5 Steps to Crushing Your Goals

I look at planning not as a way to control every aspect of your life. Planning to me is a guide as you grow through life. It provides you with a road map to get to your destination. It's hard to get to where you want to be in life if you don't know where you're aiming. Without goals, we can lack a degree of direction and focus. We can pointlessly waste our time, energy, and efforts without plans.

I used to say I only wanted to be happy. But to be happy, you have to understand what happiness looks like and feels like to you. Happiness is an emotion and a mindset. You will never be satisfied all of the time. There are times when you'll be sad, overwhelmed, frustrated, or angry, and that's all okay because it's a part of life. It's what makes us human. To be happy, you have to be willing to feel your emotions and let them go. I can plan out my day, but I can still get a flat tire and miss my appointments. You never know how the day may go. Life happens, and the unexpected will occur. You have to have an optimistic and growth mindset. Truly believe in your journey. Feel everything you're feeling in those moments, and then let them go. You'll never have complete control over everything; things will happen, and the only thing you can control is your actions.

There are a few things you can do to be more intentional with your life and crush your goals, such as:

Understand your core values. Start with the big picture.

Your values are what you believe is vital in the way you live and work. Your core values dictate behavior and can help you understand the difference between what you consider right and wrong. They allow you to create priorities and help you tell if your life is going in the direction you would like.

When what we do and how we behave match our values, we are usually our happiest because what we believe about ourselves and what is happening around us aligns. But when things don't align with our values, that's when conflict arises. We all have different values; some of us value achievement and success. Your core value can be family, but you can feel stressed and sad if you're constantly working. When you know your values, you can use them to decide how to live your life. Once you understand your values, you need to have confidence in yourself and your abilities. You have to learn to believe and trust in the process. Think about your bigger picture and the direction you want your life to go. How you interpret who you are is what determines your present life experiences.

2. Write and set the goals you wish to achieve.

Make sure to set clear and specific goals, but don't limit yourself. Think about the different areas you'd like to change or improve in your life. Setting your goals and clearly defining what they mean will help you live a life tailored to your beliefs and values. Your life will become directed towards what you most want to achieve. So write your goals down and schedule dates for their completion. Break down your goals into steps. Plan your steps wisely, establishing a realistic time frame that will allow you to carry out those steps.

Have you ever sat and wondered where the time goes and why time goes so fast? You might sit and think of what you wanted to do or want to do. The thing about time is once it's gone, it will never come back. You can't go back to the past, but you can do what you want today. You can write down what you want to do tomorrow. Even if the path changes, our destination will always be the same with a clear vision. That's why it's so important to write down your goals and ideas because when you come across an obstacle that causes a shift in your life, you'll be able to adapt and get back on track to where you want to be.

Also, understand that long-term goals can promote procrastination. So if you have a plan set for a year, break it down into several short-term goals so you can complete part of the more important long-term goal every month or even every day. Our dreams become more realistic when breaking them down into smaller achievable goals.

3. Be consistent, remain Accountable.

It's essential to be consistent and do your best to remain accountable. Review your goals throughout the year, weekly or monthly, in any way that works for you. Be consistent, make sure you're on course, and celebrate your milestones. Remain accountable in your everyday life. Things will get hard; days will be tough. Find an accountability partner or mentor. Someone you know that will help you stay on track with your goals.

4. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Delegate!

Don't be afraid to ask for help or delegate some tasks. Hire an assistant, and ask a professional for advice. Learn from those around you. Sometimes we get overwhelmed or stuck. It's essential to have someone you can call to vent to or get advice.

5. Assess your Progress. Stay on Course.

Lastly, continue to assess your progress and review your goals. Our goals are constantly changing and evolving, and sometimes you have to take a step back and reflect. Reflection allows you to adjust your expectations and your action plan for the future. Rethink if your goals are realistic and think about maybe revising them. The goals you set in your twenties will most likely be very different from those in your forties. Learn from your mistakes and continue to grow.

By setting goals, you give yourself mental boundaries. When you have a specific endpoint in mind, staying away from inevitable distractions and focusing on the plan is more manageable. The goal process is not one-size-fits-all; it's unique to each individual's vision and purpose. There is nothing in this world that we can't do if we set our minds. Goal setting can take us to some unique places in life.

I hope this article helps you get started in the right direction.

Check out a few pages from my goal planner below:

Set Monthly Goals

Set goals, and affirmations, and write down your priorities for each month. Track your yearly finances and bill payments.

Goal planning helps you accomplish things you vision for your life. It is much more than saying you want something to happen. It's believing, committing, and having the satisfaction of knowing you achieved what you set out to do. Remember you don't need to plan every second of your life but you should have a vision and understanding of where you'd like to go.