Last time we talked it was about how to plan an awesome year ahead. If you haven’t read it + done the exercise, you can find it here. Today I want to continue our conversation and share the three simple things you need to succeed when it comes to achieving your goals.

Actually, they almost guarantee it.

I know it sounds a bit over the top.
But it’s not.

Not if you include these three things in your goal setting plan, and do them!

This is more than the traditional, think big, write it down + trust on your will power to get it done.

That’s the thing with traditional goal setting. It doesn’t set people up for success. And as a result most people don’t set goals properly + they give up.

January’s coming, and many of us will set goals for the year ahead. Yes! That’s great. I’m here to support you 🙂

Unfortunately, at least 90% will never reach them. A large percentage of those will have already given up by mid January.

That’s only two to three weeks into the new year!
And that saddens my heart, a lot.

Because it doesn’t have to be that way.

Not if you incorporate these three simple things into your plans.

Three things you need

1. Passion

The first of the three things you need is passion.

Or said another way, your vision.

So what is it that you want?

You have to answer this question before you start setting any goals. Our last conversation shows you how to answer that question.

First know you’re where + why

If you can’t say what you want to achieve + don’t know why, is like getting ready to go out only you don’t know if it’s to work or on a beach side holiday. You won’t know what to pack or do to make sure you get there and enjoy it.

So you’ve decided to go on a beach side holiday. It’s time to pack to make sure you arrive + have a great time!

2. Plan

The next thing you need is a plan

Part of a good plan is having a planner. I say it’s at the heart of a productive day.

However, you can have a planner and write everything down, organise it, colour code to but if isn’t aligned to your passion, the vision of where you are going + what you want to achieve, you will simply get good at getting a lot of stuff done.

Because no one want to take action on vague goals

When our goals are simple + easy we can’t help but take action on them.

Write this quote in our planner or put it on your vision board : “it’s hard by the yard, but a cinch by the inch”.

#tip : whenever you feel some resistance to taking action, or find yourself caught up in procrastination, it’s possibly because you haven’t broken down your goals into small enough tasks.

When it comes to setting goals you may need to do some negotiation here with your family or work colleagues so that you’re all on the same page. Support is also really important as you make progress o your goals so don’t try to do it alone.

Now speaking up for what you want isn’t a licence to get out of balance + neglect your other responsibilities. Make sure you are taking care of the important people + stuff in your life as you make your plans.

Remember, there’s no rush, unless there really has to be

Don’t sacrifice what’s important here, like time with God + your family. What good is it, if a man gains the whole world (achieves their goal) but loses his soul?

I’d also encourage you to make sure your plan supports who you want to be as do the work towards your goals. God’s concerned about who you are becoming, not just what you are achieving. He tells us all through scripture how to live, rightly, justly + in peace. It’s part of why we have struggles + challenges in life. Let them shape you to be stronger + prepared to go even further than you’re planning right now.

What does it mean to have a plan that supports who you want to be? Your daily plan needs to have a foundation that everything else sits upon, like a house.

This is your daily routine.

It keeps you strong physically, emotionally + spiritually for the challenges that are ahead. And it gives you energy to take action when you don’t feel like it.

Create habits of the essentials, the things you need to do each day to be who you want to be, make them automatic. Your brain can focus on other more important things that will help you reach your goal, like seeing opportunities, instead of deciding if you want to get up and do some exercise.

Why waste your energy on something that you already know is good for you and that you need to do.

With your foundation in place you now have the support you need for the third thing we’re going to take about today.

3. Persistence

This is simply your ability to keep at it.

Especially when it’s challenging or you don’t feel like it.

Taking consistent action is the key

Make sure your goals are broken down into small actionable tasks each day so that they spur you on not crush you.

This is where the majority of people quit. By mid January most people have already given up on whatever goal they set only a short couple of weeks ago.

You won’t be one of them because you’ve aligned your goals with your passion and have an actionable plan that motivates you to take action consistently!

The reason you do the pre-work of goal setting is to make being persistent easier.

Persistence doesn’t come from will power

Our wills are weak. And success doesn’t come from relying on the fickleness of our emotions.

It comes from putting in the work you’ve done to make a plan that helps you be persistent, especially when you don’t feel like it.

Another part of being persistent is also reviewing your progress regularly. Regular reviews of your goals helps you make necessary adjustments along the way.

Life rarely goes according to beautifully laid out plans. And it sure doesn’t look as neat as it does on paper, especially then you’re in the messy middle. Adjustments are all part of the plan.

Persistence requires courage

It’s difficult to be persistent on something that’s a heavy burden to bear. An unrealistic goal is like that. It weighs you down and keeps you from taking action on the dream you long to achieve.

So be persistent, make time for regular reviews + make adjustments as needed to ensure you reach your goals.

We’ll be chatting more about goal setting over the next couple of weeks, so stay tuned and most importantly take action, do the exercises. It’s worth putting in a little time now to set goals that will move you toward your dreams.

Success comes when you #takeAction

Collect : grab your answers from the questions in the last article

Reflect : think about the kind of goals you want to make that are aligned with your passion
Connect : make a plan that supports you and sets you up for success!

So be persistent, make time for regular reviews + make adjustments to reach your goals because it’s time to flourish in business + life!