6 Ways To Accomplish Your Goals More Easily
How is your New Year going? Have you already started taking the steps that you wanted to take? Or maybe you’re just gearing up for a positive set of steps ahead.
Well, either way, I want to share with you six ideas that can help you get going and keep going, so that you can have that awesome year we’ve been talking about.
Remember, it’s all about taking action because without action nothing happens.
1. Start with small steps
This means chunking down your bigger goals into something manageable and bite-sized.
I think of it like having a big bucket of popcorn. You don’t just inhale the whole bucketful at once; that’s impossible. You eat a few kernels, or a handful at the most, at a time.
As an example, your big bucket of popcorn equivalent might be putting yourself in a position to be promoted this year. That’s a big goal; it takes time.
If you chunk it down, your pieces of popcorn might be things like:
- Identify the criteria for promotion
- Figure out who is on the promotion committee, or who decides
- Find out who influences those people, and what they care about
- Find out what opportunities you want to set yourself up for so that you can demonstrate that you’ve got what it takes
2. Choose ‘linch pin’ steps
This simply means, choose steps that are going to unlock everything else for you if you do those first, and they may not be the obvious step.
So for example, if you wanted to get fit this year and that was your big goal, but you feel so tired that you just can’t even imagine getting exercise or going to the gym.
Well, then maybe your linch pin step is to make sure you get enough sleep for a good two or three weeks. Then you feel rested enough to actually have the energy to go and do that fitness routine, or join a gym or whatever it might be.
3. Set yourself up for some early wins
When you’ve got big important goals, it’s really important to have some quick and early wins that you can point to so that you can feel good about yourself, and so that you’re going to want to keep going.
4. Have a ‘buddy system’
That can mean doing what you’re doing, and taking the action along with somebody.
So maybe you’ve decided to get fit and you’re signing up for a marathon or a triathlon, then get somebody else to sign up with you and you can train together.
Or maybe it’s somebody to encourage you.
I think of this great trainer I’ve had named Angel. I can still hear Angel saying to me, as I’m doing my 50th sit up in a row, “May, you can do it, you are doing it!” I can still hear it. It was so encouraging, I just kept going.
Or maybe it’s just somebody who can help keep you accountable.
In any case, finding that buddy system is really helpful.
5. Set your intention
Set your intention for the actions you want to take so that you can stay on course.
Do that first thing in the morning before other people’s agendas start to intrude.
6. Link to an existing action or habit
This is about linking your new action to an existing action or habit that you take every single day. If you latch it onto something that’s existing, it makes it a whole lot easier for you to just glide forward and do it.
So that might be linking it to when you brush your teeth in the morning. Or it might be linking it to when you commute to work in the morning. If you want to learn a new language or study a certain subject, you can download the podcast and hit play and listen to it on your way to work.
Take action and feel great!
Those are six ideas to help you get going and keep going so that you can take action, which is the key point.
I want to make sure you take action because I don’t want you to just be doing same old same old, and feeling terrible about yourself all year.
I want you to take action, feel great about yourself, and just have the wind at your back all year.
So let me leave you with this question:
What actions are you wanting to take, and what do you do to get going and keep going so that you can have an awesome year?
Scroll down and share a comment to let me know.
I’m making notes on all the blog ideas, and am determined to get things done this year. After all, “if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got”. I am aiming to get a new job if not a completely new career this year. I’ve been miserable in my current post for most of last year, so it’s time to focus on me, my wellbeing and getting me in top shape to make the best possible impression. My goals made me very nervous up to now, as it all seemed overwhelming but I’m determined to take your advice and start with baby steps!
Good for you, Claire! Baby steps is the way to go. Or, as my father says, “keep chipping away!” Even just 5 minutes a day of whatever it is you’re committed to doing is a great way forward. The key is to get going and just keep going.
You can do it!
It’s point 5 about intention that resonates in particular. So far this year I’m focused on being clear in my own mind what I want to get done and consciously blocking time to ensure I give myself the best chance if success. We all have to team and help others achieve their goals but that doesn’t mean losing sight of our own. The festive break provided a great chance to clear the cobwebs – I still can’t quite believe I got my inbox down to zero. And it’s really helped me see the wood for the trees.
Congratulations, Jackie – that is an amazing accomplishment in my book! I have not yet been able to get my inbox down to even single digits, much less zero — still working on it…
Great to hear that you are being more intentional and clear about your own priorities. Even better that you are taking action. Keep going!