If goals are so important, why do we sometimes fail to achieve them? Because we don’t plan the steps and tasks that are needed to complete our goals. It is essential to establish a goal setting process as it forces you to think about the journey (in other words, how you’re going to complete your steps and tasks) instead of just looking at the end destination. Here are some suggestions to keep in mind as you move to work on your 2024 goals:
1. Think about the results you want to see
Before making a goal, take a closer look at what you’re trying to achieve and ask yourself the following questions:
- Is this goal something you truly want?
- Does it align with your values or other goals?
- Is it important enough to pour hours of time and effort into it?
If you’re not willing to put in the time, it may not be worth pursuing.
If you create a long list of goals to pursue all at the same time, you may have a difficult time achieving any of them. Instead, use the questions above to determine which goals matter the most to you right now, and then focus on those few.
2. Create SMART goals
Once you’ve zeroed in on what you actually want, ensure your goal meets the SMART criteria:
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Time-bound
The most important part of SMART goal setting is to make your goal specific so you can clearly track your progress and know whether you met the goal. The more specific you can be with your goal, the higher the chance you’ll complete it.
For example, many people set goals to lose weight, but they don’t always decide how much weight they want to lose and when they want to accomplish this goal. A specific goal would be “I want to lose 25 pounds by the Fourth of July.” This goal provides an exact amount of weight to lose and a completion date.
3. Write your goals down
When you write your goals down, they become real and tangible instead of a vague idea that resides only in your mind. Once you’ve written your goals down, keep them somewhere visible––put personal goals up on your mirror or near your computer screen, in your NMConnect app, on the walls where others can see them, and on your social media platforms.
This tactic reminds you to keep working on your goals daily. As you’re writing down your goals, use a positive tone so you stay excited about completing them.
4. Create an action plan
Many people decide on a goal but never create an action plan to determine how exactly they will meet that goal. Your action plan should include the overall goal you’re trying to meet and all the steps you need to take to get there.
Step 1: Set a SMART goal. When it comes to setting goals, clarity is the single most important quality.
Step 2: Identify tasks.
Step 3: Allocate resources.
Step 4: Prioritize tasks.
Step 5: Set deadlines and milestones.
Step 6: Monitor and revise your action plan.
Don’t be afraid to get creative with your action plan. Write out your goal using crayons, markers, or colored pencils, for example. According to Forbes, creating an action plan this way activates a different part of your brain and cements the goals in your mind.
5. Create a timeline
As part of your action plan, use a timeline maker to help visualize roles, tasks, milestones, and deadlines to achieve your goal. Once you’ve set those dates, try to stick to them as closely as possible. A timeline creates a sense of urgency, which in turn motivates you to stay on schedule and finish your goal. The NMConnect app offers you a scheduler to create your timeline in.
Step 1: List your goals/outcomes.
Step 2: Ask yourself realistic questions and create smaller milestones.
Step 3: Rank in order.
Step 4: Draw your 1-year timeline and add goals & milestones.
Step 5: Create your 5-year Timeline.
6. Take action
Now that you’ve planned everything out, it’s time to take action. You didn’t go through all that work just to forget about your goal. Every step that you take should lead to another until you finish your goal.
7. Re-evaluate and assess your progress
You need to keep your motivation strong to complete your goal. Consider scheduling a weekly evaluation, which could include measuring your progress and checking your schedule. Once you see how close the finish line is, you’ll feel more motivated to push through to the end. If you’re a little behind schedule, make necessary adjustments and keep going.
Evaluation is also critical for adjusting to changes in circumstance. For instance, if you’re setting a performance goal at work and your responsibilities change, you may need to amend your goal to fit your new context. The 2021 Gartner Goal Setting Employee Survey reports that only 44% of employees update their goals following significant changes in role expectations. This can throw off your performance progress and make it difficult to align your efforts with your original objectives. But by regularly reviewing your goals and updating them accordingly, you can ensure you are focusing on the right goals and the right work.
Now it is time to start setting your goals
The process of setting goals helps you succeed faster. It can fuel your ambition and help you achieve tangible results. A goal setting process will help you determine how to set goals that are specific, timely, and realistic.
Whether you’re setting personal goals, business goals, or family goals, the Welltrack Boost program on your NMConnect app can help you get started and stay on track with easy to utilize tools.
