I heard a quote once and since then it has stuck with me; “It is better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret”.
In the entire month of July, I have been sharing some of my goal setting and achievement tactics that have worked for me over the years. Moreso, June is usually the month when I revisit my goals to re-evaluate them.
Like my practice, I only share what has worked for me when it comes to my goals setting and achievement, however I understand that this may be different for others so expectations can also differ.
Over time, I’ve had to adopt some google tips, advice from friends and gym partners because we somehow shared the same vision since we had the same tastes and interests in fitness, even though after a while it started to feel like I was living more of their vision than mine. While I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that, since we’re all different, it is natural for us to eventually have different visions even if we all share the same interests.
My takeaway from my shared interests with friends and gym partners – I learnt how to work with others, shared in their commitments and interests but I did not let them determine my goals and vision for me. It’s usually easy for empathic people like myself to lose our dreams and start pursuing someone else’s vision but I’ve learnt through all of that experience and I’m here to share some of them with you.
So Now that you’ve realized the need to set boundaries with your goals and that of someone else, it’s time to actually set those goals! However to get this done, you need specific tools and methods in order to achieve success. There are several kinds of tools to use and when leveraged properly they can be just as impactful as setting a goal and striving to achieve it.
Some of these tools are described below; you can refer to them as the glue that keeps a goal-setting system together. The more of them you’ve got working your system, the more valuable you’ll find them to be.
Here are a few suggestions on tools to use and how to get the most out of them. But First,
Why does goal setting even matter?
Before getting into the specific tools for goal setting, I think it is important we understand why we need to set and track goals in the first place.
One major reason for setting and tracking goals is that as we get older, our goals change. We develop new priorities, tastes and preferences change so our goals need to change to align with our new realities. This alone is enough reason for us to keep setting, tracking and re-setting our goals.
My best tools to help me achieve my goals :
- Set up the time in a day to check up on your goals.
For me, I check my goals everyday in order to reflect on what I accomplished the previous day and to think about how I can improve on it. Some people check theirs once a week, but for me daily tracking helps me stay focused. Since I track my goals on my electronic device, I usually highlight what I accomplished or add comments and resources or information from other sources. Then finally, I add a note to my to-do list to remind me of whatever it is that needs my attention. You can also join an online community to receive some support (For me, I joined the Caveday group CAVEDAY AND ASANA.COM) Goal Body, BASECAMP - Lifetick
If you’re looking for a more in-depth tool for goal setting, Lifetick happens to be a worthwhile option. This app is great for those who aren’t sure yet of what their core values are or who feel stuck with what to do. This app helps you to identify your core values and then offers a platform for you to set SMART goals and begin tracking them. - Milestone Planner
Milestone Planner is another wonderful tool that makes goal-setting and goals tracking easier. This app helps you to brainstorm ideas, visualize them, and track your goals all in one place. - Todoist
Todoist is one powerful tool which you can use to break down your bigger goals into smaller tasks. It tries to help you create a To-do list which are like mini-goals that help you achieve your bigger goals. This app also lets you set more significant goals as well. - Single Step
Single Step is another app to consider when considering tools to help you with goal setting and tracking. Single Step helps you to identify areas in your life that are significant to you and that you should be pursuing. The app also comes with additional elements like graphs, charts, and other visual aids to help you track and monitor progress. - Habit Tracker
One other way to look at goal setting is to see them as forming new habits. For instance if you set a goal to shed some weight then you’ll need to form new habits like exercising more or changing your eating habits in order to achieve this goal. Habit List helps you to focus on this part of goal setting and achievement. For now, the app can only be found on the Ios app store but i’ll highly recommend it if you’re looking for a smart tool to help you with your goals. - StikK
Looking for an accountability partner? StikK is your go-to platform to help you achieve that just in case you need one. Actually, I think we all need some form of accountability if we’re to achieve our goals as set. This app als helps you prioritize your goals and you can use it either as an individual or in a group.
So now that we’ve gone through the various digital tools, we might as well combine them with more traditional ones. I’m going to try to go back to the basics by listing a few I started with and still find useful.
- Post a note
Nothing trumps this when it comes to goal setting and achievement. Use notes, postcards, pictures pasted all over your space to remind yourself of your goals and how important it is for you to keep working towards them. - White or blackboard
These are very helpful too; they are bigger and therefore more visible from various distances. You can make longer lists, schedules and tasks on the boards and be sure you’ll be reminded of them as your day goes. You can also easily create trackers for your goals on the boards. - Journal
This one is a classic, in fact for me it is a lifestyle. It’s not just for my goals but writing helps me unload and reflect deeply about my life, the people and the circumstances around me. A journal helps me achieve all this, you should try it too and find out interesting things about yourself that you didn’t even know. - Support system
Accountability partners, positive influence, co-achievers, all these are essential support levers to helping us achieve our goals. They might not be compulsory but they sure make the entire process a lot easier and more exciting.
Next Steps
The next step for me is to try to see my goals a year from now to imagine those things I should have accomplished by then. The reason for this is because I want to visualize where I want to be with my goals one year from today.
You can visualize these goals under various categories as listed below;
- Financial: Where do I see myself financially one year from today based on my set goals now?
- Work: Where do I see my work life in one year’s time?
- Fitness: What do I hope to achieve with my fitness goals in a year
- Home: My home front, what do I want to see?
- Relationship: What are my relationship goals for the next one year?
- Yourself: What personal goals do i hope to achieve in the next one year
Food for Thought
Whatever tools you choose to use; whether digital or traditional, the most important indicator is to create a system that aligns with your goals and to stick with it religiously if you’re to achieve your set goals. In my opinion, both the digital and the traditional tools both have their roles to play in helping you achieve maximum success.
Find the best tools that work for you and get started on your goals today!
Visualize your best self and start becoming that person!
Your life will never change until you change something that you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.
Find all the useful and practical tips you need to set goals, monitor and re-evaluate your progress and achieve maximum results with all your goals and aspirations
Check out my upcoming ebook. “How to Start from Zero” and discover a proven framework for improving your health and wellness every day. No matter your health goals, this ebook distills in very practical terms; strategies that will teach you how to adopt healthy lifestyle habits and get rid of the bad ones.
“How to Start from Zero” provides its readers with a practical guide on how to set realistic and achievable goals as well as steps to take to make sure you’re not overwhelmed with the process. There are numerous ideas and examples to draw from to help you in your process.
I guarantee it would be of great help to you.
Disclaimer: Please note that I am not your doctor while I am a health coach by profession. This article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice nor does it establish any kind of medical relationship between you and me. I will not be held liable for any damage resulting from or related to your use of this information.