How To Set and Smash Your Goals
You may only think that you can set goals at the start of each year but we don't believe that to be true! Setting goals isn’t just for New Year’s Day when you’ve recovered from feeling hungover; you can set yourself small, big, or change your goals whenever and however you want!
It’s very easy to set a goal that is out of reach, and without the appropriate planning, it can seem impossible to set or achieve your goal/s. You may just have an idea about wanting to do something but never actually write it down; this could lead to potentially forgetting about it making it just a thought rather than a goal. We've compiled a list of ways you can set your goals to make it easier to achieve them:
1. Write your goals down
A great way to set a goal is to simply write it down, you can either write it down on a piece of paper, dedicate a whole journal to it, or if you’re more of a tech fan, then just write it down in your notes app on your phone. By making a conscious effort to write down the goal, you have officially set your goal! Another tip is to keep your written goals somewhere where it’s easily accessible or you can see daily. This will remind you what your goals are and why you want to smash them!
2. Plan out your goals
So now that you’ve written down your goals, it’s time to sit down and plan them out. If you have a big goal then it possibly won’t be achievable overnight. So, it is key that you plan out smaller goals that will help you to get closer to your dream goal. Whether your goal is to feel better in your gym wear or to run a marathon; both take time and planning. For example, if your goal is to run a marathon and you’ve never run before, then start out with running 3-5km then move up to a 10km goal, then to a 15km goal etc. So, throw on your scrunch bum or seamless leggings and get running to smash your goals.
3. Tick or cross out your goals
Once you start achieving your smaller goals, make sure that you are either ticking them or crossing them off of your list. This is a way to physically show that you are achieving your goals. No matter how small or how big the goal is, make sure you are ticking them off, this will keep you motivated to keep going.
4. Be specific
Somewhere that people can go wrong when setting a goal is by being too broad with what they want to achieve. So be specific about what you want to achieve. A goal that a lot of people set is to be healthier but what does that actually mean? This goal could mean many different things, do you want to be more physically healthier? Look better in your sports leggings? Or do you want to be more mentally healthy? Feel more confident at the gym in your gym wear? Or less anxious when setting into the gym? Make sure you decide what your goals are specifically so it’s easier to achieve.
Now that the intention of the goal has been set it is time to smash it out! This is the hard part, actually making the effort to achieve your goals by putting in the work.
This follows on from the setting goals section by specific but taking another step towards your goal by being clear of exactly what you want. Ask yourself why you want to achieve this goal so you know you have the motivation behind you. Don’t set goals to get validation from other people but because you truly want it and it will make you feel proud of yourself.
It is hard to achieve a goal all by yourself so pick someone that you feel comfortable with sharing your goal with and do so. This will keep you accountable and they can help you achieve your goal by supporting you through each stage. If you have a fitness goal and great way to stay accountable is through getting a personal trainer so you have a set time you have to go and get it done. Another great accountability tip is by getting a friend to join you on your goal, knowing you don’t want to let your friend and yourself down is a great way to stay on track!
As said previously, most goals aren’t achieved in a day. It is hard to stay motivated in the long run to achieve your goal but if you break them down and work on them daily then it becomes easier to see results weekly than monthly. Until you finally achieve your goal!
Lastly, you must celebrate your wins! It is essential and also fun to celebrate your achievements, it makes it all worth it. For your next goal, it will motivate you to work hard so that you can have that same feeling of being proud of yourself.