3 Small Ways to Tackle 1 Big Goal
Tackling big goals can be tricky and scary. Some goals are so big and terrifying that we never actually begin to pursue them. But we can't deny the deep transformation and change within you that happens when you set a big goal and successfully complete it!
So how do we get from where we are to where we want to be? Whether it's saving for a downpayment on a new home, losing weight, starting a business, or growing in personal development, these 3 small tips can help you achieve anything!
1. Create a New Mindset
Let's begin with mindset. Without a positive, focused mindset, you’ll struggle to push through the ups and downs of chasing your goals. Before you even think of making a plan, you need to make the critical decision to chase your goals and give up excuses. When the excuses start to flow (Now is not a good time. What will people think? What if I fail?) you'll talk yourself out of taking any action. To make this decision and to overcome excuses I suggest you create a morning POWER routine.
Hal Elrod, author of the "The Miracle Morning", advocates that the S.A.V.E.R.S method (Silence, Affirmations, Visualization, Exercise, Reading, Scribing) guarantees to "save you from a life of unfulfilled potential." For the purpose and intention of this article, we'll just be focusing on S.A.V.
Silence: Start your morning in complete silence. Whether through a 5-minute mediation, prayer or complete stillness, this miracle moment allows you to release stress, anxiety and in turn you'll receive more creativity and clarity--both needed in order to accomplish any goal.
Affirmations: An affirmation is a sentence or two in alignment with what you want to accomplish and who you need to be to accomplish it. Elrod suggests repeating your affirmation daily. “They immediately make an impression on your subconscious mind,” he explains. “They transform how you think and feel so you can overcome your limiting beliefs and behaviors and replace them with those you need to succeed.” I suggest writing your affirmations out on index cards and leaving them on your nightstand. After your moment of silence, read them aloud and begin to cultivate the feeling of what it would feel like if you accomplished that goal. For example, if you are a writer with a goal of writing a book and being a speaker your affirmation could be, “I’m an accomplished, successful writer, author, and speaker. My work helps others feel less alone, and empowers them to make the choices and decisions that lead them to their best life."
Visualization: Begin to visualize your affirmations coming true! Have fun with this. Using the writer/author example, visualize yourself at a sold out book signing, or sitting in an one-on-one interview with Oprah. Whatever causes you to feel absolute joy, visualize it and hold on to that joyous feeling.
2. Break it down, then break it down again:
As I stated before, big goals can be tricky and scary. That's why focusing on small steps will help you get started and help release the feeling of overwhelm. And once inertia takes over and we’re in motion, it’s easier to continue.
Start with your main goal, then a 6 month goal, to a quarterly goal, then a monthly goal, down to a weekly goal, and finally daily goals. By breaking down my main goal so much it tells me exactly what I need to accomplish each day in order to reach my larger goal. It also makes the goal seem attainable. If our main goal is to lose 100 pounds in 1 year, our 6 month goal may be to lose 50 pounds, quarterly 25 pounds, monthly 8.5 pounds, and our weekly goal is 1.9 pounds per week. Hey, we can do that! Now the massive 100 pound weight loss seems much more achievable.
Save yourself some time and get a planner or notebook already created with this system in mind. I personally used Lovet Agency's "Project Planner" to help me launch this blog. It's 12 months of planning broken down into easy, actionable steps and the feeling of accomplishment you get by checking off the "completed" boxes is enough to keep you motivated all week.
3. Find an Accountability Partner
Big goals can be super scary when we are all alone, but they can seem less so, when we share them with someone else.
Find a few like-minded friends who share passion for writing, healthy living, entrepreneurship, or whatever your goal may be. Talk about your goals, brainstorm together. Even if you aren’t in the same field, a peer who shares your desire to start or grow a business or just committed to self-development will help keep you accountable and motivated.
There is no way I would have launched my blog in the timeframe that I did had it not been for my accountability partner Kirstin Jones, founder of The Caffeinated Cork. We meet every Monday morning via Zoom for about 45 minutes to discuss our intentions, goals, strategies, setbacks, and wins. These calls breath life in to me and provides the motivation to keep moving forward. There were times where I felt stuck and confused but she provided a different perspective and gave me the tips and tools I needed to cross many hurdles.
So, lets rid ourselves of excuses and start taking small actions for big results.
With faith you can do it,
Jamilah Lang