How to Set Goals That Stick

99-SECOND READ

“All our dreams can come true – if we have the

courage to pursue them."

 Walt Disney

Imagine the impact it would have on your life if you could set meaningful goals and stick to them.

Everyone knows that setting goals helps achieve the things that matter to us. But so often they fall by the wayside within months, weeks or even days. 

Why Goals Don't Stick

When we set goals we're excited about the benefits they bring to our life, which contribute to health, happiness, stability or fulfilment. Because of this we often overlook the fact that working towards a goal – particularly in the early stages – isn’t always enjoyable or gratifying.  A short-term sacrifice is necessary – usually a combination of time, energy, comfort or money - to achieve the goal.

E.g. You felt so excited about a fitter, healthier you that you didn’t prepare for the brunches you’d have to skip or those cold wet January workouts.

The bigger the goal, the more effort and sacrifice required to achieve it. So we often find ourselves caught off guard by the reality, with an internal struggle between what we want to achieve in the future and what we're prepared to sacrifice in the current moment.

“The important thing is this: to be ready at any moment to sacrifice what you are for what you could become.”

Charles Dickens

The other problem is that many goals describe a final outcome: “I will buy a house this summer” or “run 5k in under 30 minutes”. Because these goals aren't immediately achievable they can feel distant, making them hard to prioritise now. On top of this, you don’t have full control over these outcomes and therefore can’t guarantee they will happen. So when you put in a lot of effort, but progress is slow or things don’t go to plan, it’s discouraging, making it easy to quit.

How to set goals that stick

Reinforce your reason why

Write down all the reasons why you want to achieve your goal and what it will bring to your life. You can turn this list into a mood board to make it more visual. Looking at it daily will help you stay motivated and resilient to the short-term discomfort and sacrifices.

Prepare for the sacrifices

Make a list of all the sacrifices you will need to make in the short term and consider how you will deal with them. Remind yourself that working on your goal will be tough at times and you won’t always feel like it. This will remove the shock that throws you off course when the going gets tough, reprograming you to respond more positively.

Break your goal down

If your goal describes a final outcome, break it down into ‘performance goals’, then focus on these. E.g. Goal: I will lose 4kg by June. Performance goal: I will exercise for 1 hour 3 x per week and eat a specific diet. Focusing on the exercise and the diet is more empowering because you have immediate control over it, unlike the amount of weight you eventually lose.

Create an accountability partner

Human's are psychologically wired to strive to uphold commitments they make to others. You can tap into this trait by sharing your goal with a friend and asking them to hold you accountable. Report your progress to them weekly - they support and monitor your progress. In fact, the more people you tell about your goal, the more committed to it you will be.

Following these steps will dramatically increase your chances of sticking to your goals! Just in case it doesn't go without saying, all goals should be SMART - check out the link if you're unsure.

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