How To Outline Goals & Actually Follow Through
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When most people set goals, it’s to help get them motivated to start. It usually ends there though.
More common than not when people set their goals, they fall off and don’t follow through with them after a week or so. The framework that’s outlined below creates a system to stay on track.
Find Your Objective and Work Backwards
This system can be applied to any goal big or small. But to reach the objective, this has to happen.
First, pick the main overarching goal you want to achieve. Or think of it as the top step in a stairway. Then identify each prior step you’ll need to take from there. Do this in reverse sequence all the way back to a step you can take today.
For example, let’s say your goal is to lose 40 pounds.
You’ll have to decide what kind of workouts you’ll need to do and how many times per week you’ll need to exercise.
To exercise consistently you’ll need a gym membership.
You’ll want to find a gym near you that fits your price range before you get a gym membership.
The first small step you can take today would be to look into gyms that are close to you, compare their prices, and decide which one makes the most sense for you.
Boom.
You have an overarching goal in mind. You broke it down into tangible steps you’ll need to take so you can achieve it. You did this all the way to something you can do right now.
It’s crucial to break it down to something you can start today (no matter how small) because this sets a trajectory of momentum to propel you into motion and avoid short and long-term stagnation.
You Have to Set Quarterly/Incremental Goals
Now that you know what you want to accomplish, you MUST establish a time frame. This can change down the line and it’s okay if it does (we’ll discuss that more later).
You know the steps you have to climb as we outlined above. Now we have to break these steps into monthly & weekly checkpoints to reach. Sub-goals within the big goal. In most cases, the more granular we get the better.