This is the first post in my new series on how to set and achieve goals. When I first started my blog I did a goal series but since then I have done a ton, and I mean a ton, of research on goals. I never had a problem sitting down and writing out my goals and the steps I was going to take to achieve them. However, even when I followed my steps I realized that a lot of the time my goals were still never fully achieved. I have finally found the secret to goal setting and I want to share it with all of you!
How I want this series to work is every Wednesday I will post a new step, today being step one, as well as set some new goals and use them as examples to explain some things that might be a little more confusing to understand.
Step one is to write out your goals. This is the hardest step for people to get right they make their goals too generic and they don't word them properly.
Here is what I mean, my generic goals are:
1. lose weight
2. read more
3. grow my blog
4. organize my time better
If your goals look like this I want you to forget everything you know about setting goals. I want you to take a second and picture your life a year from now if you were to keep living the same way you do now and don't make any changes. Are you working the same dead end job, sitting on the couch eating what you always eat, are you basically in the same position you are in now except maybe you have a 3 cent annual raise, or are you renting out a different apartment because your yearly lease was up? Now I want you to picture your life a year from now the exact way you want it to be. Are you enjoying your new promotion, going out on a nice date with your new love interest? I want you to dream big and write it all down be specific with everything. What brand of clothing are you wearing, what is the view form your office like?
Here is what I mean, my vision:
I was fit and healthy exercising daily, had my goal body that all my clothes looked awesome on.
I was reading self improvement books and making myself a more knowledgeable woman.
I wasn't stressing about money because my blog was profitable and growing.
My house was clean, my homework was done, and I was enjoying a home made dinner and hanging out with my husband.
Now that you have put the picture from your head into words turn those into goals and write them in present tense.
Here is what I mean, my new goals:
1. I am living a fit and healthy lifestyle with my goal body.
2. I am knowledgeable and continuing to grow my knowledge threw books.
3. My blog is growing at a great rate, is profitable and on its way to being a sold income.
4. I am living a balanced life between work, keeping my grades high, the house clean, and my social life strong.
Your brain is a powerful tool and it doesn't like to be a liar or make you look like a liar because of this use the words "I am" in your goals, it will make your brain look for new ways to achieve your goals and you won't even know it is doing it. Don't make your goals negative if your goal is " I want to stop smoking." your brain is going to still focus on, "I want to smoke." Kind of like when you tell a kid, "Don't slam the door" and right after you say that they slam the door, it is because their brain focused on, "slam the door". You want to try and remove and negative focuses, so change your goal to, "I am living a healthy smoke free life." Even though it still has the word smoke in it it makes you think of smoking in a different way.
The next few steps all build off of this step so make your your wording is strong is you have questions or need help trying to word a goal feel free to comment and I will be happy to help.
Friday's post is going to be November's Spotify playlist so make sure you check back for that!
