It’s the beginning of a new year once again, which is the perfect time for setting goals. The whole year is ahead of you, so setting yourself up to accomplish your goals now is important. Making a plan is beneficial so that your goals don’t fade away as the months go by. Here is an efficient plan to help you work towards your goals for the new year.
Make realistic goals
First of all, you have to make sure you are setting goals that are achievable. Don’t sell yourself short, but know what is attainable. For example, if you’ve never gotten straight A’s in school before, you might want to start off with the goal of getting all A’s and B’s first. Work your way up the ladder to a more challenging goal if necessary.
Chunk the Goal
Accomplish the goal by doing a little bit every day. Remember that goals aren’t accomplished overnight. The difference between you and someone not working towards their goals is about 30 minutes a day of work. Focus on the chunk you’re working on, so that you don’t get discouraged if the goal is a daunting one.
Set check points
Reflecting on your progress helps you stay the course. Mark your calendar to check on your progress the same time every month. During the reflection, you can make adjustments based on how well you’re following the plan. This also gives you time to measure your progress, and gives you incentive to keep going.
Prioritize your tasks
Making time to complete your goal is an absolute necessity. Saying, “I’ll do it when I have the time” often leads nowhere. Set a block of time out of the day to work on it. This helps in prioritizing what you have to do. Move towards it in small, consistent steps. This can turn into a habit through repetition, and will feel like part of your routine in no time.
Be persistent
In order to complete your goal, you have to continuously work on it. Use a calendar, use a daily reminder, even lock websites you typically visit for chunks in the day, so you can work on completing the goal. Persistence is irreplaceable, and the one thing you absolutely need when you’re working towards a goal. In order to be persistent, find the motivation behind the goal and put it up where you can see it every day. Utilize social media so you can tell the world about your goal and your progress towards it, which makes it real. It’s much easier to ignore or quit something when you are the only one that knows about it.
Accept that completing your goals will be a long and challenging task, and then fall in love with the motivation to reach them. Completing the goal is important; however, the journey of self-improvement in working towards the goal is just as valuable.
[…] When we work on being grateful, we equip our brains for more meaningful interactions with those around us. At the same time, our strengthened reward center gives us positive feedback, making us happier and more productive. Practicing gratitude also leads to greater attentiveness, persistence, and energy. This means that we work more efficiently and effectively when we take the time to feel and express gratitude. Other research even connects gratitude to exercising more and going to the doctor less. We can all benefit from practicing gratitude as we work towards our goals. […]