We all talk about setting goals, but are you reviewing your goals regularly – are you even setting them??!

When goals are written down you have a far greater rate of success in achieving them.

WOW!

So what are four quick steps in getting some traction with what you’re doing?-

1. What do you want to achieve?

Seems simple doesn’t it – but there can be a tendency to overthink it – don’t waste your energy.

It must be laser focused, ie specific.

If you’re starting out setting goals, start small to grow big in other words any more than one or two – you’re setting yourself up for sabotage. And by all means your goals can be all shapes and sizes – remember this is your goal, not someone else’s!

Some call goal setting to ‘create a vision’ and such like, but if you overthink it – oh my god all of a sudden it’s huge!

The idea of a goal is very simple – what do you want to get done / achieve / do /be / have; the next part is by when…..

2. Being able to track your progress is a non-negotiable.

If you can’t track it – then it’s just a dream without any outcome, and a waste of head space to think about.  This is about goals and goal setting, not about dreams.

How can you measure / track your progress against your “what do you want” and how do you know your progressing.  Again a simple philosophy, none the less can present challenges.

If you don’t track your progress AND put a stake in the ground of when you are going to achieve your goal, well your probably spending a hell of a lot of time “spinning your wheels on wet grass” in other words, you look like you’re doing a lot, but you’re really going nowhere, and are exhausted!.

3. Tying with point 2 is setting benchmarks

This breaks down your goal into small actionable steps to get you to your finish. And of course a goal can have many smaller bits which make the whole goal.

Like setting up a business for example – big goal that has lots of smaller elements to achieve the end goal.  So breaking the goal down into these micro tasks to achieve the goal within a timeline, builds the momentum and keeps your eye on the prize.

You can also adjust as necessary – this isn’t to say you give up, a number of things can be out of your control, which will require you to adapt and be flexible.

Remember – You can be determined to be on a super highway but sometimes the service road is necessary (to avoid all sorts of things) then you calmly come back onto the super highway and continue!

And of course the last point

4. Celebrate your success / wins / achievements!!

We have a bell in our office (two actually – one small (small wins) and a big bugger (big wins) – you have to celebrate your successes.

Which is your benchmarks, these are all wins – wins in progress – wins in ticking something off – whatever it is – it’s a win – and celebrate it.

I like to describe success like a basket, from the time you are born to the time you depart this earth you collect little successes (wins) along the way.

Which in time is a full basket of all your successes achieved in a lifetime! Which is super cool and worth another celebration!