How to Set Life Changing Goals

Austin
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5
How to Set Life Changing Goals

Big Goals Lead to Big Success

How to set goals is a question that is asked constantly. It’s a great question to ask because goal setting is one of the most important steps to becoming successful. Setting goals for yourself gives you a chance to outline all the things you need to do to get where you want to be. It’s like a road map to all the dreams you’ve ever had about achieving more.  We’ve all heard either “ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer” or on the more positive side of things “as a great question to get a great answer”. Setting goals works the same way. If you set a big goal you will achieve big dreams.

Now you may be asking “what is goal setting and how am I supposed to be doing it?” Well to start the goal setting definition is the process of identifying something you want and setting up measurable goals and timeframes to to achieve what you originally wanted.This sounds simple enough but it can be difficult depending on what you dream about achieving. Here are some goal settings examples that you may have heard of before.

  • Become a millionaire
  • Be self employed
  • Spend more time with friends and family
  • Vacation more often
  • Retire early
  • Buy a new house
  • Buy a nice car

In reality the list can go on forever. If we were going to list out everything we want in life it would take us a lifetime of writing and we still wouldn’t finish. Now you can see there are different types of goal setting too. Not everyone wants to run a business, move to a new house, or become the next Bill Gates. That’s where we get into the different types of goals to set and how to set them.

How to set what kind of goal?

Now you may be wondering what kind of goal should I be setting? The answer is it depends. If ask a million different people how many types of goals there are you will get a million different answers. Short term goals, long term goals, personal goals, professional, artistic, financial, relationship… I think you see what I mean by a million different answers.

What you need to remember is a goal should have 3 main characteristics. First goals should have time limits because it creates urgency. Second they should be attainable because if it’s not possible you won’t do it. Third goals should have a specific topic because you need to know what you’re working on. Now with that in mind we need to talk about how to set goals and achieve them.

There are many different methods to goal setting. Everyone should try different goal setting methods until they find one that works for them. I’ve found that the most empowering goal setting methods are SMART goals, picking The ONE Thing, or using the 10x Rule. These methods will all have different steps to set goals but they will all have the 3 main characteristics of a goal.

SMART Goals

 

SMART Goal setting is one of the most common types of goal setting. Many people actually credit Peter Drucker for its invention. Using SMART goals makes sure you have every aspect of a goal that is needed to achieve it. SMART is actually an acronym. Although there have been different words used this is the most common way you’ll find it.

S.M.A.R.T.
  • Specific

A goal should be specific. If the goal is not clear it will be hard to stay focused. This is one of the situations where using the 5 “W’s” can be beneficial. Goals are not meant to be broad pick something that is extremely specific like learning 100 german words.

  • Measurable

 Goals need to be measurable so that you can track progress. This measuring will also create excitement if you think about how close you are to finishing. The most important question to ask yourself is “How will I know when I’ve accomplished my goal?” Find a way to measure that answer.

  • Achievable

Your goal needs to be possible but it needs to push you to your limits. Don’t pick something like make 10 trillion dollars this year. That goal won’t be possible and it will hold you back. If you want to increase your income look at where you are at now and decide on something that will be difficult but achievable. A great question to ask is “how realistic am I being and how will I achieve this goal?”

  • Relevant

Pick a goal that is relevant to the things you enjoy, other goals, and what matters to you. If you don’t like cars don’t make a goal of learning to rebuild an engine. You will lose interest. Goals are about finding things that are relevant to you and sticking with them until you accomplish them.

  • Time Bound

Goals need to have a time limit set on them. Eventually is not a good example of a time limit. If you want to achieve a goal pick a time that will keep you motivated. Ask yourself  “Can I do this in X months, in X weeks, in X days?” only you can pick a time limit for your goals.

The ONE Thing

This method of goal setting comes from Gary Keller’s best seller “The ONE Thing”. It has set new standards for what people can achieve. It has also become one of my personal favorite books. If you get a chance to read it you should.

Using this method of goal setting you still need to follow the 3 main characteristics of a goal. It needs to be attainable, specific, and have a time limit. When you are picking your “ONE Thing” you still need to keep those characteristics in mind. Your “ONE Thing” is going to be the only goal you focus on once it’s picked. Which means this goal needs to be the most important thing to you. This goal also needs to be bigger than you can imagine. A good way to do it is to go 10 times bigger than what you want to achieve. Your “ONE Thing” will be broken down into many smaller things as you go. The best way to describe this method is with a list.

What is your “ONE Thing”?
  • What is “ONE Thing” you can do this year? 
  • What is “ONE Thing” you can do this month? 
  • What is “ONE Thing” you can do this week? 
  • What is “ONE Thing” you can do today? 
  • What is “ONE Thing” you can do right now? 

Each step must lead to the next step when using “The ONE Thing” method. Your goals will be set from the end to the beginning one step at a time. This method is very flexible because as you learn and get closer to your “ONE Thing” you will be able to change what you are doing for each step. I highly recommend reading “The ONE Thing” by Gary Keller if you want to get the full experience from this method of goal setting. It is really a lifestyle more than anything.

10x Rule

The 10x Rule is a lifestyle that Grant Cardone lives by. In his book “The 10x Rule: The only difference between success and failure” he talks about how you can achieve success through putting in more effort than anyone else will. This method of goal setting is more of a lifestyle than any other method mentioned.

The 10x Rule is about setting goals for yourself that are 10 times as big as what you want to accomplish. When you pick a goal that is 10 time bigger you will have to put in 10 times the effort. Going for such a big goal and putting so much effort in means you are guaranteed to at least reach your original goal. The 10x Rule is about getting away from average. You want to be the best at your life.

This is the simplest method to use for goal setting because you are going to change your entire lifestyle. Anything you do needs to be 10 times what you expect. If you aren’t putting in the effort to be extraordinary you are being average. It is easy to be average but average people don’t live extraordinary lives. Grant Cardone does a much better job at explaining the 10x Rule than I could ever do. I highly recommend reading his book and getting involved in the 10x lifestyle.

Follow Through With Your Goals

You have gone through the effort of learning about goal setting. You’ve sat down and taken the time to make your goals. Now it is time to follow through with your goals. This is not the time ask “how to achieve our goals in life” or “how to achieve goals successfully”. This is your time to get out there and follow through.

By now you will have created a list of goals to set for yourself. These are the things that you have always dreamed of. Why would you want to let yourself down? Take action and start living your dream, reach your goals by following through. You now know of 3 things that your goals should have. You know 3 types of goal setting methods that you can use. Don’t sit around waiting for your dreams to come true, make them come true. Taking one step towards your goals each day will let you live a life you never thought was possible.

If you think goal setting will change your life please subscribe to our newsletter. If you have family or friends that are interested in learning more about goal setting let them know by sharing the post on your favorite social media. Thanks for reading!

5 Tricks That Will Improve Your Time Management

Austin
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0
5 Tricks That Will Improve Your Time Management

Time is a precious thing that no one wants to run out of. We all have things that we should be doing or would rather be doing. No matter what you choose to do with your time make sure it counts. Our time is short and we should be using it wisely that’s where time management comes in to save the day.

Time management is so important in life because in a way time is our greatest asset. It is the one thing that once it is spent we can never get back. We can sell it, leverage it or even waste it but we can’t buy or earn more. Make sure you value your time wisely and use it for what you want to use spend it on.

We know that time is important to you so we put together 5 ways to improve your time management.

1.) Be Positive About Your Time Management Skills

Time management is a skill that you have to build on. Being positive will help you think about how great life will be once you have mastered this new skill. Positive affirmation is a great way to train your brain to do more with less. If you tell yourself you are doing a good job enough eventually you will do more than a good job.

When you have mastered time management you will have plenty of time to relax and do the things you enjoy. You will be able to look back at all that you have accomplished and think “It’s amazing how much I can do!” Always look back at what you have learned and think positively about the experience.

2.) Create a Way to Visualize Your Time

Humans love to look at things. Our world is built around being able to see the things around us. Time on the other hand isn’t made for us to see. It can be hard to visualize what exactly time is or how we should be using it. Creating a way to visualize what our day looks like can make it easier to understand what needs to be done when.

There area few ways to visualize your day and you will have to find what works best for you. There are time management apps, calendars or even something simple like a spreadsheet that can help you see what you should be doing when.

I personally like using spreadsheets because I’m able to map out my days by the hour. I know which hours are for work, sleep, and personal. All these categories are color coded to make it easy. As you get more experience you can break down your map into smaller segments.

3.) Maximize Your Day with Priority Lists

A to do list is a great way to make a list of things that you don’t want to do. A priority list is a good way to make a list of things that have to be done.

Creating a priority list isn’t about adding everything to a list that you should be doing on any given day. A priority list is about finding the things that are most beneficial to your day and putting them at the top. Start from the top of your list and work your way down. Make sure to finish something you have started before moving to the next part of your list. These lists are not set in stone and should be updated as new priorities pop up.

Don’t make the list too long. The list should only be 3 to 5 tasks long. If you pass this limit move the least important task onto a to do list. Later on you can use this to do list as a reference for new priorities.

Remember that these priorities make the most of your time and will leave you the most satisfied when completed.

4.) Create Good Habits

Habits can be a hard thing to form it takes time and thought to do stuff regularly. Once a habit is formed it will be the easiest thing you can do. Do you ever think about brushing your teeth, driving a car or writing? No that’s because you have created a habit and now it is easy to do.

There are many views of how long it takes to create a habit. In my opinion you shouldn’t think about how much time it will take to create the habit. You want to do that task regularly so get out and do it. Once the habit is formed you can think about how much time you are saving by not thinking about the task all the time(don’t think like this too much or you’ll be back to square one)

5.) Find a Way to Make a Game That You Can Win

Have you ever won a game and still hated it? I can’t think of a time I have. When you find a way to make a game out of time management that you will win in the long run you will be more inclined to keep going. Don’t make the game too easy but make it something that you feel accomplished for winning.

One example of winning at your own game would be to cut small increments of time off of how long you do something. If it takes you 15 minutes to make lunch before going to work do it in 14. Win you are able to consistently make lunch in 14 minutes drop it down to 13. Keep improving and keep winning. You’ll be amazed how fast you can do something when you’re racing against your most challenging rival.

Time management isn’t something that you can be the best at from day one. It takes time to manage your time. If you learn what you can do better you will always improve. Those small improvements will allow you to spend more and more of your time on the things you enjoy. Don’t forget why you are working so hard on making your life better. Improving your life is the whole reason you’re here. Check out my post about the  pursuit of excellence which will help you find the reason why you need to focus on time management. 

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