The following is adapted from ENRICH.
We’ve all been there. We step on the scale, see the growing number, and vow to start running and dieting. We look at the bank account balance and quietly promise we’ll start saving money next month. We miss our kid’s soccer game and say we’ll spend more time with our family next week.
And then…that’s it. We don’t advance these personal priorities. We create a frustrating cycle that dilutes our self-confidence and results in a feeling of paralysis–or worse.
Don’t give up. Achieving anything hard is hard. But with the right strategies in place you can make it easier, and set yourself up for success.
In this article, we’ll talk about seven of my favorite strategies for goal achievement—ones that I’ve seen work time and time again.
#1: Integrate the Goal Into Your Life
To succeed, you need to integrate the activity or goal into your daily life. The more a goal gets activated in your regular routine, the better the chance you’ll achieve it.
Take exercise, for instance. If you put it off to the end of the day (“I’ll go after work”) chances are this goal will get compromised. So try to fit exercise into your existing schedule, like taking a long walk during your lunch break. Or better yet, first thing in the morning.
Taking care of your personal priority first will give you a bounce that lasts throughout the day, and ensure you tackle what’s important to you.
#2: Add Accountability
If you want to achieve a goal, get an accountability partner. Find someone whom you respect, tell them about your goal, and make them hold you to it. Want to boost your chances of success even more? Have regular accountability sessions with this person.
Be accountable to yourself as well. Write weekly progress reports, which have similar results toward achieving success. They almost double the chances of reaching your goal.
You can also commit publicly by posting updates on social media. The more you connect with other people or communities working toward the same goal, the more likely you are to stay on the bandwagon. Surround yourself with people who share your passions and aspirations.
#3: Aim for Consistency, Not Perfection
Habits are critical to achieving goals, so if you want to establish them, here are three tips:
- Commit to at least 30 days (sometimes it takes up to 90 days)
- Do it daily
- Start simple
Jerry Seinfeld once committed to write one joke every day. Each time he did it, he put a big X on that date. Soon, he had a long chain of X’s showing his progress. He had established a habit. His advice to people was, “Don’t break the chain!”
There will be some days you just won’t feel like keeping the chain going. Instead of accepting that a big thing won’t get done, do something small. For instance, if you don’t feel like running, go for a walk instead. Or run to the end of the block. But keep that habit going and those feet moving.
#4: Schedule, Create Reminders and Visual Cues
You’re more likely to complete an activity if you actually write it into your schedule. Put it in your calendar. Make it a commitment.
We schedule meetings, conference calls, and doctor appointments. Why would we relegate our goals to an inferior status?
You can also place visual reminders of your actions in places where you’ll find them during your daily routines. For example, place sticky notes on your bathroom mirror, or put a gym bag by the front door to remind you to go work out.
#5: Measure and Monitor
Measure your progress toward each stage of your goal. Whatever you tackle, find a way to track your advancement. Gauge your progress with written evaluations, writing down what worked and what didn’t. Find new ways to achieve your goal, and try those for the next phase.
Take weight loss as an example. People who weigh themselves regularly (measure) and watch their food intake (monitor) are most likely to reach their weight loss goals.
#6: Celebrate Your Accomplishment
Did you lose ten pounds? Achieve your savings target? Congratulations! Celebrate the wins and treat yourself. That feeling of accomplishment will propel you to keep going.
One of the best ways to celebrate an accomplishment is to receive recognition from others. This acknowledgment works like magic and further boosts your motivation levels.
#7: Take A Baby Step to Start
The way to begin an ambitious goal is to mimic an infant learning to walk.
Take a baby step. This baby step is something you can accomplish within one day, or even a few hours. Give yourself a quick win and move the goalpost forward just a wee bit. That is all it takes to start, and once you’ve taken that baby step, you’ve created momentum toward your goal.
For more advice on finding your life’s purpose, you can find ENRICH on Amazon or visit Enrich101.com.
Todd Miller is an American-born entertainment executive who has extensively researched and aggressively experimented with the work-life equation for over a quarter century. While scaling the corporate ladder, Miller skillfully structured two sabbaticals, intentionally created a family through adoption, cycled coast to coast across two continents in support of children’s charities, and explored more than 100 countries on all seven continents. Drawing on ENRICH principles, Miller built time wealth and passive income while working full time. At age 53, the American-born author has retired on the Andaman Sea in Thailand, where he devotes his time to enriching connections with people and projects.