Do you feel like you’ve worked hard on something but achieved less or nothing? Maybe because you set weak goals or don’t allow enough time to finish them.

Achievable goals are goals that are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. These goals have a high chance of getting accomplished because they are clearly defined and laid out.

Setting these types of goals help you direct your efforts, time and resources properly and efficiently.

SMART goals are important for your long-term success, because they help you achieve goals and stay motivated instead of burned out.

Be specific- Who’s involved? What’s the end result?

What. What needs to be done and what should be the end result?

Who. Who is involved in the process? A trainer? Your roommate? Be specific on that.

Why. You have to know and identify why that goal is important. And why is it your goal in the first place.

When. Schedule is everything. This will tell you when to do a part of the goal and when you should accomplish it. Timing is important.

Writing them down!

Write your goals down, so you visualize the load of work and get a clear picture of what you need to do. A Harvard Business Study revealed that 3% of people who participated in the survey with written goals are 3 times more successful than participants who didn’t write them down.

Write your goals in your planner or journal. So you can analyze what needs to be done first, what’s next, how you will do it, when’s the deadline, and so on.

Breaking them down into parts

Break down your big goals into smaller goals then make a list of specific tasks to achieve each of these milestones. You can create a daily to-do list of things you need to accomplish.

A checklist of specific tasks will keep you on track and give you small doses of serotonin in the satisfaction of getting them done. Work will be more manageable and you get a crystal clear view on the tasks you need to take on!

Setting a time frame and deadline is important

It’s also important to be realistic here and to give yourself margin. When deadlines are too tight, they pass by, and you give up.

Here are tips to make your deadlines work:

Use Parkinson’s Law- It states that “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” Set a strict deadline in advance so you can focus on what’s more important.
Set a timer- Use a timer that beeps to alert you and remind you of your deadline.
Timebox- set deadlines that you can finish within 60-90 minutes, when the time’s up, you finish. It cuts procrastination and you can use your time productively.

Setting reasonable timeframes and deadlines makes you work towards your goal more efficiently. You know yourself best. Give yourself enough time to keep you focused, but not stressed.

Starting off with the small goal is the first step in achieving a larger milestone. Take one step at a time, know your priorities and get all that motivation you need to accomplish your goals and dreams.

Photo Credit @Mariwka