How to Write Goals You Actually Want to Achieve

(and how to make sure you achieve them!)

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Burnout-Proof Your Business | Productivity & Mindset Specialist | Goal Setting | How to Write Goals You Care About | Aligned Goals | 4 Steps to Write Effective Goals | Writing Effective Goals | SMART Goals | Writing Aligned Goals | Letting Go of “Should” | Doing What You Want | Designing Your Best Life | Life by Design | Designing Your Best Business

2020 is here! Who else is super excited for this year? 🙋‍♀️

I'm over-the-moon excited about all the things I have planned for this year, both in business and in my personal life. This year is going to be epic!

I thought for our first email together this year, I'd share with you my method for setting goals that I'll actually achieve (as opposed to those resolutions I used to make in college that NEVER stuck).

This is the method that I use and that I teach to my private coaching clients and inside my membership group, The Empowered Boss Lab.

Be sure to give yourself time and space to really dig deep on these. You're future self will thank you!

Step 1 | Take a look back

Before you can move forward, you've gotta take a look back. Back toward last quarter, all of 2019, and even the whole last decade.

• Celebrate all the things that you accomplished.

• Figure out what's working really well for you right now and you want to keep doing.

• Figure out what's not working for you right now and you want to quit doing.

• Determine if there's anything you wish you were doing, but you aren't.

Make a list of these things and really let yourself feel the feelings behind each one. Feel that joy! Feel how amazing it feels when you do the things that are working and how yucky it feels when you do the things that aren't. Feel how awesome it would feel to be doing those things you wish you could be doing right now.

Give yourself permission to let go of anything that isn't bring you joy and become the best version of yourself, and permission to fully embrace all the things that do bring you joy and help you be that best version of yourself.

Step 2 | Dream

Forget what you think is possible and just dream for a bit about what you actually want your business and life to look like.

I love to close my eyes and take a few deep breaths before I start this part. Then let myself journal out everything that comes to mind - and I do mean everything! Pick a length of time in the future to dream about -- 3 months, 1 year, 5 years. You pick! Then journal on these questions.

• What does business/life look like?

• What are you doing?

• How are you feeling?

• How are you speaking to yourself and to others?

• What are you so excited about?

Get super specific on these! The more details the better. Every time I do this, I find out even more about my dream life and business. And it's amazing!

Step 3 | Make a plan

Now that you know your dream, it's time to make a plan for getting there! Looking at that dream you just journaled about...

• How can you feel that way right now?

• What steps do you need to take to get to that place?

• Break it all down into your top 2-3 things that will help you get there (these are your big goals).

• Then break it down even further into milestones, markers that let you know you're making progress.

• Give yourself deadlines for your big goals and your milestones.

• Break it down even further into action items. Give yourself due dates for these too.

The more you're able to take those big, broad goals and break them down, the easier it'll be to actually make them happen!

Remember to give yourself realistic goals for these that feel a little bit like a stretch, but not impossible. You don't want to set yourself up for failure, but you also don't want to let yourself off the hook.

Step 4 | Take action

Now's the fun part! Taking that plan and making it happen!

• Put all those action items on your calendar or in your task management systems (I personally love Asana) with due dates to help you stay on track.

• Share your goals and action items with a friend or co-worker. This will help you stay accountable to doing them.

• Pick 1-2 tasks that you can get started on TODAY and do them today.

• Each morning, pick 1-2 tasks you can complete toward these big goals and do those.

If you ever lose focus or find yourself getting off track, come back to Step 1 and Step 2 and feel how you're going to feel when you accomplish these things. Let yourself dream a bit about having those things and being that version of yourself. And then step into that version of you for the rest of the day.

Let go of everything that isn't serving that version of your life so you can fully chase after that dream version of your life.

I'd love to hear some of the goals you have for this quarter and for this year! Hit replay and let me know what you're working toward so I can cheer you on!

Want help creating the right systems and workflows for your business?

Schedule a free consultation call today! On the call we’ll chat about your dream and how I can help you make it a reality. Plus give you a few steps to take immediately after the call to get you started (because I’m all about implementation).

BOOK YOUR FREE CONSULTATION

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