One Simple Trick to Achieve Your Goals

Using one simple idea, I consistently make and reach my goals. Read on to learn what strategy I use and how you can apply it to your life to help fulfill all your important goals.

First the Problem

If you’re like most people, then you have dreams and goals in your life. In fact, there are probably many things — large and small — that you would like to accomplish.

That’s great, but there’s one common mistake often made when it comes to setting goals. (I know because I’ve committed this error many times myself.) The problem is this: we set a deadline, instead of creating a plan.

We then focus all our energy and effort on the end goal that we want to reach AND the deadline we want to do it by. We say things like, “I want to lose 10 pounds this month” or “I want to save $5,000 in the next 6 months”.  The problem with this strategy is if you don’t miraculously meet the deadline in the time frame you’ve set, then you feel like a failure … even if you’re better off than when you started, it doesn’t usually matter, you still feel like you failed and more often than not people just stop pursuing the goal at that point.

So what’s the solution?                              

The Power is in the Plan, Not the Deadline
It’s pretty simple. It’s been my personal experience that setting a goal and deadline isn’t sufficient. The really effective way to achieve goals is to remove the stress of a deadline and instead prepare a simple plan of action to operate by rather than a deadline to perform it by.

Instead of giving yourself a deadline (and then feeling like a failure if you don’t make it), you should choose a goal that is important to you and then put a plan in place and then work towards it consistently.

How does this work:

Example 1: Writing
As you know, I publish a new article for my blog every day. Since my first article in February, I’ve only missed one posting. Sometimes the article is short, sometimes it’s not as compelling as I’d like it to be but it still gets written and published as planned.

Here’s what my plan could look like:

1. Create (and maintain) a list of 20 interesting blog topics
2. Create a simple article template for each topic that should include a headline, primary message, personal connection if possible, science and reference links if applicable, and a picture to visually reinforce
3. Write and Publish Article   

I do not think about the deadline, just the plan.  The results: this simple plan allows me to reach my goal consistently every day.

Example 2: Diet

Back in February, I decided that I wanted to lose 150lbs, create a more healthy diet and incorporate regular

exercise and healthy breathing. The first thing I did was create a simple plan to achieve it. I didn’t give myself a deadline for reaching this goal. I simply decided what I wanted to do and how I needed to get started towards achieving the goal. For instance, I had to learn how many calories I required to maintain the current weight. Then I had to decide on a new calorie goal – and how to roll it out incrementally. Here’s an example of what the list might have looked like:

1.       How much weight do I want to lose?

2.       How many calories do I need to consume to maintain my current weight?

3.       What’s a realistic starting daily calorie goal?  2000

4.       What would my day look like with 2000 calories:  400 x 3 + snacks or 500, 500, 600 + snacks etc.

5.       To eat healthier: start by adding 1 vegetable to every meal

6.       Create a spreadsheet to track all of this, recording results and behavior to find patterns

7.       Keep the things that work and provide results, lose anything that is cumbersome or doesn’t produce results

8.      Always Move Forward – Slow and Steady Wins the Race

       So that’s the simple plan, and I do emphasize simple. Make it as simple as you can – then start working on your plan every day. Guess what? You’ll hit your goals every time if you simply persevere, guaranteed.

So drop the crazy deadlines and stressing yourself out – instead live by a plan and be happy.  

STATS
Journey Day:	109
Today's Calories:	1670
Daily Calorie Goal:	1700
Next Weigh In:	5/7/14
Days till Weigh-In:	6
Starting Weight:	351
Current Weight:	336
Lost So Far:	15

DAILY CALORIE TRACKER
Thursday  5/1/14
	Calories
Breakfast
English Muffin (light)	100
PB2 & Strawberry Jam	150
Sliced Fresh Strawberries	75
Hazelnut Crème Decaf	0
Organic Mixed Greens	0
Total:	325
Hazelnut Coffee	0
McIntosh	60
Total:	60
Lunch
Wasabi Beef MG Flatbread	595
Dasani	0
Total:	595
Snacks
Carrots	30
Total:	30
Dinner
SS Grilled Turkey breast, spinich, lentils, quinoa Wrap	600
Steamed Spinich	0
Total:	600
Snacks
Hazelnut Crème Decaf	60
Daily Total:	1670
Daily Calorie Goal:	1700
25 min exercise (minimum)	Yes