goal setting

Goal setting is one of the most important aspects when it comes to achieving success. Goal setting can be done for both short-term goals and long-term goals.

Setting goals helps you work towards what you want in your future. The good thing about this is that it’s only up to you where your boundaries are! You don’t need anyone else to set them for you. It’s all about thinking big and never giving up on yourself!

Successful people know that setting goals are important, and they constantly work towards their goals.

What are the benefits of setting goals?

When we set goals for ourselves, we can accomplish so much more than if we didn’t have any goals at all. Goals allow us to determine the path we want our lives to take and give us a clear direction.

It’s easy to set goals. Just write down what you want to achieve and go! Really, it is as simple as that! Once you have written down your goals, you can work on achieving them.

There are several benefits of setting goals. Some examples include:

  • Setting goals improves your life satisfaction. This gives you something to work towards, giving you a sense of purpose in what you’re doing each day.
  • Having clear and detailed goals will attract opportunities that you didn’t see before. For example, You may win a competition that helps you take your career to the next level.
  • Without goals, we would be aimlessly wandering through life. Instead of doing this, we can set goals and work towards them to give our life a sense of purpose and direction.

Goal setting

What to keep in mind when setting goals

When you’re trying to set a goal for yourself, there are certain things that you need to keep in mind. First, you want your goals to be achievable and make sense, given your current situation.

At the same time, you want them to still push you out of your comfort zone a little bit. You should set a goal that can be achieved within a specific timeframe, and it should be something that you’re genuinely passionate about. Lastly, you want your goals to have meaning.

Personal goals should be important to you.

They are also an excellent way to stay motivated and work towards something. Many people prefer to set goals that they can measure against—for example, running 5km in under 30 minutes or losing 10kgs before Christmas. They can then see how much closer they are to achieving their goal by checking the distance on a map or stepping on a scale.

Other people like to set more abstract goals, such as ‘being the best I can be’ or ‘enjoying my life’. These goals aren’t very easily measured against but can feel very rewarding once complete. If you try this, make sure it’s something that is important for YOU and not what someone else thinks you should be doing.

My personal goal is learning to love myself check out my self-love journey 

Goal setting

If you are having trouble with motivation, try some of these ideas for setting goals that will drive success:

Start small and work up:

Trying to hit a too big goal can be overwhelming and demotivating. Trimming down your plan into smaller achievable chunks will feel more satisfying and make it more likely you will stay on track to achieving your goal.

Keep them under control:

Goals can sometimes feel like a burden and be full of pressure. Make sure that your goals are ones that won’t stress you out but will still motivate you and bring about positive change in your life.

Be specific about what you want to accomplish:

Goals should be clear and detailed so you can monitor your progress. If your goal is too vague, there is no way of knowing if you are actually making any headway toward achieving it.

Think about how the goal relates to you personally:

Is this really important for me? Am I doing it because someone else wants me to or because I really want to? Is it something that I’m going to enjoy? These are questions you should ask yourself when setting a goal.

Goal setting

How to set goals that work

Everyone wants a successful, happy life. But how do you get there? What steps should you take to improve your life and achieve success? You can begin with this simple formula: set goals. If you have ever had a New Year’s resolution, such as quitting smoking or getting fit, then you already know something about goal-setting.

But if you want to set goals that work, you will need a little more than just inspiration and willpower. You will need a simple yet powerful goal-setting system. Setting and achieving goals will be easy once you have this system in place.

As long as you have the right plan for your goals, you can achieve anything that you set out to do.

goal setting

Think Smaller to Achieve Bigger

Many people get discouraged when they don’t see immediate results and lose motivation before they even start. It’s important not to set the bar too high and just go for something that you feel is achievable in a short amount of time- this will give you the sense of pride and achievement that you need to keep going.

For some, setting long term goals help them stay focused on their path to success, but you mustn’t lose sight of the immediate target. You need short term targets if you want to achieve a long-term goal. So have a look at what you can achieve in a matter of days, weeks or months and break it down by hours.

Make Your Goals Specific and Measurable You should always keep your goals specific and measurable instead of just saying that they will be achieved sometime in the future. This way, you’ll be able to track your progress towards the goal you’ve set for yourself.

You can also break down your goals into smaller steps that are easier to achieve, and they will help you stay motivated. Making short-term targets is a good way of making sure that you don’t lose sight of the ultimate goal.

Working towards achieving your goal

After you’ve set your goal, it’s time to start working towards achieving it. You should know exactly how you’re going to achieve your goal and what steps need to be taken. If you don’t know the first step that needs to be taken, you won’t get very far.

It’s important that you stick with your goal and don’t give up when the going gets tough. Remind yourself why you wanted to achieve this goal in the first place!

Setting your goals is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. After setting a goal, it’s time to start working towards achieving that goal by taking small steps each day. Avoid getting discouraged and enjoy the journey that you’re on!

Goal achievement is a continuous process.

Without goal setting, there would be no way of tracking your progress. This is why goal setting is so important.

Settling down to work on your goals requires motivation and perseverance, which you can give yourself by making achievable short-term targets that lead to longer-term ones. But, with just a few tweaks to your approach, you’ll find that you can achieve so much more.

Smart Goals

The first step in creating effective goals is understanding the difference between SMART and non-SMART goals.

A smart goal follows the following criteria:

Measurable

You can measure whether or not your goal has been achieved by a certain date, so it’s easier to follow up on.   

Actionable

Instead of saying ‘I want to lose weight, you should say ‘I want to go to the gym three times a week’. A measurable goal is of no use if it’s not actionable.

Realistic

Don’t put yourself in an uncomfortable situation, or you’ll feel like quitting. Time-Based – There needs to be a time limit on your goal. Otherwise, it’s just wishful thinking.

Things to remember when you’re creating smart goals:

Time-based

Set a date for your goal so that you know exactly when the deadline is. If the time period isn’t set out in specific dates, then it becomes wishful thinking and not an achievable goal. The time frame has to be realistic and achievable.

Low Hanging Fruit

Focus on the easy things, not the difficult tasks. Easy wins will get you closer to your goal without feeling overwhelmed.

High-Level Goals

Start with the big picture and work down into smaller, more actionable goals. Write them down! You might think it’s nonsense, but writing down your goals helps you stay on track and less likely to give up.

When creating effective goals, you must know why you’re doing what you’re doing and what the overall purpose is. Once you have a clear motivation for your goal, it will be easier for you to follow through with it.

Goal setting

What are the three types of goals?

There are three main types of goals: short term, middle term, and long term.

Short Term Goal:

A goal that is set for a year or less can be broken down into weekly and daily action plans, so it doesn’t seem so overwhelming. Also known as SMART Goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely)

Middle Term Goal:

It’s a goal set for 1-5 years, but it’s best to break them down into yearly targets so they don’t seem too daunting. Also known as SMART Goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely)

Long Term Goal:

A goal that has been set for more than five years. They can be broken down into your lifespan goals, such as getting a PhD or buying a house.

Setting short term goals.

Setting short term goals is a great way to make sure that you stay on track during the early stages of achieving your goal or dream, whether it be losing a certain amount of weight in a certain amount of time or hitting a target.

Setting goals is a great way to ensure that you stay focused and motivated throughout the process. It allows you to have something to work towards and reminds you that improvement is possible if you continue working hard.

Short term goals are often preferred to just one big goal as they can be more easily achieved than one huge goal but still provide the sense of achievement that is associated with achieving something big.

Setting goals also allows you to measure your progress and see how far you have come, which acts as a great source of motivation for many people.

I like setting small goals because I’ll be able to see my progress and get excited about how far I’ve come.

It’s amazing to see your progress when you’re just starting out, and it really keeps me motivated to keep working hard.

Listing short term goals helps set targets along the way that will push you forward. As you achieve them one by one, they act as stepping stones to the final goal.

There are many different ways you can set short term goals, but just making sure that they are achievable and relevant is a good place to start.

It’s also important to list what you’re trying to achieve with each goal, for example, the weight you want to lose or the number of times you want to go to the gym in a week. This helps keep you on track and ensures that all aspects of your health are improving.

Many people like setting goals in terms of numbers, e.g. losing one stone in a certain amount of time, because it makes them more tangible and achievable than just writing “I want to lose weight”.

If you find yourself constantly having to change your goals, maybe they are too ambitious or not relevant to the life you lead now. Sometimes people make their goals too big and never actually achieve them.

It’s important to remember that your short term goals should be based on how much you actually want to achieve them, and they need to be realistic. If you set small, achievable goals, then you can track your improvement along the way and enjoy seeing the results.

Setting long term goals

Setting long term goals is the first step toward meeting your overall vision for improving your life. It’s an integral step in creating a happy, healthy and more successful future.

To get started, you’ll need to answer some important questions:

Where do you want to be in 5 years?

What do you want to achieve?

How can you get there?

Take time to really think about where you want to be. Being specific will help ensure your success. Before jumping into rounding out the details of your long term goals. Once you’re ready to formally commit to the vision of how you want your life to look in 5 years, think about what it will take for that vision to become a reality.

Remember, there is no right or wrong answer here. What’s important is that you’re very specific about what you want your future to look like.

Setting long term goals is a process.

Now that you have a draft version of your life in 5 years take some time to explore it and make sure it’s the vision you really want.

Are you excited about this future?

Is it something you can focus on and make happen?

Can you imagine yourself doing the things that will get you there in the future?

Our lives are constantly changing, for better or worse. Taking stock of where we are today is a great way to determine our starting point to achieving the vision you have for your life in 5 years.

What are three milestones you can achieve in the next six months?

Where are you today?

Record your current circumstances, not necessarily how you’d like them to be or where you want to end up. Then, instead of simply describing what’s wrong or right, focus on the areas where you have control over how things are by giving yourself specific goals to pursue.

What are three milestones you can achieve in the next six months?

Remember, being specific with your goals is important. Using measurable language will help you monitor your progress and keep on track to achieving what matters most to you.

Goal Setting

Make sure your goals are realistic

This is probably the most important part of setting out any plan on how you will achieve what you want to do. If you set unrealistic goals, you are setting yourself up for failure.

It’s important to give yourself a timeframe that allows enough time to work toward your goal without rushing the process too much. Be honest with yourself about how much time it will take and what can realistically be achieved within that timeframe.

You need to make sure that whatever your long-term goal is, breaking it down into short term goals and working towards them is achievable for you.

“Fail to plan, and you plan to fail.”

This is especially true when looking at weight loss or physical fitness goals. You need to make sure that they are achievable. Otherwise, you are only setting yourself up for disappointment.

Don’t try to lose too much weight too quickly. Some experts say losing 1lb a week is the maximum safe amount of weight loss per week.

You should keep track of every goal you set, even if they are personal goals unrelated to work or school. This way, you can measure what you have achieved and what hasn’t been done. This will help you better understand where your time is going and whether or not it’s being put to good use.

The time frame for achieving goals and how long you should spend on them each day

It can be challenging to work out how much time you should spend working towards your short term goals. If it’s something that has to be done every day, try spending at least ten minutes of your day on it. For example, if you want to save money for a holiday next summer, set aside 10 minutes every day in your diary to work towards it.

This will help you make sure that you’re motivated and dedicated to your goals and make sure that you know what’s going on in your life.

If you have smaller goals such as learning a new skill, try breaking this down into smaller steps, so if you want to learn a foreign language, then start by learning how to order a coffee in the correct terminology!

By breaking your long term goals down into short, achievable steps, you can make sure that you’re not too overwhelmed at the thought of one huge goal.

Goal Progress achieve goals

Tips to achieve any goal, no matter what it is or where you are starting from. If you are anything like me, then you are probably someone who wants to achieve their goals no matter what they are. Although sometimes it can be hard to know exactly where you are heading, the journey starts with a single step!

A goal can be anything, and you can set a goal to:

  • Meet new people
  • Save up for a holiday.
  • Improve your grades at school/college/university
  • Set up your own business and become self-employed!

Goal setting is an important step because that’s where you start figuring out how you are going to achieve what you want. That’s why goal setting is so important, and it gives you direction.

It doesn’t have to be complicated, though! Seven simple steps can help you get started on the right track.

Let’s take a closer look at them!

goal setting

Seven simple steps to help you create better goals:

Step 1: Take a moment to breathe.

I know, easier said than done, right? It’s really important that you keep your mind clear and don’t get too ahead of yourself. If you find that a lot is going on in your head, take some time for yourself to focus appropriately on what you want to achieve. This is a great opportunity to think about what you would like your goal to be, so have a pen and paper ready!

Step 2: Think small.

I know it can be hard not feeling ambitious enough, but sometimes staying small will help you reach bigger ones, especially if you are just starting out or don’t have much experience. I’m sure you will reach bigger goals if you stay focused and don’t lose motivation!

Step 3: Write down your goal.

It’s really important to put your goal in writing so that it can become more of a reality than simply something out there in the world. There is nothing like crossing things off a list for helping you feel good about yourself! Also, make sure you are specific, so it is easier for you to visualize what you need to do.

Step 4: Break it down.

Once you have your goal, try breaking it into smaller pieces that are more achievable. It’s always nice when something seems impossible because that means it will be even better when you finally accomplish it!

Step 5: Set a deadline.

If you don’t set a deadline, there is no end to what you want to achieve, which can be discouraging if not rewarding enough. You also need to make sure that the deadline is achievable since otherwise, there’s really no point in setting one…

Step 6: Make a list.

I find that it’s easiest to write down everything you can think of that is related to your goal and then slowly narrow the list down as the deadline approaches. This will help you stay focused but also realize what you actually need to do!

Step 7: Visualize yourself achieving your goal.

The more time and effort you spend visualizing your goal, the closer you are to achieving it. It might seem like something complicated, but it really isn’t! You can do this by creating a vision board or simply thinking about how good you will feel when you achieve your goal.

Examples of people who have achieved their dreams with the help of specific and achievable goals

People like Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg are just some of the famous people who have had their fair share of success. All of them have achieved their dreams, and they did it with the help of specific, achievable goals.

Check out Oprah’s own words: ‘My goal is to do the best work I possibly can offer the largest contribution I possibly can.’

Bill Gates’ quote says it all: “I knew that I wanted to pursue a career in the field of computers, but I wasn’t certain what specific job I wanted to go after.”

So many successful people are living proof that you can achieve your dreams by setting yourself goals!

When you set out for something, you must know precisely what you want. If you don’t, you may end up taking detours.

What if I don’t achieve my goals?

If you are not reaching your goals, it may be time to re-visit them. If they are too ambitious, how will you know what you are capable of? You should never view a failure as an impossibility but rather a temporary roadblock on the path of life. Each setback is a lesson, and if you take these lessons to heart, they can help you in the future!

What if I don’t like this new way of doing things?

Expect to feel overwhelmed by change at first – we all do – but you will be happier once it starts coming naturally. And when you see the fantastic results, putting in that little bit of effort will seem more than worth it.

How do I change my mindset?

At first, you will feel as though your old ways of doing things are more comfortable. But we would not be suggesting this if we didn’t think it was worth it, and we know you know that too! So just continue to make this new way of thinking a habit, and soon enough it will seem like second nature!

The Highs and Lows of Goal Setting

There are many different ways in which people set their goals. Some like to brainstorm possible ideas for future projects, while others prefer making a list of things they would like to achieve. It might even be that you prefer visualizing what your ultimate goal looks like. You might even choose to break down the bigger goals into smaller ones that are more manageable.

Whatever you choose, it’s important not to get too caught up in it or let someone else set your goals for you. There is no wrong way of doing this as long as you believe in what you’re doing.

Goal setting is truly one of the most important parts of achieving success because, without it, your chances of reaching your goals are pretty slim. However, when you take the time actually to think about what you want to achieve, it doesn’t seem so impossible anymore!

Final Thoughts

Do you have any more tips on setting better goals for yourself? Share them in the comments below!

I would also love to hear about the goals you achieved this year. What did you do to make it happen? Leave a comment below sharing your success with me!

Please consider sharing it on your favourite social media platform if you enjoyed this post. A simple share is greatly appreciated.

Thank you for taking the time to read this post! I hope you found it informative, motivational, and enjoyable.

I hope to see you next time, goodbye for now!

Katie-louise.com
Don't miss my future posts!
Sign up for future updates
By submitting this form, you confirm that you have read and are agreeing to my privacy policy. You can unsubscribe anytime by clicking the link in the footer of our emails.

Table Of Contents

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
[insta-gallery id="0"]
Katie-Louise ©️ 2023

Before you go, make sure you don't miss new content

Get notified when my new content is published and recieve extra content not publushed on my blog straight to your inbox. Your data will not be shared.

We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy.