How many goals do you have? How many should you have? And even more importantly, how many goals should you work on at one time?
When it comes to goals, most people have at least 2 -3 that they’re working on at one time.And often through multitasking or scheduling, those goals are achieved. But sometimes working on multiple goals can lead to feeling stressed out and being overwhelmed. But here at the making time blog, I believe in helping you manage your stress before your stress manages you, so there’s got to be another way.
Right? But of course. 😊
Besides multitasking, there’s another way that a person’s goals and dreams can be reached. And that is by focusing on one goal at a time. This is a method that will work if you don’t have multiple goals that are pressing and need to be achieved right now.
Read on to find out more about how to implement and reach your dreams one goal at a time.
Figure out what your ONE goal will be
It’s important not to let yourself get caught up in all the different things that you could be doing. As a person who has multiple interests and goals that go along with all of those interests, not getting caught up in all the things I could be doing is something that I have to hold myself to every day.
To pick the one goal that’s most important to you, means that you’re going to have to prioritize. To help yourself do that, ask yourself these questions:
Why are you doing what you’re doing?
Knowing why you want to achieve a particular goal will be helpful in providing motivation on those days when you're discouraged. Knowing the why will also help you clarify your goal (especially if you’ve made a SMART goal).
At this same time next year, what achievement from this year will have the most significant impact on my life and get me closest to achieving what I want to achieve?
For instance, if your ultimate goal is to become healthier, then you might want to become a non-smoker or add more fruits and veggies into your diet. If you’re looking to change careers, maybe you want to get certified or go back to school for a degree.
What’s your passion? Is there something takes your full attention while you’re doing it so that time just slips away?
That passion can hold the key to your dream. If you can figure out the steps necessary to achieve that dream, then you can use those steps as the basis to create your goal.
Is there something that you enjoy doing that others might think is cheesy? Do you press on anyway?
What makes you so passionate that you don’t mind standing alone to do it? What drives you or from what do you take comfort? How can that be a part of your goal? Or can that become your goal?
Translate your goals into a number
Numbers are easier to remember. And can make it easier to figure out what you need to do in order to reach your final goal. Say we go back to the becoming healthier example from above. You could figure out how many cups of veggies you need a day as that makes your goal real.
Having your goal as a number can make it easier to turn into a trackable habit. Turning your goal into a trackable habit allows you to measure and see the progress that you’re making towards reaching your goal.
Keep Your Eyes On The Prize
Get out a sheet of paper or your vision board. Write the number down the number that you came up with from tip number 2 in big, bold, colorful numbers. Use crayon if you like. Post that number where you can see it. Often. Don’t forget to surround that number with words or pictures that relate to your goal.
So that’s it. Three tips on how to implement one goal at a time. If you’re able to learn how to prioritize your goals, you’ll find it easier to pick the one that can make the most difference in your life at this point in time. Then you should put your focus solidly on that specific goal until you get to where you want to be.
Let’s talk, what techniques do you use to help you focus on your goals? Let me know in the comments section.
Bullseye Photo by Anastase Maragos on Unsplash
Cassandra Martin-Himmons is a trainer, wellness coach and consultant who believes in empowering her clients and providing the tools that they need to make positive changes in their lives to manage their stress and increase their self-care. In her spare time, she enjoys papercrafting, volunteering and travel. Connect with her on Instagram or Linked/In