Goal Setting: What You Must Do to Crush Your Goals

You ever saw somebody's post on social media and people comment like, "Sis you are #Goals" or repost a video with #RelationshipGoals hashtags? Or what about the pictures from vision board parties? They be so cute and seem like a lot of fun with brunch and champagne glasses and cute magazine cut-outs. That’s the fun side of goal setting; then there’s reality.

Goals sound good. They excite us. They also scare us.

Write down your goals. Video courtesy of CreateHERStock.

Social media has sprinkled glitter on a not so glittery situation. Goal setting is not a party, it's not a celebration. It's an eye-opening exercise in self-awareness AND it's uncomfortable.

You Have to Face Your Reality

When you set goals, you have to acknowledge where you are right now - and many of us don't like where we are right now. We want to improve our current situation and do it quickly. Goal setting can bring on feelings of inadequacy, defeat, guilt, and all those things that get in your head. When you know you’re not where you should be, it makes you feel a certain kinda way right?

With goal setting you’re planning ahead - where do you want to be, how many pounds do you need to drop, pay off debt, whatever the goal is. You're articulating where you want to be while keeping in mind where you are now.

Get ready to crush your goals!

Let's use getting out of debt as an example: You plan to pay off debt but every time you want to pay it life happens, and your finances take a hit. Suddenly you need new tires and the "It's always SOMETHING" mindset comes in along with the frustration. You start to adopt that mindset and your behaviors reflect the defeat that you feel in this moment.

It's always something SMH. Photo courtesy of CreateHERStock.

Now, What Are You Gonna Do?

The reality is that you can do something about it. What is that gonna require of you? Those requirements - that's the goal setting part. Realizing that you’ll have to get rid of detrimental behaviors like overspending and acting on that realization is the accountability part. Create a realistic plan to knock out $1,000 in 3 months or $5,000 in 6 months, for example. Check your balances periodically to make sure you're on track. Keep up that behavior and your debt will be paid off before you know it!

Once you understand that goal setting and accountability go hand-in-hand, achieving your goals becomes much more attainable.

"Accountability is the Glue that Binds Commitment to Results."

It's Not All Bad

For me, goal setting is my imagination unleashed. I come up with things I want to do and accomplish, and each time it brings me a bit of discomfort - a feeling I've learned to welcome with open arms. When I think about the magnitude of the goals I set, that discomfort lasts for a minute, then I think about how good it's gonna feel when I crush my goals.

Setting goals gives you something to work toward. It's easy to set them as new year's resolutions or when a new job comes along. It's also easy to forget about those goals a few months later (and wonder why you're making the same resolutions you made last year). Goals are nothing if we don't stay on top of them.

We do "things" everyday but what are those things getting us? Time is limited and expensive - make sure your time is invested in things that are important to you. Here's the five simple steps I use to set my goals and stick to them. Try it!

Five Keys to Success for Goal Setting & Accountability:

1. Set goals and write them down.

2. Track your progress weekly, monthly, and quarterly.

3. Pivot and reposition your moves as needed.

4. Celebrate your wins - big and small.

5. Repeat.

Be realistic with goal setting.

Finish Strong

Following these five steps brings me a heightened awareness with myself, where I'm at, and where I wanna go. The space between those 2 points is the work, the grind, the hustle. I know what I need to do now!

Accountability doesn't end just because you've come to grips with where you are - it's an integral part of the goal setting process. It's important because SAYING you'll do it (goal setting) and ACTUALLY doing it (accountability) are two different things.

Now you have the drive, the ambition, and the clarity you need to forge ahead. Let's GOOOOOOOO!!! You can learn more about goal setting & accountability in The Audacious Accountants™ Community right here.

What goal are you crushing this year? COMMENT BELOW!

#Careers #Leadership #Goals