Goal setting is the act of identifying your wants in life and is a great way to focus on them. By tracking your goals, you will allow yourself to improve and achieve what you want in life.

So how do you do this? Simple...

1.  Set yourself specific goals

The most common mistake people make when it comes to setting themselves goals is that they often aren’t very confident in what they want in the first place. This is where you need to make a stand. You need to set yourself specific goals and picture what it is that you want to achieve in your mind. Start simple and stay true to yourself. Understand your “Why”.

Once you have a strong “why” and belief in achieving your goal it is already yours. You just need to be hungry enough to achieve it, because times will get tough, obstacles will arise and sometimes you'll lose motivation and feel like giving up. But, when you have a strong reason, and you recall that reason every day, you will build a strong and resilient character, giving yourself the best opportunity to achieve your goal.

But to truly understand your “why”, it will take some time and a lot of thought. It will be easier for some than others. But once you have your “why”, it can change your life’s journey.

2.  Break down your goals

By breaking your bigger goals into smaller ones, it will be less daunting and may even get you to complete them sooner. It is a tactic that I would suggest everyone use when writing down their major goals.

It is much easier to climb a ladder with the steps closer together rather than further apart. So why not take the same approach to setting your goals?

Here’s something you can do for fun: when you write down your goals, also break down your goal into the smallest steps possible. This will do two things; it will allow you to think more about your goals and whether you really want them in the first place. It will also reduce your goals into the simplest and easiest steps.

This will ultimately give you more confidence and you will achieve your goals in no time!

3.  Focus on one at a time

A lot of the time many of us take too much on at once, thinking we can do it all. This is often counterproductive and can lead to a feeling of being overwhelmed.

By focusing on one goal, we can allow ourselves to not feel overwhelmed and are more likely to succeed in the goal we are trying to achieve. So, whether your goal is to lose 20 pounds or trying to run your first 5k, the key to success is focusing on one task at a time and trying not to take on too much as it can lead to some unnecessary stress.

So, take your time when prioritising, but pick the major tasks to take time on and don’t waste time on the minor ones. Smaller, less meaningful tasks can take your attention and time away from bigger tasks. It's easy to get lost in things that are less risky, that mean less for you. Fundamentally, it is time lost on something that could be spent on your number one priority, and reward you with a satisfying feeling of progress, carving the path to your fullest potential.

4.  Think long term

It is a common theme for people to set goals and not see them out as they take much longer than first expected. Instant gratification is something that can affect us all, this can have an impact on confidence and take us away from achieving our goals.

You need to think longer than just a couple of weeks or a few months. What is it that you want to achieve in the next year, the next three years, the next five years, or even ten years? It takes a lot to really think about what it is you want to achieve in life.

But by thinking in the longer term rather than the short term, you open up a door of infinite possibilities and can set yourself up to accomplish extraordinary feats within an ordinary life.

5.  Visualization

The most helpful part about setting yourself goals and ensuring that you achieve them is to picture them in your mind as if you have already achieved that goal. It helps to keep yourself on track with imagining the desired outcome for your work in your mind, Neville Goddard the famous speaker and author of the early 1900s also said “Act as if that which you want to achieve has already happened and it will inevitably happen.”

Visualise it clearly and sit with the mental imagery of accomplishing what you had set out as your goals in step one. Ask yourself these questions:

  • How would you feel as if your goal is already complete?
  • How would you act upon achieving this goal?

6.  Accountability

This is the key to your success!

When you set your goals and write them down, you've assigned yourself as supporter. But if you're the only one to know about your big goals and expectations, who is going to hold you accountable when you're slacking or unmotivated?

My recommendation to you is to tell five of your closest friends about your goals and ask them to hold you accountable when you're slacking. If you tell others your big plans, it gets the ball rolling. It will also send a message out to the universe that you are ready to take on any challenges that are about to come your way.

If you are nervous about telling your friends or family about your goals, join a group(s) that have similar goal(s) to you. This will allow you to have the support you need, while still being held accountable for pursuing your goals.

But, if you're not one for a big crowd and prefer to work with only one person, hire yourself an accountability coach. They will surely get you going and if you don't like spending money, putting your money where your mouth is will surely do the trick!