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Do you ever feel like you’re forever setting goals but can’t seem to hit them? You’re not alone! It happens to the best of us. You start with a burst of enthusiasm, only to lose steam a few weeks in. Frustrating, right? But, we can turn this around and start setting goals and crushing them!
Setting goals is more than just jotting down a wish list. It’s about creating a clear roadmap that guides you toward your dreams. Ready to get started? Let’s get into ‘Setting Goals and Crushing Them: Proven Strategies!’
Table of Contents
- Identity: Be the Person You Aspire to Be
- Steps to Setting Goals and Crushing Them
- Build Consistent Habits
- Develop a Growth Mindset and Expand Your Horizons
- Stay Committed and Keep Moving Forward
- Wrapping Up ‘Setting Goals and Crushing Them: Proven Strategies!’
Identity: Be the Person You Aspire to Be
Be Mindset: Embrace the Identity of Who You Want to Become
This is all about embracing the identity of who you want to become. It’s a big shift in thinking that sets the foundation for everything else.
Most people operate with a “have, do, be” mindset, believing they need to have something first (like money, time, or resources) before they can do the necessary actions to become the person they want to be. For example, they might think, “If I have enough money, I can buy a gym membership, and then I will become fit.” This mindset can be limiting because it creates dependency on external factors and delays personal growth.
Instead, let’s flip that script and adopt the “be, do, have” mindset. Start by embodying the identity of the person you want to become. If you want to be a runner, start identifying as one. Even if you’re just starting out, tell yourself, “I am a runner.” This small change in how you view yourself can make a huge difference in your motivation and actions. To learn more about the ‘Be, Do, Have Mindset, check out my post ‘Achieve Breakthrough Results with the “Be, Do, Have” Mindset‘.
LEARN MORE ABOUT MY WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY! > How I Lost Over 80lbs: Tips For Starting A Weight Loss Journey
Visualise Your Future Self
Picture the person you want to be. Close your eyes and imagine yourself living that identity. What does your day look like? How do you feel? Visualisation can be so motivating and helps cement that identity in your mind.
Daily Affirmations: Use affirmations to reinforce this identity. Every morning, tell yourself, “I am a runner” or “I am someone who makes healthy choices.” (Oettingen et al., 2000).
Visualisations: Spend a few minutes each day visualising yourself achieving your goals. See yourself crossing that finish line or making a healthy meal choice. (Locke et al., 1981).
Set Identity-Based Goals
Finally, it’s important to set goals that align with your new identity. These are called identity-based goals, and they focus on who you want to be rather than just what you want to achieve.
For example, instead of setting a goal like “I want to lose weight,” think “I am someone who makes healthy choices.” This shifts your focus to the actions and habits that a healthy person would have, rather than just the outcome of losing weight.
Here’s another example: Instead of “I want to run a marathon,” think “I am a dedicated runner.” This helps you stay motivated and committed to the daily habits that will ultimately lead you to that marathon. (Locke et al., 1981)
Steps to Setting Goals and Crushing Them
Do Mindset: Focus on the Actions That Align with Your Identity
Now that we’ve embraced our new identity, it’s time to take action. This is where the “do” mindset comes into play, but also, an active mindset. Focus on the actions that align with your identity. If you’ve decided you’re a runner, then it’s time to start running regularly. It’s not just about saying you’re a runner – it’s about doing what runners do.
For example, if you identify as a runner, start running regularly. It doesn’t matter if you start slow or can only manage a short distance – what matters is that you start taking those steps that a runner would take. Check out my post ‘Active Mindset, Active Life: The Key to Fitness Motivation‘ for more on how to develop an active mindset!
Set Clear, Specific Goals
To turn your actions into achievements, you need clear, specific goals. This is where SMART goals come in handy. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Setting goals with these criteria ensures they’re concrete and attainable.
- Specific: Clearly define what you want to achieve.
- Measurable: Determine how you will measure your progress.
- Achievable: Set goals that are challenging but realistic. (Check out my post ‘When Goals Backfire: Consequences of Unrealistic Expectations‘)
- Relevant: Ensure your goals align with your overall identity and values.
- Time-bound: Set a deadline to keep yourself on track.
For example, instead of saying, “I want to run more,” a SMART goal would be, “I will run 3 times a week for 30 minutes each time.” This alligns with your identity-based goal but gives you a clear, actionable plan to follow.
Build Consistent Habits
Consistency is key to turning actions into habits. One of the most effective ways I’ve found to form new habits is by breaking down my main goal through goal decomposition. This involves breaking the goal down into sub-goals and then further into tasks, which can then become habits.
Goal Decomposition
Start by identifying your main goal, then it down into smaller, manageable sub-goals. Each sub-goal should then be broken down into specific tasks. These tasks are the building blocks that, when performed consistently, become habits.
For example, if your main goal is to run a marathon, your sub-goals might include:
- Building up your endurance
- Improving your speed
- Increasing your distance
Each of these sub-goals can then be broken down into tasks:
- Building up your endurance: Start with a 10-minute run three times a week.
- Improving your speed: Incorporate interval training once a week.
- Increasing your distance: Gradually add 5 minutes to your long run each week.
SEE MY COMPLETE GUIDE ON HABIT FORMATION > Mastering Habit Formation and Behaviour Change For Your Health
Start Small and Gradually Increase
Starting with small, manageable tasks makes everything much less overwhelming and more sustainable in the long run. For instance, if running for 30 minutes sounds horrible, start with a 10-minute run. Once that feels comfortable, add more time each week. These small, consistent steps lead to bigger progress over time.
By breaking down your goals in this way, you create a clear and achievable path to success. Each small task builds on the previous one, reinforcing your new habits and steadily bringing you closer to your main goal.
Example
Let’s put this into a practical context. If you want to become a runner and eventually complete a marathon, it might look a bit like this:
- Main Goal: Complete a marathon.
- Sub-Goal 1: Build up your endurance.
- Task: Run for 10 minutes, three times a week.
- Habit: Consistently running three times a week becomes a habit.
- Smaller Daily Habit: Lay out your running gear the night before.
- Sub-Goal 2: Improve your speed.
- Task: Incorporate interval training once a week.
- Habit: Weekly interval training becomes a habit.
- Smaller Daily Habit: Spend 5 minutes daily practicing deep breathing.
- Sub-Goal 3: Increase your distance.
- Task: Add 5 minutes to your long run each week.
- Habit: Gradually increasing your long run distance becomes a habit.
- Smaller Daily Habit: Drink water regularly throughout the day.
By focusing on these smaller tasks and making them habitual, you steadily progress toward your larger goal of running a marathon. Each task builds your confidence and capability, making the ultimate goal feel more attainable.
Develop a Growth Mindset and Expand Your Horizons
Growth Mindset: Embrace Challenges and Learn from Setbacks
A huge part of setting goals and crushing them is developing a growth mindset. This means viewing challenges and setbacks not as failures, but as opportunities to learn and improve. Embrace the bumps in the road as essential parts of your journey. This is opposed to a fixed mindset, which you can learn more about in my post ‘Examples of a Fixed Mindset: Break Free from Fear of Failure!’
Continuous Learning: Always Look for Ways to Improve and Grow
A growth mindset thrives on continuous learning. Always be on the lookout for ways to expand your knowledge and skills. This keeps you engaged and helps you stay on the cutting edge of your personal development.
Read Books: Dive into literature related to your goals. Whether it’s about running techniques, nutrition, or mental toughness, there’s always something new to learn.
Watch Videos: YouTube is a gold mine for instructional videos and motivational talks.
Take Courses: Enroll in courses or workshops that can deepen your understanding and provide new insights.
Celebrate Small Wins: Acknowledge and Reward Yourself for Progress
Celebrating small wins is essential for maintaining motivation and momentum on your journey. I often compare motivation to a battery – while big goals can drain your energy quickly, celebrating small wins acts like little charging stations that keep you going strong. If you don’t find ways to recharge, you might find yourself running on empty. Each celebration provides a boost, re-energising you and helping you stay on track. (Madden, 1997).
Celebrating small wins has significant psychological benefits. It boosts your confidence, reinforces positive behavior, and helps maintain a positive mindset. Recognising and rewarding yourself for the progress you make along the way reinforces your efforts, keeps your spirits high, and makes the entire journey more enjoyable.
Reflect and Adjust: Regularly Assess Your Progress and Make Necessary Adjustments
Regular reflection is key to staying on track and continuing your growth. Take time to assess your progress, celebrate your successes, and identify areas where you can improve. This helps you stay aligned with your goals and make any necessary adjustments.
Stay Committed and Keep Moving Forward
Have Mindset: Enjoy the Results of Your Hard Work and Stay Motivated
The final step to setting goals and crushing them is once you’ve started seeing the results of your hard work, adopting the “have” mindset. This means appreciating and enjoying the benefits you’ve gained from your efforts. Savour the health improvements, increased confidence, and sense of achievement that come with regular running or any goal you’ve pursued.
Consistency is Key: Stick to Your Habits Even After Achieving Your Goals
When you reach a goal, it’s easy to feel like the hard work is over. However, the truth is that maintaining your progress is just as important as achieving it in the first place. Consistency helps solidify the habits you’ve built, ensuring they become ingrained in your daily routine. This is how long-term success is achieved and maintained.
I can personally attest to the power of consistency. After losing 80 pounds, I knew that maintaining my weight loss would require the same level of dedication and consistency that helped me achieve it. Over the years, I have kept up with the habits that led to my success, like mindful eating and staying active. These habits have become an integral part of my lifestyle, allowing me to maintain my weight loss and continue living a healthy, fulfilling life.
For more tips on staying consistent, check out my post ‘The Importance of Consistency: Small Habits Lead to Big Results!‘
Stay Connected: Surround Yourself with a Supportive Community
Having a supportive community can make a big difference in maintaining your results. Surround yourself with people who share similar goals and can offer encouragement and motivation.
Long-Term Vision: Keep Setting New Goals to Continue Growing and Improving
Maintaining results also means continuously setting new goals to push yourself further. Having a long-term vision helps you stay motivated and ensures that you keep growing and improving.
Wrapping Up ‘Setting Goals and Crushing Them: Proven Strategies!’
Setting goals and crushing them isn’t just about discipline – it’s about finding joy in the journey. Every step you take towards your goal is a victory in itself, and it’s important to celebrate those moments. The path to success is filled with learning, growth, and transformation.
Sharing your goals and progress with friends or a community can provide the support and encouragement you need to stay motivated. Whether it’s through a fitness group, an online community, or just a buddy who’s on a similar journey, having people to cheer you on makes a huge difference.
So, are you ready to crush those goals? Let’s do this! With the right mindset, clear actions, continuous growth, and consistent effort, there’s nothing you can’t achieve. Embrace the journey, enjoy the process, and celebrate every success along the way. You’ve got this!
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