How to Set Goals You Can Achieve

Do you find yourself scrambling to come up with as many resolutions as you can when January gets here? Setting goals can be a great way to keep ourselves motivated and accomplish the things we most want out of life. They are particularly beneficial because they can boost energy levels and lead to an increase in higher and more persistent effort .

The problem is, most of us set too many goals or make them too unrealistic for us to actually achieve. It can be tempting to layer on as many goals as we can when the new year approaches, but it’s much more efficient to focus on a few goals that are particularly important to us. If you’re looking to create a few goals that you will actually be able to achieve, we’ve come up with three tips that will help you out.

Prioritize Your Purpose

Before you set goals, you need to evaluate what your purpose is. What do you most want to accomplish, and how does this specific goal help you achieve just that? Why does it matter to you? How does it fit into your life?

The key is to create goals that are relevant to your current situation and also take your desired future into consideration. The more passionate you are about your goal and how it fits into the larger picture, the more likely you are to follow through, regardless of what it takes to achieve.

Hold Yourself Accountable

It’s okay to slip up and struggle with staying on track with your goals. Nobody can possibly stay completely dedicated to everything they care about, and that’s okay. Instead of putting undue pressure on yourself to do everything perfectly, define a way to hold yourself accountable in relation to the bigger picture.

The most effective way to keep yourself on track throughout the entire process is to break your goal into smaller step-by-step tasks. As you complete each step, remember to celebrate your accomplishments and reward yourself. Not only will you appreciate the reward you give yourself, but you will also be much more likely to continue working towards your goals. In fact, according to Harvard Business Review , the best way to foster hard work is to accomplish something small every day.

Prepare for Roadblocks

Nothing is perfect, and nothing ever goes as seamlessly as we expect it to. While you set goals, prepare to hit a roadblock at some point throughout the process. What problems can you see yourself facing based on the goals you have created? How will you work around them? How can you keep them from leaving you unmotivated?

The more you prepare for setbacks, the better you will be able to address them when they do come up. Plus, if you head into your goals knowing that it is impossible for you to do everything absolutely right, you will be much easier on yourself when you struggle with something. Just because you have hit a roadblock doesn’t mean you aren’t cut out for your goal. It simply means you are human.

Goals don’t have to be particularly challenging or complicated for them to help you get things done. In fact, the simplest goals can often be the most beneficial. With these three tips, you will set goals for yourself that leave you more motivated, happier with yourself and your life, and passionate about what you do.