Today, we are all going through a very unique period of time, which we might not ever see again in our lifetimes. While many of us are rejoicing in the glory of all the time that we are getting just to rest at homes and rejuvenate ourselves, many of us are realizing that having absolutely nothing to do is not such a blessing after all.
Goals, they aren’t just important for football players. Imagine a life where no one has any intention to achieve anything. I give the human race a month, tops, before it collapses in to entropy and eventual demise. Having something to achieve in life is a driving force that we knowingly or unknowingly use to maintain our sustenance.
So, in an attempt to boost productivity, post this crucial lockdown period, here are a few key strategies for effective goal setting and eventual success at all your endeavours!
Strategy 1: Have a clarity of purpose
Before beginning anything in life, there is one significant point that we need to keep in mind – the purpose of the activity. Having a crystal-clear purpose helps in building a lucid vision of what our lives would look like after having accomplished the goal that we intend on accomplishing. This lucid vision helps construct a robust step by step plan for the successful completion of our target.
Strategy 2: Start off with something small
It would be difficult for a rookie mountain climber to fathom climbing the Mount Everest before going around the local hill range and knocking that practical goal out of the park first. Goal setting should be tackled with a lot of practicality. Achieving smaller goals helps build momentum and increases confidence in one’s abilities.
Strategy 3: Put a date on it
A goal without a date on it is not a goal, it is a wish, a desire. While there is nothing wrong with having dreams and desires, real-life requires a little more tangibility. Having a deadline or a date while going about goal setting gives you a sense of urgency, an adrenaline rush that becomes almost indispensable at times to accomplish them.
If you don’t believe me, ask students and they will testify the importance of having deadlines.
Strategy 4: Set the right level for you!
If you are undertaking setting personal goals for the first time, it seems a little daunting. I mean, what is a good goal, and what is a bad one? In this day and age, with the comparisons that we can make to the biggest of personalities through their and our social media accounts, the lines are even more blurred.
However, at this point, it is imperative to note that the point of setting a goal is for you to achieve it, not for everyone else. Keep that in mind and then go about setting that 10000 push-ups a day goal just because Terry Crews does it.
Strategy 5: Break it down
While achieving larger, more impactful goals look very lucrative, the minute details are just as important to the bigger picture. Breaking down your larger goals into smaller chunks makes undertaking your accomplishment more manageable and better regulated. Quality of accomplishment should be given just as much weightage as the quantity, if not more.
Strategy 6: Use your notebook
I know, I know, you remember everything. But that’s not why I am asking you to write your goals down. Writing down your goals provides the notion of this achievement a sense of tangibility. Written down goals act as a motivational factor for you to achieve them.
As per studies, you are over 40% more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down as compared to unwritten, thought of goals.
Strategy 7: Talk to your support group
The people in your inner circle, who have nothing but the best for you in their minds should be aware of your goals. They will hold you accountable without being condescending about it. They have made it to your inner circle for a reason, am I right? Accountability is a key resource for the achievement of your goals, and it makes sense to utilize this resource!
There are various techniques that people use for goal setting, but the rationale behind every technique here seems to be tangibility. The more tangible, measurable the goal, the higher the probability of their accomplishment. So, keep it tangible, and be an achiever!
Read also: Morning Routines: Relevance and 4 Effective Habits