How to Set Goals and Crush Them
Picture this, there you are with your spanking new planner and favorite pen, ready to set your big goals for the new year.
But you suddenly get a case of deja vu. Have you done this before? You made some resolutions and ambitious goals in the past, only to see them fizzle out, never to be achieved.
But this time, things will be different. This year, you’re determined to learn how to set goals and crush them. And that’s what this blog post will show you.
Sound good?
Alright, let’s turn those dreams into reality.
Benefits of setting goals
Goal setting is the process of identifying something you want to achieve and establishing a framework, timeline, and plan of action to make it happen.
Whether you have personal or business goals, goal setting gives you a sense of direction, purpose, focus, and motivation to go after the things that are meaningful to you.
Goals can help you keep track of your progress and ensure you’re on the right path.
As any good planner, we all have good intentions, but goal setting is only half the equation. The other half is creating an action plan and taking the necessary steps to achieve your goal.
I am the queen of planning. Dozens of notebooks, notepads, and planners contain my goals. But countless unfinished ideas and projects are left to become just words on a page.
If you’re anything like me, you’ve done this too. We have good intentions of improving ourselves and living a more fulfilling life but struggle to follow through.
Could it be procrastination? Fear of failure? Lack of passion?
Maybe it’s all of the above.
No matter the reason, if you want to achieve your goals, it’s important to understand how to set and work toward them in a way that works for you.
Now that we’re clear on why setting goals is a big deal—let’s discuss how to make it happen.
9 Easy Ways to Set Goals and Crush Them
1. Write Down Your Goals
Are you ready to set goals and crush them?
It’s easy. Write!
Congratulations, you’ve completed the first step to setting and crushing your goals. Just get your ideas out of your head and on paper.
I don’t know about you, but writing things down is the only way I remember anything.
Not only will you clear the mental clutter, but seeing your goals on paper or screen will help you visualize them and bring them to life.
According to this study, 42% of people are more likely to achieve their goals when they write them down.
Jotting down your goals helps you to get clear about what you want and serve as helpful reminders for when you procrastinate or lose motivation.
There are many ways to write down your goals, from a paper planner and bullet journal to a Notion database and vision board.
2. Set Goals with The End in Mind
When you set a goal without the end in mind, it’s like you’re searching for something in the dark, hoping your hand land on the one item you’re looking for.
And what do you do next? Turn on the light to see.
Setting goals with the end in mind gives you a clear direction to follow, like a light guiding you toward your destination.
I want you to visualize achieving that goal.
When you cross the finish line, what will the results look like?
And these are not your surface-level results, like losing 30 pounds or earning an extra $500 per month. No, I want you to dig a little deeper.
Ask yourself: What will my life look like if I achieve this goal? What will I have accomplished? How will it make me feel?
So if you want to make an extra $500, what will this do for you? Peace of mind? Security?
Now that you know what you’re working toward, you can create a detailed roadmap to help guide you.
And your road map will ensure that each task aligns with your big-picture goal and keep you on track to achieve it.
3. Set Big Goals
Google it, and you’ll find many ways to set goals—from S.M.A.R.T. goals to One Word goals—and many theories explaining why one is better.
I’m not a fan of boxing myself into one goal-setting system. What works for me may not work for you, which is a good reason not to pressure yourself to find the perfect goal-setting system.
If you’ve ever used the smart goal method, then you’re familiar with the advice to set attainable goals.
And I agree. Setting achievable goals is beneficial but may lead you to create less challenging goals.
I love to set ambitious goals that stretch my imagination.
Listen, your goals should bring you joy and light a fire in you. But if your goal-setting process sucks, you won’t want to keep going.
Maybe it’s learning a new language by the end of the year or earning a million dollars in your business in seven years.
These are the type of goals that will challenge you in a way that forces you to step outside your comfort zone.
Don’t be afraid to aim high. That’s how I set goals and crush them.
4. Set Meaningful Goals
Setting meaningful goals is similar to setting big goals, but the difference is that meaningful goals are driven by why you want to achieve them instead of what you want to achieve.
You have to dig a little deeper.
Meaningful goals are the ones that have personal significance, not those of your parents, friends, or society.
Think about your passions, interests, and core values. What is important to you? Do you want to quit your job and move to the countryside? Do you want to start your own business? Have you always wanted to write a book?
We often live the lives of others without even realizing it. Who cares what others think? If there’s something you want to do, write it down and go for it!
Also, I believe many of us know what we want in life. The problem is we’re not confident we can achieve it.
However, setting meaningful goals helps you work toward your goals with intention. You know why you are doing it and what it means to you. Now every task you do—big to small—is done with purpose and intention.
5. Set Goals You Can Control
Another great way to set goals (and crush them) is to choose ones you can control.
“Only try to control the controllable” is a phrase that always resonates with me, and I often recite it when I get frustrated in situations that are out of my control.
Trust me—we only frustrate ourselves further trying to manage a situation out of our control.
The same applies to goal setting.
For example, you may aspire to land a freelancing position at a particular company. While you control how you market yourself, it’s still up to the company to hire you.
And you can do everything in your power to get the job, but the company still makes the ultimate decision.
It may sound like I’m splitting hairs here. Because, yes, your big-picture goal is to get hired as a freelancer. The problem is we can’t seem to move past the bigger goals.
We place all our energy into reaching the goal post, but when we fall short, we become discouraged and give up. But if you switch the focus from the goal post to working toward it, you can keep your motivation and drive alive.
So instead of setting a goal to get hired as a freelancer, set a goal to update your resume, set up an online portfolio, and send out two pitches a week. These are goals you have control over.
Also, setting personal goals you can control keeps you accountable.
It’s easy to blame an outside party when your goals fall through. But when you focus on the parts in your control, there’s only one responsible party—you!
6. Set Goals with a Range
We are often encouraged to set measurable goals. But what happens if you don’t hit your mark? Did you fail?
We often set goals with an all-or-nothing mindset. We either achieved it or didn’t.
But a great way to set goals and crush them is to use a range system.
We don’t know how long a goal will take until we’re in the thick of it. But the range method allows for more flexibility and the opportunity to acknowledge success even if you don’t reach the exact goal.
For example, goals with many moving parts, like earning your first $100 from your business, can take longer than expected.
How long will it take to get the business up and running? How long will it take to build an audience and convert them into paying customers? What strategies will you use?
These things can affect your success, but using a range system when setting your goals will give you a little wiggle room for the unexpected.
For instance, if you want to earn $100 in 6 months, set your range between $50 to $150 with a date range of 3 to 9 months. So whether it takes 9 months to make $50 or 7 months to earn $100, you still win.
You’ll still be able to celebrate the successes no matter where you land.
The range method is my go-to because if I miss the mark, my inner perfectionist doesn’t kick in, and I can keep going.
7. Use a Checkpoint System
A checkpoint system is a way to break down your long-term goals, track progress, and set new beginning points.
No matter how big and audacious your goals are, there comes a point where you start to run out of steam. The goal that once filled you with excitement has become a dreadful beast you can’t bear to look at.
And when this happens, we give up and often start over somewhere down the road.
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Think about it like a rest stop during a long road trip. You put in your destination, and the GPS says it’s a 12-hour drive. And you wonder how you’ll survive that long in the car?
But when you add a few rest stops and stretch your legs, grab a snack, and a cup of coffee, it’s almost like a new starting point. It’s a mental cue that helps you power through for a few more hours until you need a break again.
A checkpoint system works the same way. It’s like hitting reset, but you’re not starting from scratch, just going to the next level.
The goal is to break your long-term goals into smaller tasks with deadlines and rewards that act as checkpoints, or pit stops, along your journey.
Each one will make you feel more accomplished and bring you closer to your ultimate goal.
8. Understand Your Obstacles
Fear of failure, fear of success, distractions, analysis paralysis, comparison, oh my. These are some of the many obstacles we face when we set out to crush our goals.
So if you set goals and can never seem to meet them, try to determine the cause. Sometimes certain events are out of our control, but what about the areas we control?
Is there something you could’ve done differently? Could it be the wrong time? What about our habits? Do we need a better routine? Did you set the correct time frame?
Like any other skill, goal setting needs practice and nurturing to work for us.
Look for any self-sabotaging behaviors stopping you from achieving your goals. Once you recognize your roadblocks, you can work on changing the behavior.
For instance, if you tend to overanalyze, put a time cap on your research. Likewise, if you struggle with comparing yourself to others, unfollow social media accounts that trigger negative emotions.
9. Review Your Goals
The best way to set and crush your goals is to review them on a regular basis.
Remember, setting the goal is only half the battle; the other half is achieving it.
I’m guilty of creating these grandiose goals but never revisiting them to check my progress. Unfortunately, this has led to many unfinished projects or goals that took far longer to achieve than they should have.
Plan regular review sessions to track your progress, tweak your plan (if needed), and set new goals and milestones.
A great way to review your goals is during weekly, monthly, or quarterly planning sessions.
During these review sessions, ask yourself questions like:
- What have I been working on?
- Am I making progress toward my goal?
- What do I need to focus on next?
I also like to keep my goals in mind as I plan my daily tasks.
Sometimes we waste time doing things that don’t help us reach our big goal. The smaller steps, like daily tasks, add up over time and contribute to the success of your long-term goals. So you want to work on tasks that help you get closer to where you want to be.
You can still do non-essential things, but prioritize the ones that get you closer to your goal.
Last Thoughts on Setting and Crushing Goals
Alright, goal crusher.
You learned how to set goals and crush them. But it doesn’t stop there.
Setting and crushing goals requires consistency and dedication, but also recognizing when to adjust your expectations or take a break.
So, as you continue on this goal-crushing journey, remember to be patient, give yourself grace, and celebrate the small wins.
So, what’s your next goal? Share in the comments below.
Related Goal-Setting Articles
How to Set Goals and Crush Them
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