4 Key Steps for Setting Effective Goals for Self-Development Junkies
Self-Development Coaches Hate Me For This!
We may not control our destiny, but we can influence it through our goals. -Jek
Effective goals are crucial to achieving our dreams in life.
We need to put in significant effort in our careers and lives to achieve those dreams.
Goals are the building blocks of our dreams. They explain the process
From Reality to the Future.
We all have trouble creating meaningful goals, but with this framework, we will be reaching them in no time.
Here are four key steps to setting effective goals
Define your long-term vision
Break down your goals
Create your action plan
Reassess your goals
Step #1: Define your long-term vision
Our life goals shape our emotions, behaviors, and actions.
The goals we create enable us to depict our life's vision on a canvas.
The canvas was formed through the goals that we set.
Creating significant goals helps us stay on our path as well.
How can we create goals that can guide us and manifest our destiny?
It all starts with why.
Let's start by identifying the motivation behind our goals.
I find it helpful to visualize my ideal life and write for 10 minutes straight about it.
For me, it's a life with my partner and a herd of goats on a ranch, somewhere in Austin, Texas.
Fabulous.
I do the opposite exercise as well.
I write down what my life would be like if I had a job that I despised, sitting at a desk all day long, crunching numbers.
No Bueno.
Both of these practices help me understand my why and it's a start for the formulation of my goals.
For instance, my dream goal, broken down consists of owning land, becoming a skilled goat herder, investing in real estate, and being a supportive partner.
These are all the qualities I need to develop to reach my ideal life.
We can't achieve this all in one day,
BUT
We can achieve this milestone by setting small, achievable goals along the way.
Fun Size.
Let's rock.
Step #2: Break down your long-term vision into smaller, measurable goals
We have now understood our primary goal in life, and our dreams have us ready to run through a brick wall.
But where do we start?
We should begin by breaking down the aspects of our goals and identifying what we need to achieve our dreams.
The result is our Fun Size goals.
For instance, if my dream is to become a committed goat herder, I could start small by dedicating 1 hour every week to reading articles on how to herd goats.
I can also:
- Take one investing real estate course a month
- Work on a farm for 12 hours a month
- Learn about Animal Husbandry
- Read 2 relationship books a quarter
- Etc.
By Understanding the numerous aspects of my main goal in life, I can break each one down into fun-size goals.
I can now track, and analyze my progress, and step closer each and every day.
In summary, we need to identify the attributes that align with our end goals and break them down into small achievable goals.
Fun size baby!
We are building the road to our dream life.
The materials for the road are our goals.
Let's dive in deeper.
Step #3: Create an action plan
Now that we have identified our ultimate goals, the characteristics required, and the smaller goals to cultivate those characteristics, we can create an action plan.
Our action plan is the headquarters for our goals.
It should serve as basecamp for our main goals, our fun-size goals, and the progress we are creating, as well as any notes along the way.
Our action plan will serve as a roadmap for our future, our north star.
Here's a step-by-step guide on how to create an action plan:
1. Identify and analyze potential obstacles or challenges that might hinder your progress.
2. Develop alternative solutions or backup plans to overcome these obstacles.
3. Stay flexible and adapt your approach as needed to overcome unforeseen challenges.
An action plan can be created on your computer, a calendar, a Google Doc spreadsheet, or even posted on your bedroom wall.
It should be easy to adjust, easy to track progress, and allow you to see the patterns evolve while you kick booty and achieve your dreams.
Let this action plan guide you, laying everything out and leaving no stone unturned.
Last but not least, drumroll.
Please.
Step # 4: Reassess your goals
ohmmmmmm
This is when we discard everything we've done and start fresh.
We go into full Tibetan monk mode and drop everything.
Shoutout to my true self-development junkies!
No!
This is when we begin chiseling down everything we've created so far.
Like a sculpture that needs an acute touch-up
Michelangelo didn't take his very first art piece and show it to the Kings and Queens.
He took his time, allowing progress to be made, to see the beauty unfold, and then he revised what was necessary to create a masterpiece.
Just like this writing piece - this is the third draft and I'm just getting started, hehe.
Visualize your progress, which goals you're kicking ass in, and which ones need a tune-up.
Maybe some are too difficult and need to be readjusted to maintain motivation. Some might be too easy.
This is yours. Create it for you.
The Revision Of My Action Plan
I've been farming with Farmer Todd, and he has been kicking my ass with the goats. Instead of taking care of 50 goats a week as my "fun size" goal, Farmer Todd suggests I am capable of herding 60, then 75 because I am the goat at goat farming. We will increase every other week
The weeks go by and I get exhausted from too many goat poops and go back down to 55, something achievable for me.
Now I am motivated to achieve more and it is well within my reach
Now look who's the goat.
Create a plan to make it fit for you. These are your goals.
You are starting to become self-aware and feel the life that you're creating for yourself.
Amazing work Padawan
How To Revise Your Action Plan:
1. Track your progress through a monthly calendar, marking the due dates of each project, keeping track of where you are in the process, and adding notes on the side for any difficult weeks or unexpected events.
2. To help with this task, you can use software such as Airtable and Notion to measure and track your success.
3. Write your goals and progress on your fridge in the style of Rocky Balboa.
4. Have a goat shepherd scream your progress and update you every morning to keep you motivated and accountable.
See? That wasn't so hard.
Conclusion
You now have the blueprint for creating the goals in your life, enabling you to live the life you desire. Simply follow these steps, and soon enough, you'll find yourself in a special place. Love to you, special human.
-Jack Livaditis