Setting Goals that Actually Stick

Some of you may be a type A person who's very meticulous with every action, and others of you are type B who like to move with the wind. For me, I'm type C, more of an in-between. Regardless of personality type, there is something we all have in common: goals. As people, we all have things we want to achieve in life, accomplishments we would like to attain, and overall we hope to be successful. A small step we can all take towards becoming successful is goal setting, which isn't just an activity for someone who is type A.

Without goal setting, it's easy to drift away from the things you see for yourself because you don't actually know what they are. Goal setting gives your effort purpose and allows you to know which paths are best for you. It answers the question, "What am I even doing this for?" by reminding you of your purpose.

Why Goals Matter

As much as goal setting acts as a guide, it does much more alongside that. When you know what you’re working towards, even tedious, repetitive parts of your life start to feel worth it because you can see how they connect to something bigger. Running a couple of miles every morning feels different when you know it's for a marathon, and the marathon signifies how far you've come along on your fitness journey. Saving money and being frugal for a short period of time feels different when it's for the vacation of your dreams, instead of it sitting in an account for no specific reason. Every human being has wants, but not every person knows how to acquire them, so setting goals ensures that they are obtainable for you. 

Make it Specific

Okay, you decided you do want to start goal setting, but let's not be hasty. One of the biggest reasons goals don't stick is because they are too vague to act on, such as “I want to be healthy” or “I would like to be more successful.” Those goals are nice, but they don't tell you what to do the next morning. First, analyze what success means to you if that's your goal, and you see it as monetary value; the goal could be narrowed down to “find a higher paying job.” The more specific the goal, the easier it is to know whether you’re actually working towards it or just thinking about it.

Break it Down

With a goal like finding a higher-paying job, break it down into smaller pieces. You know that to find a job, an application is required, and to apply, you need an updated resume. After narrowing down the goal, it also narrows down each step, the first step being an updated resume. Instead of focusing on one huge goal, it lets you focus on the small things that lead to big achievements. Breaking down goals isn't a suggestion. It is a requirement to make goals manageable and avoid burnout, which may lead to abandoning the goal completely. 

Write it Down 

Science has proven that humans remember things better when they write them down. There is also something about writing a goal down that makes it feel more real rather than just thinking about it. A quick jot down of your personal goals also acts as a form of accountability, and gives you something to revisit when you have forgotten the point of your actions. Something as small as writing it in your phone notes app or in a physical planner is motivation and accountability enough. 

Setback 

Just like everything in life, every goal won't be a straight line or easy to achieve regardless of its specificity. Sometimes life happens, and it may throw your trajectory off for a while, or you may just fall off track, and that's okay. The goals that are accomplished are the ones that people keep coming back to regardless of their setbacks, because anything worth doing comes with a bit of commitment even through the struggle. 

Revisiting and Adjusting 

It is important to check in with yourself regularly to ensure that your goals still align with the life you see for yourself. You may have to abandon a goal because it no longer makes sense for you, like abandoning the pursuit of your dream job because you realized you don't actually enjoy the field of work. Sometimes you need to adjust and shift your goal a little, like altering the timeline, especially in the case of circumstantial change, like finances or health. Revisiting your goals keeps them useful instead of letting them become another thing you feel guilty about not finishing. 

Goal setting is meant to give you direction and something to work towards with intention. Whether your goals are big or small, the process of setting them, breaking them down, and refining them is what turns “someday" into something you’re actually working toward.