Do you need help setting goals?
Do you struggle to make goals and when you do eventually make them, do you struggle to achieve them?
At times, we may feel pressured to write a list of goals because we know we have to work hard in order to achieve them.
I wasn’t the best at keeping goals. I’d write a list of things I would like to achieve but in the back of mind, I thought some of them were a little far-fetched.
Some were not attainable at all but I figured it would be worth to write it down anyway.
It took me a while to realize that perhaps I wasn’t setting goals in the best way.
So, I did a bit of research, read a few personal development books, got some tips and now I think it is safe to say, I am a mini pro at goal setting.
Here are my helpful tips for making your goals:
1. Make sure you set SMART goals.
SMART represents Specific, Measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound. I use this to ensure that I don’t make goals that are super farfetched and can happen with some hard work.
Let me give you an example. A few years ago, I said that I wanted to live in another country. I wanted a change and I wanted a drastic change. What better way to do it than to move to a new environment?
I was at university at the time. One day, I sat down and said, ‘I want to go to Canada’. I went there when I was around 6 years old and hadn’t been back since. Mind you, I definitely didn’t have to funds to just up and leave (well, I did. Thanks student finance).
I made up my mind that was moving abroad but didn’t know exactly when. And then a thought popped in my mind. I can do it as part of my placement year! Some courses have the option to study and/or work as part of your placement year. I wasn’t entirely sure of my dream role so I decided that I would take part in an exchange program. Several universities across the world have partner universities that offer exchange programs so if you are interested ask your university!
With a little research, I found that there were a few partner universities in Canada! BINGO. So, applied for the exchange program and I was accepted. I didn’t have to pay directly for university fees as it was covered but I had to pay for living fees which was fine as Canada was FAR cheaper than London at the time.
Fast forward, 20-year-old me at the airport saying goodbye to my parents and taking off to the other side of the world. I moved to Montréal for a total of 10 months. It was an amazing experience and I would live abroad again in a heartbeat.
So, for you…time to break down your goals in chunks:
Specific- Get as specific as you can. You want to move to a buy your dream car, what car is it? How much does it cost? Will you purchase it on finance or by cash? Will you buy it brand new or second hand? * You are a Badass has a creative example of being specific with your manifesto** If I had done a little more research, I would have moved to a city near Toronto instead of Montréal as it was far colder than Toronto and a few more reasons that I’ll discuss later on.
Measureable- How much will your dream car cost? If you are planning to buy the car with cash, how much will you have to save each month in order to purchase the car?
Achievable- Are you able to save money each month, AFTER you have paid for your bills? Do you have all the resources in order to buy your dream car i.e. decent credit? If not, then you may need to rethink your plan. Please do not try and live above your means or go without the necessities i.e. Food just to get this car. It will come to you through hard work!
Realistic- Are you able to remain committed when life gets tough? Look at home much you earn, your bills and how much money you will be able to save let’s say in a year. Are you thinking about buying a rolls Royce wraith but you earn £22,000 per year?! I’m not the best at math but it will take you a while to be able to purchase a £250,000+ car.
Time-bound- after you have done some calculations, think about the following questions: how much money will I save in a year from now, 2 years, 3 years. How long are you willing to wait in order to save as much money as you can? Make a target date and keep working towards it.
2. Set SMART goals in every department of your life
What do you want your relationships to look like? Which traits/characteristics are non-negotiable for a partner?
What do you want your career to look like in a years’ time? Does your job have a lot of chances for progression? Is your job simply just to pay the bills or do you actually enjoy it?
I have had MANY jobs. Check my tips for having the best interview. I am a bit of a loose cannon at times and I certainly didn’t make the best decision when applying for jobs just for the money. All of my jobs are teachable moments and now I know what questions to ask during an interview to make sure that I don’t make the same mistakes again.
What do you want your finances to look like? Can you do without certain apps in order to save more money i.e. Netflix, I know it’s hard, but think about what you can do with the extra money.
3. Write your goals down in a place where you can see it every day.
My goals are by my bed. I am a kind of person that needs constant reminders. Having them by bed is a great place as I can’t escape from them. If I have a day where I lack motivation and end up on Netflix all day, I just read my goals and remind myself that I can do something now that will help me to achieve my goals. I try to work on my goals each and every day. One of my goals is to work on my upper body- so what did I do? I found a 30-day fitness challenge targeted towards upper body. I did it and it’s done.
4. Make a vision board.
Vision boards are so fun and it puts a create spin on your goals. You can make it on the computer or even DIY it. It is good to use as a mindfulness strategy also! Once you have made the board, put it in a location that you will see every day to remind yourself why you are going to work in the pouring rain. It will all be worth it in the end!
5. Surround yourself with people that will keep you and your goals in check.
Without a doubt, life can be so difficult at times (Que, 2020). Things get hard, obstacles get in the way and we may lose sight of our goals. That is ok! It happens to the best of us. But you must never give up. Have you expressed your goals to others? If so, it may be worth asking them to hold you accountable for your goals.
You want people to push you especially when you don’t feel like it. Hold each other accountable! One of my friends works in the beauty industry and she told me that she wants to update her make up kit. Noted. For her birthday, I gave her a pretty cool palette (I don’t know much about makeup, but I know the name of a few brands). If you are able to help your friends with their goals do! Give them these tips and hopefully, they can give you some tips also!. Encourage them to motivate them and they would do the same for you.
I have an amazing group of friends and what I love about all of us, is that we all have goals that we want to achieve. We all have something to work towards and that keeps me motivated.
I know this year has thrown a curveball at us but please do not give up. You are special and can achieve your dreams with manifestation and hard work.
Nothing is off-limits.
Do you have any tips that you find helpful? Do let me know what tips you use in the comments!
Thank you for reading and take care.
