INSIDER TIPS TO HELP YOU ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS
HOW TO MAKE SURE YOU ACHIEVE THE GOALS YOU SET YOURSELF
MAKE SURE YOU ARE CLEAR ON WHAT YOU WANT
If you’re not reaching your goals, or achieving what you want to achieve, the first tip is to make sure your goals are actually clear. We have a SMART system but also make sure that you are being clear on what you want. Get a New Job, whilst a goal isn’t clear enough. There is no reasoning behind it as to why. That’s why in our template we add a section for the reason and the specifics. You need to be specific and clear as to what you are trying to achieve.
When you are looking through your goals, use this time to ensure that you are using retrospective language. Sticking with the example of a new job. Instead of your goal being to get a new job, use retrospective language ‘I am a Director at a Travel Startup’. This projects you into a future state which aids motivation and also enables you to feel attached to the goal which helps to understand if the future state is what you actually want.
A lot of people set goals they THINK they should be going after rather than what they ACTUALLY WANT. If you aren’t achieving your goals, it may be that you’re creating shadow goals, goals that mirror other people’s wants because they are the ‘norm’ rather than what you actually desire. By approaching your goals and ensuring the end goal is clear (and the future state you put yourself in brings you joy) you will be better placed to achieve your goals.
When you are looking through your goals, use this time to ensure that you are using retrospective language. Sticking with the example of a new job. Instead of your goal being to get a new job, use retrospective language ‘I am a Director at a Travel Startup’. This projects you into a future state which aids motivation and also enables you to feel attached to the goal which helps to understand if the future state is what you actually want.
A lot of people set goals they THINK they should be going after rather than what they ACTUALLY WANT. If you aren’t achieving your goals, it may be that you’re creating shadow goals, goals that mirror other people’s wants because they are the ‘norm’ rather than what you actually desire. By approaching your goals and ensuring the end goal is clear (and the future state you put yourself in brings you joy) you will be better placed to achieve your goals.
TRACK THEM
Just writing down a goal isn’t enough I’m afraid. You need to commit to daily actions (Daily Processes) and actual work to achieve what you want in life. If you have followed our Guide to creating and achieving your goals you should have all your long-term, stepping stones, and daily processes around your guides written down. Better yet, you have used our Goal Tracking template to set up your own system. This is so important in achieving your goals. You can’t go blindly into something you want, you have to have a plan and action points across the plan. Tracking your goals increases your chances of completing them as it is not only a step-by-step plan, but also far more actionable, achievable, and less overwhelming than just attempting your long-term goal in one go.
PICK WHAT HAS WORKED AND DOUBLE DOWN
Since you have been tracking your actions and stepping stones, you will be able to see what’s working and what isn’t. Your Daily Processes (and by extension your full Morning Routine) are all adjustable to what serves you the most, if reading 10 minutes a day has seen you grow towards your goals, double down on it. If listening to a podcast just distracts you or makes you tired, cut it out. Look at the data and see where you are making marginal gains and where you are falling behind.
IDENTIFY WHAT MIGHT BE STANDING IN YOUR WAY
If you have gone through your plan and processes the next and probably hardest thing is to identify what is standing in your way. Here you have to be brutally honest. If (and you should be) you’re using our Goal Tracker, you can see what stepping stones you’ve missed and why. The date tracking is really helpful for identifying what might be standing in your way.
A lot of the time the reason we don’t achieve our goals is that we allow ourselves to put things in our own way. If you have a deadline on a stepping stone, but choose to watch tv instead, or go out on a big night so you’re too tired the next day, then you need to be honest in identifying what is standing in your way. It might be you, it might be your friendship group, it might be your approach to getting things done (don’t worry we cover productivity as well).
You need to figure out the root of what is standing in your way. If it is self-sabotage what is the root of that, is it that your goals aren’t right for you. Is it that you don’t feel worthy of achieving everything you deserve. You need to understand the root of your obstacle.
A lot of the time the reason we don’t achieve our goals is that we allow ourselves to put things in our own way. If you have a deadline on a stepping stone, but choose to watch tv instead, or go out on a big night so you’re too tired the next day, then you need to be honest in identifying what is standing in your way. It might be you, it might be your friendship group, it might be your approach to getting things done (don’t worry we cover productivity as well).
You need to figure out the root of what is standing in your way. If it is self-sabotage what is the root of that, is it that your goals aren’t right for you. Is it that you don’t feel worthy of achieving everything you deserve. You need to understand the root of your obstacle.
REMOVE, OR DESIGN A WAY AROUND
Once you have determined the root of what is standing in your way. You need to completely remove it – or design a way around. Achieving your goals comes with putting in work and self-sacrifice. You don’t have to completely give up things you love but you do have to make some tough choices. Your way around could be getting up an hour earlier on weekends than your normal lie-in. Adding a 30 min goal session into your lunch by prepping your meals so you only take 30 minutes, or you could even go for one water in between each drink on a big night out and head home a couple of hours earlier than normal to make sure you get your day to work on your goals. You will only achieve your goals if you are serious about them so if there is something standing in your way you need to purge it from your life or figure out how to design a way for it to exist in parallel with your goals.
FIND SOMEONE TO HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE
The same as removing things that are obstacles, you also have to insert things that are supports. Research studies have shown that publicly committing your goals to someone gives you at least a 65% chance of completing them. However, having a specific accountability partner increases your chance of success to 95%. If you have incredibly lofty goals, it might be worth reaching out to someone who has achieved them, or a mentor figure to hold you accountable but also keep you on the right track and motivated. Similarly joining a community where you can vocalise your goals and have to check in every now and then will also keep you accountable and more likely to succeed (hint hint, the Good Mornings Community)
ADJUST YOUR ENVIRONMENT
A big insider tip is to change up your environment. One of the best ways to reach your goals is to ENJOY it. Even the things you don’t like doing, if you can enjoy the journey of completing the tasks then you are more likely to achieve your overriding goals. A huge factor in completing my goals is the environment in which I am doing the work. I make sure I have things that bring me joy-my favourite mug, my favourite coffee, my favourite candle etc and I make sure I put my phone in another room and keep the temperature warm. I also ensure that there is no clutter but there are also inspiring books and objects. Everyone is different but adjusting your environment helps improve your chances of achieving your goals.
