Goals and Growth
I have a journal that I write in very periodically and use it for prayers, deep thoughts and personal goals. Recently, I was writing notes and was reading a past entry of mine and I started to flip through some other of my past entries. I flipped far enough that the entries were from over a year ago and I came across a list that I had written of goals for myself. They didn't have timelines or any details but they were dreams I had for myself. Unknowingly, I had so many of my prayers/goals that I had written over a year ago answered and didn't realize it. It was so rewarding to see how much my life has changed and how faithful God has been. Some were goals that I thought wouldn't happen for a few years and some were answered by situations I could have never seen coming. I was reminded about how God does have a plan for our lives and He is ready to give us everything we need. We just need to accept it and walk in it.
Knowing how much writing goals has impacted my life in many ways other than just this past story, I knew I wanted to share how to write the perfect list of goals. It not only is about the goal but also the plan for the goal. Now hear me out, don't you think that you would be more inclined to write out goals if you knew they would be attainable and then see yourself daily doing things to make that happen, I sure think so! There are two different types of goals on my lists and I will explain why they make me successful and why you need them in your life.
Long Term Goals
First are the goals that will take longer than 3 months to achieve. For example, in my case, get a better apartment. I can't do this in 3 months because I need to ride out my lease, save more money and so on and so forth but I know that it is my goal of mine to be able to move out when the time comes. So because of the goal that I wrote down I know this is coming up. I can start the process of looking for a new place or asking around for advice. I keep a list of my long term goals in a place where I can see them so I will stay motivated. The other step to a goal like this is to make it realistic to your life now and break it up into smaller steps. For example, I would do research about the area I want to move and figure out a price range now. Why do this early? Because breaking up this goal into smaller pieces makes it more attainable and realistic. If I need to get an extra job in the summer I can help with the moving costs. These smaller steps break down that big goal and keep you motivated to keep going when it gets hard. These tips have helped me a lot when it comes to procrastination. I can no longer say the days flew by and it's now only a few weeks away when I have had the time to prepare. I can stay focused on the goal while making advances towards the future.
Short Term Goals
The second goal is one that you can achieve in 3 months. The catch is that you must be able to write out a plan on how you are going to make that happen. Not just a shot in the dark or even something you have been wanting to do for awhile but a goal with a plan to get you to success. Little additions to your daily schedule or another reminder to acknowledge. For example, the goal I have right now is to read 1 book a month. The plan I have with that goal is to read at least 3 days a week. I implement reading into my schedule and that way I am more likely to make reading a priority because I know I have the time and space for it in my daily life. This tip in goal writing has changed my life because of the amount of goals I have not only written but also achieved because it is about changing your daily life. I recommend only changing a few things at a time to make it easier to follow and become a habit.
Your goals are achievable if you write them the right way and give yourself space to work towards them. I challenge you to sit down and write a few out from both within 3 months and outside of 3 months. Goals can also be anything in your life that you would want to improve on. For example, I write goals for these places in my life: educational, physical, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and in relationships. I have written and achieved so many goals following these tips that I am excited to find new ones to push myself to accomplish. Trust me, it's hard but in the end so rewarding. Bring friends along with you to push each other and watch each other become better versions of yourselves together.