Lately, I’ve been very aware of my intention behind certain things that I do. I want to make sure I’m intentional with every conversation I have, everything that I accomplish in a day, and how I spend my time overall. I’m not sure how I got to this point, but it’s been heavy on my heart, and I figured I should share some advice with you guys.
To make sure I am being intentional with everything I do I’ve begun setting goals that I can be proud of. What does that mean exactly? Well, there’s no set answer. To me, it means setting goals that are out of my comfort zone that allow me to grow in multiple areas. Setting goals that cause me to grow gives me more motivation to accomplish them. For example, setting a goal to workout for 30 minutes 4 days of the week is a goal that will make me proud because as I do it more and more I’ll see results. This is an actual goal I set for myself back in January and when I first did it I was TOTALLY out of my comfort zone. I’ve never played sports or been a fan of working out, but something changed in January and I’ve stuck with it. I’ve even gone so far as to workout 6 days a week some weeks! (CRAZY. I know!)
So today, I want to help you set some goals that make you proud, take you out of your comfort zone, and motivate you to grow. Are you ready? Let’s get started.
Setting goals out of your comfort zone
Before we get started I want you to download a goal setting sheet that will help you keep better track of your goals. Once you’ve downloaded it we’ll walk through it together!
Okay, ready to get started?
One of the first things I had to grasp with goal setting is that your goals should help you step outside of your comfort zone. Of course, you can have goals that allow you to ‘play it safe’ like setting a goal to text a friend twice a week or walk your dog a little earlier each morning. Those are both goals that can easily be accomplished.
However, we’re going to focus on goals that will take a little extra work. They may seem hard at first, but trust me, you can accomplish them.
Setting your main goal
Your main goal is the goal that is completely out of the box, but not out of reach. Think of something you’ve always dreamed of accomplishing, but haven’t taken the leap to do so yet. What comes to mind first? Whatever it is, write it down in the top portion of your sheet.
Once you’ve got that written down think of 6 action steps you can take towards accomplishing that goal. Ask yourself these questions:
- What do you have to do?
- Who do you need to connect with?
- How are you going to change?
- Do I have the resources I need?
These questions will help you identify all that you need to accomplish this dream of yours. Not only that, but it’ll give you an idea of the three smaller goals you need to accomplish to make your dream come true.
Setting your stepping stone goals
Your stepping stone goals are the goals that will help you remain consistent as you work towards accomplishing your main goal. These are going to be things that you can accomplish in the short term.
One of my goals for August was to bring in an extra $1,000 a month through side income. When I broke this goal down I noted to accomplish it I’d need to land an additional side gig (done), increase my hourly rate as a freelancer (done), and devote at least 1 hour a day to writing (done). Although I fell about $100 short of my goal, these three small steps helped a TON. This small goal I set for myself is moving me towards the main goal I have set for myself, which I’ll share more about in a later post.
Keep in mind that your stepping stone goals are just that. They aren’t where you should stay and should point you towards long-term growth. Take some time to brain storm what your stepping stone goals look like and how you’ll accomplish them.
You’ve got this
The more you set goals that make you proud, the easier it’ll get. As you’re on your goal setting journey here are a few things to keep in mind.
- Growth looks different for everyone, so don’t compare your progress to the person next to you.
- Your goals can change along the way and that’s perfectly fine.
- It’s alright if you don’t accomplish your goals in a set timeline. Just keep working!
- Have fun with your goals and enjoy your journey.
- Reward yourself for your accomplishments. Both big and small!
- Find an accountability partner to keep you on track.
I’m going to be tracking my success along with you guys and will keep you updated on how things are going for me at least once a month. I hope you enjoyed this post and found it helpful!
Feel free to check out my BS Blogger posts for all the latest advice, tips, and tricks for aspiring writers.
