Set achievable goals

Do you find yourself starting out with good intentions, but end up falling short? Here are four ways to help you reach your goals.
Published 23 September, 2019

No one follows through with their plans 100% of the time.

It’s helpful to look back to figure out what got in the way and what you can do differently in the future. Then, the next time you don’t do exactly what you’d planned, ask yourself these questions:

1. How did you feel when you set this goal?
Were you optimistic? Determined? What did you imagine it would feel like to put your plan into action? For example, you might have felt motivated when you decided to pack a healthy lunch one night before work last week.

2. When it was time to act, how did you feel?
This is where you start to see what got in the way. So, if you meant to prepare lunch in the evening, maybe at 9pm you felt pressed for time or just too tired.

3. What’s the difference?
Think about the ways you felt in those two moments. Maybe when you first made the lunch plan, it was a Saturday and you were full of energy, but by Sunday you just wanted to chill out.

4. Your new goal is…?
Tweak your intention to make it more doable going forward. Back to the lunch plan: you might decide to spend a relaxed Saturday afternoon packing lunched for the week, instead of doing late-night prep. You’ve just helped yourself succeed!