From dreams to reality: how setting goals can change your life!
Life can be a whirlwind sometimes, can’t it? Between work, family, and everything in between, it’s easy to feel like you’re just going through the motions. I’ve been there too - drifting from one day to the next reminiscent of ‘Groundhog Day’, wondering if there’s more to life. But here’s the good news: there is more, and it starts with something simple yet powerful - setting goals.
I used to think that setting goals was just about writing down your ideas and visions on a piece of paper and hoping for the best. But as I utilised this tool more and more, I realised that it is actually a powerful way to take charge of your life and avoid the ever-existing trap of procrastination! Goals allow you to create a roadmap that guides you from where you are to where you want to be, helping you transform those ideas and visions into reality!
The power of setting goals
Let’s talk about why goals are both important and effective. Setting goals gives you something to aim for, it holds you accountable, it’s like having a personal compass that keeps you on track, even when life gets chaotic. Especially when life gets chaotic!
Procrastination: According to research from the American Psychological Association as many as 20% of people are chronic procrastinators. Procrastination is a hindrance on many of our lives and is, in many cases, the single greatest obstacle between who you are and who you dream to be. It is something that I, personally, have suffered from over the years and to this day believe I would be much further ahead in life if I had overcome this earlier. One of the most powerful tools we have in our arsenal to overcome procrastination is ‘putting pen to paper’, so to speak, and setting small and achievable daily goals. Simply identifying what you need to work on each day brings you one step closer to your long-term goals and dreams.
Clarity and Focus: When looking at one sizable long-term goal it can be overwhelming. Breaking down your dreams and aspirations into small and achievable goals is a way to make the impossible possible. Waking up each day and knowing exactly what to focus on and what you need to get completed for the day removes any ambiguity and is powerful in unleashing the most productive version of yourself.
Motivation and Drive: Have you ever noticed how much easier it is to get things done when you’re excited about the outcome? That’s what goals do - they give you a reason to push through challenges because you know what’s waiting for you on the other side. They give you daily satisfaction and solitude in the cold hard fact that you are moving in the right direction and every day you are taking a step towards becoming the person you dream of being. It is however, in my experience, that whilst motivation is potent in spurring you on, it is not all reliable. The only thing you can learn to rely on is yourself and your discipline.
Accountability: Have you ever noticed when you’re in your work place you can be productive, get your head down and get on with your day – within reason of course! However, when you have downtime after work, days off, or the weekends you just can’t seem to hold yourself to the same standards? That, in large part, is due to accountability. In your place of work, we all know the consequences of not getting a piece of work or certain job completed, but the same consequences aren’t there to hold you accountable in your personal time.
Writing down your daily goals will not only give you satisfaction and sense of achievement when you get to tick them off, but they will also serve as a constant reminder of what you set out to achieve for the day and will hold you accountable if you fail to do so.
The 1% Better Every Day Approach
Now, let’s talk about one of my favorite strategies for achieving goals: the idea of being 1% better every day. It’s such a simple yet incredibly effective concept.
Instead of trying to take on the world and make huge changes all at once (which can be overwhelming and unsustainable), focus on making small improvements each day. Maybe it’s reading a few pages of a book, adding an extra five minutes to your workout, or spending 10 minutes of your downtime studying. These small changes might not seem like much on their own, but over time, they add up to significant progress.
We typically don’t notice ourselves getting better until these small, incremental steps build up over time and we can see their combined significant impact. I’ve noticed it many times with fitness – for weeks I’ll be training hard and still hitting that wall of fatigue around the same time…Only for one session for everything to fall into place and that wall has been shattered to pieces.
The key to success here is consistency. You don’t need to make drastic changes overnight. Just commit to getting a little bit better every day, and you’ll be amazed at how far you can go.
Becoming the Best Version of Yourself
At the end of the day, setting goals is about becoming the best version of yourself. And this journey is deeply personal and unique to the individual - it’s about figuring out what matters most to you and going after it with everything you’ve got.
Remember – you are competing against yourself! If you’re improving day-to-day, in even the smallest amounts, then you are winning!
The beginnings of ACE Journals
The beginnings of ACE Journals formed from the simple objective of optimising my own days. I went through the process of trial and error in finding what allowed me to maximise my down time to not only continually improve myself but enjoy the journey along the way.
One of the most successful tools I find that helps me within the 4-month self-improvement journal from ACE Journals is the daily goals and schedule sections. As someone who often gets handicapped by procrastination, simply planning daily goals the night before and scheduling in time for these goals around my day-to-day has been a game changer in promoting my own productivity. A useful tip that has worked wonders for myself in scheduling goals, is also scheduling in down time. Knowing you’re earning your down time through achieving your goals is a powerful motivator.
Sometimes getting started on your path towards dreams and aspirations is the biggest obstacle you will face, and setting goals can be not only your way of taking those first steps, but also your way of maintaining momentum throughout a challenging and rewarding journey.
It’s time!
“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, the second-best time is now”
No matter where you are in life, create a vision of where you want to be. Then, break this vision into small and achievable tasks. Go after these tasks consistently and you will drastically improve yourself and your quality of life as time goes on. It really is that simple.
At the beginning of your goal setting journey, it is likely that you will have days where you fail to meet your daily goals and objectives – the important thing is to NEVER let a bad day derail your overall ambitions.
Be someone today that you will be thankful for tomorrow. Now is your time to begin your journey in becoming the best version of yourself – now is your time to begin setting goals!
