Make Goals & Stick to Them
The first step in making achievable goals, is to first figure out what those goals are. Trust me, this will probably be the hardest part. I personally am not one for BIG ideas, so it took me awhile to figure out what my goals were. My mission is to help you figure out how to get to those goals, and implement best practices to manage them and stick to them!
1. Understand The Type of Person You Are
I figured out quite early on that I was never an “IDEAS” person, I was always the person to take ideas and make them functional and real. The former took a while for me to come to terms with. When you think of people with the “big ideas” its the person whose large and in charge and knows what they’re doing. I mean when you think big ideas, you think Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Beyonce, you don’t think of well, people like me.
I had to understand that even though I don’t naturally start out with the big ideas, I can become inspired by other people’s big ideas. Its through this that I can map out what really speaks to my interests and my goals. It’s all about understanding how you create these great ideas, and through that you’ll be able to understand how to best execute them.
2. Put Words To Paper
It sounds pretty straight forward, but now is the challenging part. You have your creative juices flowing but how do you put it to words effectively? For me, I best put my goals into words by being open to being inspired. When I’m open to being inspired, I am then able to understand how to best give life to my goals.
For instance, I really love engagement, female empowerment and business. That led me being inspired by innovation, economics and entrepreneurship world where I was able to map out what peaked my interests. I was then able to then brainstorm a business idea of starting an organization that would be focused on women’s empowerment by supporting them through their career aspirations.
It’s important to note, when you then put your words to paper, at first it might seem like an aspiration that already exists or its been “done before”. Do not let that hinder you, because yes on the surface your goals might seem simplistic, or generic. It Is through the deep dive on how it will be uniquely yours, is how it will stand apart from others.
3. Do Your RESEARCH
Now you’ve got your goal(s) ready for the picking. How do you go about then making achievable steps? First step is to understand the industry or the mechanics behind a goal such as yours. I recommend researching that specific goal!
Look in whether there are organizations available to provide support, are there companies/entities out there similar to your idea? This is a great way to get off the ground. By being more informed, researching and having a great understanding of your goal, you will be more confident in achieving it.
4. Goal Setter
Start small, and build momentum. By not starting at all you’re doing yourself a disservice. Whatever the goal may be start small, make small steps to achieve your goal. It is all about effective project management. I recommend creating a work plan for the year. What are the things you would want to get done by the end of the year?
Then the next step is to ask yourself if all those “wants” are feasible, and able to be accomplished within the year. When you have that sorted out, then add milestones and deadlines into your work plan. Now you’re on your way!
5. Accountability
What about when you don’t achieve your goals on time within the work plan? This is the trickest part of goal setting, remaining accountable to yourself. It’s common for most people to find themselves in rigid work plans or aspirations that can easily leads to failure. Be open to changes in your work plan, make room for yourself to be flexible and adaptable. This is the only way you can sustain accountability to yourself and your goals.
Lastly, don’t be so hard of yourself, check into your work plan often enough, but do not be self deprecating. Plans shift but goals remain, so its better to adjust as the tides shift than to give up on your goal all together. Stay strong, you can do it!
