Hello there! Happy Wednesday!
Today’s post is taking a closer look on goals.
Pretty much your hopes & aspirations.
Cool, right?
We will also formulate a plan to achieve our goals. Each and every one of them.
Yup, you heard me. All of ’em.
I have accomplished so many goals of mine through this practice. And you can too!
Still confused? Don’t worry. Read on to discover how to achieve all your goals!
We have a lot of ground to cover, haha!
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You’re most likely here because you have this great big goal you want to achieve and you more than likely have no idea if it’s even possible, then again where to start.
Well, to quote the great Audrey Hepburn, “nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible’!”
Clever, huh?
What if i told you the goal you are dreaming about is most definitely possible?
Unless you’re planning on growing wings & flying one day. That, unfortunately, might not happen.
But, hey! Who’s to say? Maybe one day, we will adapt to growing wings, I dunno!
Anyway, let me get back on track, haha. We’ve covered no ground.
Okay, to start:
STEP 1: Set up your goals.
Easy, right?
Right now, take out a piece of paper.
Or, open an online Notes app.
Ask yourself & jot it down:
* What is it I want, exactly?
* Why do I want this?
* How will this help me?
* Approximately how long will this take me? Ballpark.
Got that down? Great! Moving on.
The importance of these questions is that they help you visualize and identify what it is you want.
You are beginning to formulate a plan on how to get there! Keep in mind that this can be for anything!
A certain test score on your Chemistry final, a job interview, a fitness goal, etc!
It is extremely, very, oh-so important, that you have down SHORT-TERM & LONG-TERM GOALS for this overarching goal you want to achieve.
Why, you may ask?
Short-term goals help motivate you and keep you on the right track.
Long-term goals are like the report card for each “semester” of your trek on achieving a certain goal.
Allow me to explain:
SHORT-TERM GOALS:
I am currently working a huge goal of mine: this blog.
I just started.
I have down my short-term and long-term goals in order to track my progress.
For example, my short-term goals are:
* Growing my readership to 1,000 page views/month by March.
* Growing my social media accounts to 100 followers by March.
* Commenting back on all posts & answering all emails.
During this time (now, until March) I am working my absolute, gosh-darn best to achieve these goals.
I also keep in mind that these are my short-term goals that make up my long-term goals. And those long-term goals build up my ultimate goal: Having this blog as my business.
If you haven’t already, write down some short-term goals.
Some helpful tips for starting.
– SET REALISTIC SHORT-TERM GOALS: It is okay to be a bit boring with these short-term goals. They are only stepping stones, after all. Believe me, I am aware 100 followers is not a whopping amount, haha. But it is a necessary milestone that I need to cross. You can’t have 1k without 100!
– WRITE THEM GOALS DOWN!: This is crucial. We hear this from our teachers all the time, but we seldom follow it. It is extremely important.
– CREATE A REWARD SYSTEM: Treat yo’ self! Don’t forget to celebrate the little achievements you’re making! Go to a movie or eat some cake! You deserve it!
– SLOW & STEADY WINS THE RACE!: This is also a crucial tip that helps you succeed in achieving your dreams. Many people rely on waking up one day with their goals occurring over-night. Ya, don’t bet on that, sorry to say. Hey, who can blame us? We live in a world of instant gratification, instant connection, and instant notifications! But, it is important to understand that most things in life take time. Sometimes, a long, long, long, long, time. Hmph. I know, it sucks. But, it makes triumph all worth the while!
*TOP TIP: Short-term goals generally take up to 5-9 weeks, depending on the goal*
Examples:
Want clear skin? This would normally take you 4-6 weeks of consistent work to see results. Good luck, I believe in you, soldier!
Want to pass that dreaded Bar Exam? It would take you around 9 weeks of grueling, yet powerful studying to fully prep for it. Bonne chance avec ça! (I am not French; it’s just fun to say, haha) You can do this!
Our short-term goals for this “stage”, if you will have been set. Now, I’ll walk you through long-term goals.
We are a step closer to victory! Sweet victory!
Ah, now, onward! To long-term goals!
LONG-TERM GOALS
Long-term goals.
Think as short-term goals as the foundation of the house. And long-term goals are the bricks to it. Very, very important.
These typically take 12-18 months to achieve. Again, depending on the goal (You still got this; don’t give up!)
Why does it take so long?
Because you are starting to develop habits. Good habits, hopefully.
These are similar to short-term, but a bit bigger, if that makes sense, haha.
Let me explain:
Back to my personal example,
For my long-term goals, I have written down here in my baby-blue notebook:
* Growing my readership to 100,000+ pageviews/month by January 2022.
* Growing my social media accounts to 3,000+ followers by January 2022.
* Commenting back on all posts, answering all emails, & growing our team.
Now, you may wonder. What happened to the short-term goals from above? Did you write down short-term goals for now until March and stop?
Nope.
Still keep at it. Write down those short-term goals for every step of the way!
Since blogging takes a long, long time to grow, I chose a month by month basis.
Meaning I have short-term goals for every month evaluating my growth.
It gives me a visual representation of what I want.
It helps me feel more in control.
Here are some tips for maintaining those long-term goals:
– FOCUS ON GOALS & BENEFITS: This is a fun one! Keep on daydreaming of your goal and why you started! Think of all the benefits you will gain from it!
– DON’T LOSE HOPE: This may be easier said than done, but keep having faith! Nothing worthwhile gets done easily and sometimes the best things in life require great struggle. Always remember, you will come out stronger if you fight those struggles, rather than turn away from it.
– BE POSITIVE: Think good thoughts! Those negative thoughts are only gonna drag you down with them. Sometimes, bad days are just bad days, always keep that in mind. Be optimistic & keep at it!
– GATHER SUPPORT: talk to your loved ones. Get advise from people you trust. Do what makes you feel comfortable to continue following you goals. That being said, be wary of negative people, they may hinder your journey!
– INCORPORATE VARIETY INTO YOUR ROUTINE: This, I feel like, is deeply important. In order not to grow tired or bored of the same routine, keep including many different strategies to help you stay on track in achieving your goals. For example, let’s say you want to start exercising more (good for you, by the way!). Instead of running every single day for 5 months, combine some soccer, tennis, rollerskating, walking, swimming, biking into your routine; the list goes on! It makes it much more interesting and easily more attainable. It helps us CARPE DIEM!
See what I did there?
Okay! We are done with Step One! How are you feeling? I hope the answer is good!
Step 2: Battle plan time!
No, no, not a real battle plan! Perhaps game plan is a better word?
Alright, let’s get back to business.
Your game plan should be what YOU need to do CONSISTENTLY to achieve the goals you want.
Remember, you may not be there yet, but you are closer than you were the day before!
Start weekly. Day by day.
What are you gonna do everyday to get me closer to your goals. Think short-term & long-term.
Me?
I’m gonna continue researching for blog posts, writing, creating, keeping up with social media & comments, answering emails, etc.
What about you?
Eating healthier?
Stick to one sweet snack a week and the rest of the week is healthy.
Monday is meatless.
Tuesday is pasta day!
Wednesday is more veggies!
Thursday is some lean chicken meat with salad!
You get the point!
Then, work on monthly planning. Week by week.
Start with habits you can do everyday and build on that!
Until it becomes second-nature.
Until you reach your goal.
Make sure to write down your schedule! Write it down!!
Open the Notes app on your computer; grab a calendar, jot down on your notebook! Put it somewhere you can see it & make sure to stick to it. It’s pretty much the only way!
Another facet to Step Two: RESEARCH!
I love research!
It helps me know, understand, & familiarize myself with what I am about to get myself into.
You should too!
Most people forget this important step.
They just jump head first into their plan without realizing what it takes it finish that plan.
Do some google searches about your goal.
Watch come videos.
Talk to someone who knows a lot about it!
Or, my favorite, read a book!
(Don’t forget to take notes!)
This is what will make you stand out from the people who aren’t doing this.
Before creating the Clique blog, I did extensive research. I still do. I need to keep adapting, learning, and evolving to stand out. Even though I haven’t even launched at the time of writing this, I want to stand out.
In order to do this, I need to learn about what it is I’m gonna do.
I need to learn what it’s gonna take.
So, do you!
It might even calm some of your nerves.
Understand the plan that you’re making. Understand what you need to do and why you need to do it.
Step 3: Let’s Do This!
We are done with our battle plan game plan!
Now, it’s time to attack, full force!
It is time to execute your plan.
We are getting closer to achieving our goals.
This part is the hard part, because you have to do the heavy lifting past you didn’t do.
It just takes action & commitment.
Which, can be extremely hard!
In these times:
* follow the routine you created! a little bit everyday goes a long way!
* Understand that setbacks happen. However, you must not let them stop you. It is what makes all the difference! Instead, learn from your mistakes & motivation to try again. Remind yourself why you want this!
* Stay on track with an app or a calendar. Mark down any notes, achievements, etc!
Need some examples? Let’s go to my previous example:
* In order to grow my blog views, I must continue to provide valuable content, consistently. I must also promote it by posting it on Pinterest & Twitter. I will also notify my readers about it through my newsletter. This is how people will be aware that I published a new article.
* In order to grow my social media platforms, I need to be actively engaging on them. Liking any posts I like, commenting things that I have a particular thought about, pinning any beautiful images I find on Pinterest, etc.
* In order to grow our team, I will reply to any comments my readers have on my blog posts & social media accounts. I will also check DMs and emails consistently.
Now, I have to do this pretty much everyday. it may get exhausting and tedious, but it is what I need to do to achieve my goal. No one else will do it for me, ergo, it must be me.
Make sure you follow your routine.
I get it, somedays, we feel like doing nothing. We’ve all been there. But the difference between you taking a rest day and you quitting on your goals is that the next day, you are back in action!
And yeah, it IS important to take a few rest days. Otherwise you can burn yourself out, and then your dream is as good as dead. And we DON’T want that!
I will take a rest day probably once a week, where I take a complete break from my blog. But the next, I must get down to business!
I really like this quote I read on the internet one day. Here, I’ll share it with you guys. Let me know what you think:
“Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can do what others can’t” – Jerry Rice
I really love this quote because it truly defines the struggle people go through to achieve their dreams.
Unfortunately, most people aren’t out there working everyday to achieve their goals.
It might suck, having to do tedious work that many people might look down on, but if I continue to improve, continue to work, continue to adapt, I can achieve things that they can’t. Because they didn’t put in the work. Because they didn’t start.
I hope this quote helps you see things in a different light, as it helped me.
In order to achieve our goals, we need to do things that others won’t. It’s what makes us different. It’s what makes us achieve our goals.
That is the key distinction between goals & pipe-dreams.
If you just take that first step, you’re already father than most.
So start today!
Whatever it is you’re doing!
Wanna start a business?
Become more fit?
Attend your dream school?
Start now!
Do what you need to do to get there!
I know, it can be scary and daunting.
It can be tough.
But so are you; you can do this!
Whatever happens, happens. Let’s make it great!
Everyone can, if they just start. It’s simple, right! It’s not rocket science, guys!
So, I guess what I am alluding to is, if you want to achieve every goal you dream about, all you have to do is, start.
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So, we have reached the end of the article.
What do you think?
Are you ready to change your life?
Let me know how you feel in the comments! It would be a terrific help!
Review any notes you may have wrote and learn to live by what you wrote; what you want.
Go, create the life you have always craved!
Admirable thanks to Uby Yanes, Cleo Vermij & Cottonbro for the spectacular shots! Much love! <3
Don’t forget to Carpe Diem!
~ sara 🙂
P.S. If you found this article helpful, please share with your friends & family via these share buttons! Thanks, love!
