Let’s be honest…setting and achieving goals is hard. Not only does it involve trying to quantify your efforts, but then comes the difficult task of trying to put a plan in place to make your goal reachable. It sounds simple, but when push comes to shove, it’s not easy.
For most people, the hardest part about setting goals is finding a place to start. I know for myself, I want to accomplish so much that having to list them out feels super overwhelming to me. Through years of trial and error, I found that breaking my goals down into bite size pieces was the only way I was going to be able to conquer them. To get more specific, I use the “tree” strategy to really force myself to think through every single step that will eventually help me in reaching my goals. It looks something like this:
GOAL) >
(Task 1) – (Task 2)
Task 1 > (subtask 1) – (subtask 2)
This formula has worked really well for me when it comes to outlining exactly what I’m meant to accomplish and gives me a clear path forward. It’s one thing to set goals for ourselves, but it’s another thing to actually fulfill our commitment to those goals and crush them. I can almost guarantee that this formula will help you do it.
Now, although it may seem like the most obvious way to plan out your tasks once you have your goal set is to start from the top and work your way down, I have found that it’s easier to start from the bottom and work your way up. Start with the simplest task first and work your way to the more difficult steps you will have to conquer in order to achieve your goal. This has allowed me to feel less overwhelmed and more capable of breaking things down in a way that makes sense and gives me a clear direction forward.
And of course, when you are sitting down to write out your goals, set yourself up for success. Find a place that inspires you (favorite coffee shop, room in your house, park, etc.) grab a cup of coffee, put on some music and be intentional about each one. Trust me, this is the greatest gift you can give yourself, your business and your family every year. I hope this formula helps!
Happy Goal Setting!
