We all set goals for ourselves every day. Whether we’re trying to lose weight, save money, or learn something new, we make plans to achieve these things. But when it comes to actually stick to our goals, we tend to fall short.
In this article, I will share my personal favourite tips to help you stick to your goals.
But before that, Always & I repeated myself, Always Make Sure Your Goals Are Relevant To You!
Why? Because if they are not relevant to you then why would you want to stick to them? If you don’t care about the goal then why should anyone else?
Before you decide to set a goal, think about what your life would be like without it. Do you really want to give up your favourite foods? Would you miss hanging out with friends? Will you miss doing the things you used to do?
Make sure your goal fits into your overall life plan. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself constantly thinking about your goal instead of living your life.
If you want to learn about how to set realistic goals, then read my article here: https://themindpedia.com/set-realistic-goals/
Page Contents
Summary of How to Actually Stick to Your Goals:
There’s no magic formula for success, but there are some things you can do to increase your chances of achieving your goals.
- First, make sure your goals are specific and realistic. Vague or unrealistic goals are more difficult to achieve.
- Second, create a plan of action with small, achievable steps. Trying to accomplish too much at once is overwhelming and can lead to giving up.
- Third, tell friends and family about your goals so they can support and encourage you.
How to Set Goals?
This is probably the biggest mistake people make when setting goals. You have to set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound).
Let’s look at each one in detail.
1. Specific
Your goal must be specific and clear. It needs to tell you exactly what you need to do. For example, “I’m going to lose 10 pounds” isn’t very helpful because you can’t see where you’re starting from. Instead, try saying something more like “I’m going to start eating healthier.” This gives you an idea of what you need to do.
2. Measurable
Your goal needs to be measurable. What does that mean? Well, it means that you need to know exactly how much progress you’ve made towards achieving your goal. So instead of saying “lose 10 pounds,” say “lost 5 pounds.” Or maybe you’d rather measure your progress by inches lost. Whatever works best for you.
3. Attainable
You need to make sure that your goal is attainable. That means that you need to have some sort of way to track your progress. Maybe you use a journal to write down everything you eat. Or maybe you keep a food diary online. The key thing is that you need to have a system so that you can easily check whether you’re making progress.
4. Relevant
You also need to make sure that the goal is relevant to who you are as a person. If you’re someone who likes to go to the gym regularly but hates running, then you shouldn’t set a goal to run a marathon. Instead, you should set a goal to walk a mile every day.
5. Time-Bound
Finally, your goal needs to be time-bound. That means that you have to set a deadline for reaching your goal. If you don’t, then you might end up giving up too soon. And that defeats the purpose of having a goal in the first place.
Finally, once you’ve set your goal, review it often. Ask yourself questions such as: Is it still relevant to me? Am I still working towards this goal? Does it fit within my overall life plan?
Now that we’ve covered how to set goals, let’s move on to How to Actually Stick to Your Goals.
9 Tips on How to Actually Stick to Your Goals
1. Set Realistic Expectations
It’s tempting to set lofty goals like “I’m going to lose 20 pounds,” but setting unrealistic expectations only leads to disappointment. Instead, try setting realistic goals like “I’ll walk for 30 minutes four days per week.” By setting smaller goals, you’ll feel more motivated to meet them.
Setting realistic goals is key to achieving your goal. Don’t set unrealistic goals.
Also, Focusing on multiple goals at once makes it difficult to focus on any single goal. Focusing on one goal at a time helps you avoid distractions and gives you the motivation to complete each task.
2. Don’t Compare Yourself to Others
Comparison is the thief of joy. When you compare yourself to others, you focus on what they’ve done instead of focusing on what you’ve accomplished. Instead of comparing yourself to others, think about what you’ve achieved so far.
3. Break Down Big Goals Into Small Steps
Breaking big goals down into small steps makes them easier to accomplish. For example, if you decide to run a 5K race, you may find that breaking it down into shorter races, like running 1 mile, 2 miles, 3 miles, etc., gives you more motivation to train and compete.
4. Reward Yourself
Reward yourself after accomplishing a goal. Maybe you’ll treat yourself to a nice dinner out, go shopping, or watch a movie. Whatever you choose, reward yourself for meeting your goals.
Rewards are an effective motivator. They give you something to look forward to after completing a certain task. Reward yourself for reaching your goals. Make sure you reward yourself for accomplishing small tasks as well as big ones.
5. Be Consistent
Consistency is key when it comes to achieving anything. To stay consistent, you must commit to doing whatever it takes to reach your goals. If you tell yourself that you’ll exercise for 30 minutes every day, but end up exercising for 15 minutes, you won’t be able to maintain consistency. Commit to doing whatever it takes, and you’ll be more likely to succeed.
6. Stay Positive
Negative thoughts can derail your progress toward reaching your goals. So, whenever you notice negative thoughts creeping into your mind, replace them with positive ones. Remind yourself that you’re capable of succeeding, and you’ll be much more likely to follow through on your plan.
7. Have Fun!
Don’t forget to enjoy life along the way. Remembering to have fun will encourage you to continue pursuing your goals. Plus, having fun will help you relax and relieve stress, both of which are necessary for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
8. Focus on What You Can Control
When you focus on what you can control, you’re less likely to get overwhelmed by external factors. For example, if your boss doesn’t give you enough work, don’t worry about it — just do your best and move forward.
9. Keep Track of Your Progress
If you want to know how well you’re doing in reaching your goals, keep track of your progress. Write down everything you eat, how many hours you sleep each night, and how often you exercise. This information will help you see where you need to improve.
If you’re struggling to stick to your goals, make it easy on yourself. For example, if working out at the gym isn’t an option because you don’t have time, then start walking around the block instead. The point is to find something that works for you.
Always remember that reaching your goals requires support from other people. Whether you ask friends, family members, or coworkers for advice, they can provide valuable insight that will help you achieve success.
I think what I have learned from my experience is that it’s okay to fail. But failing isn’t a failure. Failure is simply learning from mistakes.
So instead of focusing on the negative aspects of failing, learn from your failures and try again.
How to Achieve Your Goals?
You can achieve your goals by setting realistic expectations. You should set goals that are challenging, yet achievable. You should also set short-term and long-term goals.
It helps to write down your goals so you can review them regularly. Reward yourself after accomplishing a specific goal.
Success Formula: Be consistent + Stay positive + Have fun.
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