The Best Ways to Meet Your Goals

There are likely plenty of goals you set for yourself, and some you may meet, and others might fall to the wayside. On the other hand, some goals are quite important and must be met. Is there a shortcut to do this?

There may not be a shortcut but there are strategies you can use which may give you a better chance of meeting your goals. Here’s a look at 8 ways that you will be able to meet your goals. 

Set Attainable Goals

While it seems obvious, you should always set attainable goals for yourself. This means you can meet your goal if you are willing to work for it.

For instance, if you make your goal writing a book in 3 weeks, while it is possible, it may be easier to fail than if you gave yourself a bit longer, like 6 months.

When you set goals that you are able to complete, this can leave you feeling better about yourself and allow you to be ready to meet your next goal. 

Take Time to Plan

Once you determine what goal you’d like to meet, it is important to plan what you need to do. You can figure out what steps to take and write them down. You may also be able to judge when you can complete the goal.

Take all the time you need to plan since it can save you time overall and may cause less stress than if you don’t plan ahead.

Perhaps you think about all the circumstances that might get in your way or setbacks you may suffer. This can allow you to be ready for them when they happen. 

Break It Down

While you are taking the time to plan, you may also want to decide how many steps your goal can be broken down into.

Depending on what your goal is, it may be able to be completed in phases. One example would be if you want to take an extended vacation.

You can determine all the steps that will need to be taken beforehand, so you can check them off your list.

This could be making travel arrangements, packing, stopping your mail, and all the other tasks you’d need to get done before going on vacation. 

Don’t Get Lazy

Something else to keep in mind when you are trying to meet a goal is not to get lazy. Remember why you are doing it, and that it’s important to you.

You should use your willpower to keep going, so you can complete your goal.

Willpower essentially involves having the strength to do things when you really don’t want to. For more information on willpower, check out BetterHelp. 

Get Some Sleep

You should always get rest when you are able to. An adult requires around 8 hours of sleep each night, so try your best to get to bed at a time that allows you to sleep enough hours.

You can accomplish this by giving yourself a bedtime, much like you do with your kids. When you are able to get the proper sleep on a regular basis, this can allow you to make better decisions.

A 2020 study in Nature and Science of Sleep found that those that are not able to get the sleep they need consistently may have a harder time making decisions and take unnecessary risks.

De-stress! 

Paying attention to your stress level is also something that is important. When you are feeling stressed, you should take some time to yourself to relax.

Additionally, you may want to exercise. Getting your body moving may allow you to relieve some of your stress and could clear your mind enough to let you see more solutions to problems you are facing. On the flip side, you can call and talk to a loved one when you need to let off steam.

They may be able to advise you on a problem you are facing or tell you how they handled a similar situation. Or they may be able to make you laugh which can uplift your mood a bit. 

Set Boundaries

Setting boundaries is something you may not think of when you are trying to meet a goal, but it is necessary. You shouldn’t be working on your goal at all times; you need to take breaks.

Also, if the work you are doing to meet a goal is causing you stress or anxiety, you have to know when to take a break.

Be sure that you aren’t overworking yourself, even if you are trying hard to accomplish something. Be strict with yourself on how much time to devote to a task on any given day.

Know When to Walk Away

At times, as hard as you try, you won’t be able to meet your goal in the way you wanted to. When this happens, you should know when to change plans or abandon your goal.

In other words, you don’t want to keep wasting time trying to make something happen if it isn’t likely. Instead, you can address other goals you have or determine what else can be done.

Maybe you wanted to find a new job before summer, but you didn’t get any callbacks or interviews. This doesn’t mean that you won’t find a job, but if summer has come and gone, there may be other options that you should take advantage of that you didn’t consider before.

Conclusion

Anytime you are trying to get something accomplished, this is a goal you would like to meet, even if you haven’t thought of it that way.

When you can meet your goals, you can feel good about yourself and you may be able to make things happen in your life, whether these are personal or work advancements.

You should set goals for yourself when you can, so you have something to work toward, as well as when you are trying to change your situation. With the tips listed above, you may have an easier time meeting these goals.

Marie Miguel Biography – Guest Writer

Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.