How to set goals that you’ll actually accomplish

If you are consistently not reaching your goals, the problem may not be with the effort you put toward them, but how you set them in the first place. By properly developing goals, you can not only achieve your goals but reach them faster than you thought possible. Here are some steps on how to create goals that make you want to see them through.

Stretch for more than you can reach

Bear with me, I know it is cliché but the mantra of ‘aim for the moon and if you miss you’ll still land among the stars’ is extremely effective in setting goals. For example, if you are trying to save an additional $500 dollars a month, aim for $600. If you are trying to get in shape and think you should go to the gym 4 times a week, aim for 6.

Make everything measurable

This is arguably the most important part of doing anything. Being able to see how we are progressing toward anything gives us insight into both how effective we are and how much longer it will take to finish the task. Not all things are as easy to measure as savings or a workout regimen, so you may have to spend some time thinking how you can measure your goal. Remember, being able to see how close you are to reaching your goal is great motivation.

Tell people about it

In the end you are solely responsible for accomplishing your goal, but that doesn’t mean you can’t involve others. By simply telling someone you plan on doing something, you’ve made it more real. You can even choose to have people hold you accountable if you often have problems with motivation. I am thankful for a friend who likes to poke fun at my progress, regardless of the goal. There is nothing more motivating.

Set time limits

Some goals aren’t reached due to not setting time limitations. The goal itself can become obsolete without a timeframe. I can say that my goal is to run a marathon. Well, over the next month I will probably run 26.2 miles, 3 or so miles at a time, every few days. So did I reach my goal? You need to set time limits on certain tasks that with help you achieve your goals. Each step should have set time limits, to help you move on to the next step. Use this as a way to schedule progress and keep up momentum.