How many times have you set a goal with complete earnestness: you are “going to be more organized and productive,” “make a real effort to exercise,” or “start a diet tomorrow.” Only to find that, at some point (sometimes sooner rather than later), your enthusiasm fades away, and your good intentions amount to nothing.
It’s the most common scenario in the world — the initial honest and whole-hearted ambition to achieve a goal; followed by inaction, not enough action, or getting side- tracked; and ending with guilt or giving up (or both). It happens to the best of us. It’s inertia at work, mixed with a bit of laziness as well as the very human trait of giving in to desires despite good intentions.
So how do you go from the theory of achieving goals to action and success? Here are seven simple steps that you can follow today.
• Make a date. Right now. Inertia is beat only by movement. Once you get going, momentum builds up and inertia is no longer a factor. The key is to get started. Take action. Not tomorrow, not later today, not in an hour, not when you finish reading this article. Right now! Decide to take the first step to make your goal a reality and make an appointment to do it. Then make that appointment the most important appointment on your schedule, more important than a doctor’s appointment or a meeting with your boss.
• Set a small, achievable goal. It can be intimidating to get started and hard to keep going, especially if you set a goal that is very challenging. Set yourself up for success by setting a realistic, very, very doable goal. It’s the only way to beat inertia. If you haven’t exercised in years, setting a goal of exercising 45 minutes a day 7 days a week may not be realistically achievable. In fact, you might injure yourself, which would really derail you from achieving your goal. Walking for 10 minutes a day, five days a week, however, is probably very achievable.
• Commit yourself, big time. It’s this commitment that will keep you going after you overcome inertia. Your enthusiasm may get you started, but when that enthusiasm wanes, you’re going to need determination to make your goal a reality. Make a commitment, and do it publicly. Make sure as many people as possible are aware of your goal.
• Baby steps, baby. The best way to change is through one small step at a time. Start with a small change and build on it consistently to move towards your goal. How is this different from the above step, setting a small and achievable goal? It’s the same concept, but extended beyond the initial goal. For example, say you want to be more active, but you haven’t exercised in years. You start by walking 10 minutes a day. In a few weeks when that becomes a habit and feels easy, add five minutes, then five minutes more, and so on. Then walk five minutes to warm up, then jog a minute, walk a couple minutes, jog a minute, and so on. Then jog two minutes and walk one minute. Take a new, small, step towards your goal each week or two. You will barely notice the progression, but it will add up, and soon enough you’ll see some serious progress.
• Hold yourself accountable. You’ve committed yourself publicly, but it’s not enough to just tell people your goal. You must ask them to support you by holding you accountable. Then report your progress to them regularly. Daily is better than weekly. Reporting to them makes sure that you will think twice about being lazy and forgoing your action plan.
• Motivate yourself. Accountability and commitment are ways to put positive pressure on yourself -- a form of motivation. If pressure gives you the push toward your goal, motivation gives you the pull. It’s not enough to feel pressure to do something, that it’s something you should do, or that you’ll be a better person for doing it. You must really desire it. You will also want other types of motivation, ways to reward yourself for your progress, and the more the better! Incorporate these into your plan. Tell people about them. Let them help push you along.
• Just keep doing it, no matter what. No one is perfect. You’ll encounter obstacles and temptations. You’ll falter and fall. You’ll make mistakes and get discouraged. Plan for it, accept it, then move on. Keep going towards your goal. No matter what happens, keep going. If you’re taking baby steps, you’re holding yourself accountable, and if you’re actually doing something, you’ll get there!
It’s the most common scenario in the world — the initial honest and whole-hearted ambition to achieve a goal; followed by inaction, not enough action, or getting side- tracked; and ending with guilt or giving up (or both). It happens to the best of us. It’s inertia at work, mixed with a bit of laziness as well as the very human trait of giving in to desires despite good intentions.
So how do you go from the theory of achieving goals to action and success? Here are seven simple steps that you can follow today.
• Make a date. Right now. Inertia is beat only by movement. Once you get going, momentum builds up and inertia is no longer a factor. The key is to get started. Take action. Not tomorrow, not later today, not in an hour, not when you finish reading this article. Right now! Decide to take the first step to make your goal a reality and make an appointment to do it. Then make that appointment the most important appointment on your schedule, more important than a doctor’s appointment or a meeting with your boss.
• Set a small, achievable goal. It can be intimidating to get started and hard to keep going, especially if you set a goal that is very challenging. Set yourself up for success by setting a realistic, very, very doable goal. It’s the only way to beat inertia. If you haven’t exercised in years, setting a goal of exercising 45 minutes a day 7 days a week may not be realistically achievable. In fact, you might injure yourself, which would really derail you from achieving your goal. Walking for 10 minutes a day, five days a week, however, is probably very achievable.
• Commit yourself, big time. It’s this commitment that will keep you going after you overcome inertia. Your enthusiasm may get you started, but when that enthusiasm wanes, you’re going to need determination to make your goal a reality. Make a commitment, and do it publicly. Make sure as many people as possible are aware of your goal.
• Baby steps, baby. The best way to change is through one small step at a time. Start with a small change and build on it consistently to move towards your goal. How is this different from the above step, setting a small and achievable goal? It’s the same concept, but extended beyond the initial goal. For example, say you want to be more active, but you haven’t exercised in years. You start by walking 10 minutes a day. In a few weeks when that becomes a habit and feels easy, add five minutes, then five minutes more, and so on. Then walk five minutes to warm up, then jog a minute, walk a couple minutes, jog a minute, and so on. Then jog two minutes and walk one minute. Take a new, small, step towards your goal each week or two. You will barely notice the progression, but it will add up, and soon enough you’ll see some serious progress.
• Hold yourself accountable. You’ve committed yourself publicly, but it’s not enough to just tell people your goal. You must ask them to support you by holding you accountable. Then report your progress to them regularly. Daily is better than weekly. Reporting to them makes sure that you will think twice about being lazy and forgoing your action plan.
• Motivate yourself. Accountability and commitment are ways to put positive pressure on yourself -- a form of motivation. If pressure gives you the push toward your goal, motivation gives you the pull. It’s not enough to feel pressure to do something, that it’s something you should do, or that you’ll be a better person for doing it. You must really desire it. You will also want other types of motivation, ways to reward yourself for your progress, and the more the better! Incorporate these into your plan. Tell people about them. Let them help push you along.
• Just keep doing it, no matter what. No one is perfect. You’ll encounter obstacles and temptations. You’ll falter and fall. You’ll make mistakes and get discouraged. Plan for it, accept it, then move on. Keep going towards your goal. No matter what happens, keep going. If you’re taking baby steps, you’re holding yourself accountable, and if you’re actually doing something, you’ll get there!