Set goals that stick

'This one step - choosing a goal and sticking to it - changes everything.'

Scott Reed

How amazing would it be if you could set exciting, meaningful goals for 2024 and achieve them?

We all know that setting goals is important, that’s why bright, ambitious people like you set them in their professional lives, and usually achieve them. Unfortunately, people tend to find it much harder to set and commit to meaningful personal goals.

I spent over 700 hours coaching ambitious people this year - as well as helping my clients, I learned a lot about what works for people. 

How to set goals that stick

• Build your motivation - get clear on all the reasons why your goals matter. ‘I want to exercise more and lose weight because it’s good for me’ is not enough. That’s not going to get you up on a dark, wet February morning. It’s not going to help you leave the office earlier. It’s not robust enough to keep you motivated despite all the stuff that life throws at you. Give your goal more context, meaning and importance. E.g. I will have more energy, self-confidence, and self-respect, my kids will grow up with a healthy role model, and I will feel less stressed and more calm.

• Build your vision – write it down. Describe it in the present tense, in detail - picture yourself having achieved it. Imagine how you will think and feel when it is done. This will make it feel more real and more achievable, and you will feel more connected to it. It will seem more possible and you will be conditioning your unconscious to create that reality.

• Build your accountability - tell people you trust about your goals. Share them with people you are wired to uphold your commitments to others. Ask a friend to hold you accountable to your goals, and encourage them to chase you. Make a bet with them, whatever it takes. Report your progress to them weekly. The more people you tell about your goals, the more committed to them you will be.

• Build your belief – make a list of all the things you have achieved and overcome to date. Get clear on all the skills, resources and experiences you can draw on to accomplish your goals. Focus on your previous successes, let go of failures and call them lessons. Build your confidence and recognise your progress. Notice every positive action you take towards your goals.

If you focus on building your motivation, vision, accountability and belief, you will be far more likely to keep working on your goals, even if it gets hard, and therefore you are more likely to achieve them.

When you set your goals, consider how you want to feel. Consider that feeling different in a specific way can be a life-changing goal in itself. Feeling more present with your family, or more calm, more peaceful, more in control, and more fulfilled are all incredible goals.