How To Effectively Set Goals (And Crush Them)

We are six months deep into the year, and we know that the general population isn't reaching their New Year's resolutions, or at least not so far. 

Only 2-3% of people successfully follow through with their goals. 

If you're in the 97% of people who fail to meet their objectives, don't fret - setting and reaching goals is a process that can be mastered with little effort. 

In this article, we'll go through our take on this topic to help you set goals… and crush them!

Start With The Mind

The first step is to eliminate the phrase "I should" from your vocabulary when it comes to setting objectives. 

When you think, "I should do X thing more," you immediately put yourself in a position of defeat. 

Instead, switch your perspective to something like, "I want to do X thing three times a week because it makes me feel good." 

This small change in language sets the tone for success by making your goal feel attainable and desired rather than like a dreaded task. 

And don't fool yourself into thinking that setting any old goal will suffice; your objective needs to be specific, measurable, achievable, and relevant!

Nebulous goals like "lose weight" or "get in shape" are doomed to fail from the start because they lack direction. 

Get as specific as possible - specificity is essential when trying to achieve something. 

Make It Time-Bound

You've probably heard many people say things like, "I want to get in shape" or "I need to save more money." 

But did you know that these goals are far less likely to be achieved than if they were time-bound? 

That's right, setting a deadline for your goals makes you not only more likely to achieve them but also more likely to exceed your expectations. 

So why is this? Well, it has to do with the way our brains are wired. When we set a deadline for ourselves, we activate an area of the brain responsible for things like organisation and planning, and it's also where our sense of self-discipline comes from. 

In other words, making your goals time-bound gives you a mental boost that can help you overcome any challenges that come your way. 

Of course, this doesn't mean that every goal you set needs to have a strict deadline. 

Some goals may be more flexible, and that's perfectly fine. The important thing is to find what works best for you and use deadlines to help you achieve your goals!

So remember, don't just throw random, badly framed goals into the mix because, more often than not, all you do for them is a burst of random, short-lasting actions.

First Principle Analysis

When setting goals and creating a plan of action towards them, most people often rely on a "shoot for the stars and hope for the best" approach. 

But as anyone who's ever tried this knows, it's not the most effective way to achieve success. 

A better approach is to use something called first principle analysis. This involves breaking down your goal into its parts and then coming up with a plan of action that considers each of these factors. 

By taking this more systematic approach, you're much more likely to achieve your goal quickly and efficiently. 

So if you're looking to set some goals that you can achieve, remember to use first principle analysis to create your plan of action.

Oh, and don't forget, make every little step of your plan time-bound!

Monitor Your Thoughts!

Quite often, we set goals, only to ditch them in a couple of weeks. And this is not because the goal is impossible to achieve.

The fact is that we often have patterned, hard-wired trains of thought that lead to specific actions that ultimately sabotage our goals!

For this reason, it is important to monitor yourself throughout the action, on your way to the goal, whatever it may be.

Watch out for intrusive, self-sabotaging thoughts, and correct your course of action if needed!

Stay Consistent

Why do some people always seem to reach their goals while others never even close? 

While many factors may be at play, one key difference is that successful people are consistent in their efforts. 

They don't just work hard when they feel like it or are in the mood; they commit to themselves and stick to it. 

This doesn't mean that they never have off days or miss an opportunity to work towards the goal, but they understand that these mental setbacks are temporary and that they need to keep moving forward if they want to achieve their goals.

This is why staying consistent is the most crucial thing in goal setting.

Final Thoughts

Setting goals is essential to success, but it's not enough to write them down. 

You also have to take action and put in the work. Use these tips to set effective goals and crush them like a boss. Thanks for reading!