Do you know that your goals won’t happen, though you set it?
For 3 years, I struggled with being consistent with what I wanted to achieve. Initially, I recited all the things I want to do in my head at the beginning of the year, but before the end of the second month, I quietly slipped back into routines and kissed my resolutions, goodbye.
I knew that it was important to be disciplined in my life to be successful, I could see people around me that were making sparkling progress in their career, family and relationships every week and month, but I really didn’t know what I was doing all wrong.
Then, I began my search for the reasons these people achieved their goals and the scooped the behind-the-scene strategies that they were applying. Luckily, I found it and I will be sharing this with you in this post.
As a bonus, I will share the stories of 2 amazing young men, (Utibe Uko and Olugbenga Ojubanre) who tried these out and over-achieved their goals in just 1 week. I put this out as a ‘little’ challenge in my facebook community of #LimitlessHumans (where young entrepreneurs are turning their awesome dreams and beautiful skills into enterprise and solutions).
From my search, these are 4 of the reasons I wasn’t achieving my goals;
- I didn’t have any goals at all.
That sounds strange, right? But, hey, how do you achieve a goal you don’t have? All I thought was that by saying I want to write a book or design my new website is a goal.
Oh boy, I was so wrong. Those were no goals, or you can say they are so vague that they don’t have any substance.
What I started doing instead: I learned the power of setting SMARTER goals. I will write (very important) down the exact things I want to do. SMARTER – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-Bound, Re-adjust.
A practical example from Olugbenga Ojubanire: He is passionate about human capital development and business creation.
He said: ‘I will teach 1 course to my colleagues on Tuesday and Wednesday”
This example above looks so simple, but here is the result he had at the end of that week:
“I taught my colleagues so well that I got a free meal and pass to Obafemi Awolowo University’s staff club for lunch on 3 consecutive days…including today”
If you are not sure of how to set SMARTER goals, click to speak with Olugbenga or you can join our community HERE.
- I didn’t have my goals attached to a higher purpose.
I just felt it was cool to say I have a goal, in case my friends asked about it. I didn’t have anything bigger than me that I wanted to achieve, there wasn’t big dream ahead of me that I was working towards, I set goals to just look busy and avoid other commitments form others. So, by Tuesday, I was tired of running after my weekly goals. It was frustrating.
What I started doing instead: I learned the power of having my 1, 3, 5-year dreams before me when I am setting my weekly goals. It was like I was telling my inner self to cooperate every week for us to reach that big dream. It worked like magic!
Practical Example from Utibe Uko: One big dreams of Utibe is to feed his country with organic food, raise excellent agripreneur and boost the agricultural sector.
He wanted to: “Get the necessary inputs and materials for my upcoming training program”
Here is his reply at the end of the week:
“I was able to procure the inputs and materials needed for my training program and I also met one of my project partners”
Boom! Isn’t that pleasing to the ears? His goal is attached to his big goal, his training of organic farmers is a part of how he will achieve that awesome dream.
My question to you: What is your awesome dream? What is that “big” dream that you have?
- I wanted to do it all at once.
I used to have a whole lot on my plate. It was always overwhelming to finish it. At the end of the week, I usually felt guilty that I wasn’t able to stay true to my goals.
What I started doing instead: I will take just 3 to 5 goals that is most important per week. I write it down, I read it every morning, I stay on it till it’s done. Magically, my guilt disappeared and I was able to take up more goals before the end f the week.
For this challenge, Utibe and Olugbenga wrote just 3 goals that they desired to achieve at the end of the week.
Here is their comment at the end of the week:
Utibe: “to my review of the week, it was great and pleasurable one and it’s indeed a fresh tonic going into a new one”
Olugbenga: “Sharing from my goals for the week, I must say that I outperformed all the three goals…”
- I didn’t have an accountability companion.
I never knew that there was power in having support from partners, friends and colleagues having dreams that had to be achieved. I felt, I could set my goals and through sheer commitment make it happen.
But, at some point I said to myself afterall nobody is watching, If I don’t achieve this one, nobody will flog me. This mindset made my goals to slide off gradually until I changed my style.
What I started doing instead: Just like Utibe and Olugbenga, I searched out for friends that we can be on each other’s neck as to become successful together and it worked. I achieved more, I had people that could cheer me on and I wouldn’t want to let them down.
You can click HERE to join the #LimitlessHuman community where you will get the support and partners that will help you to make your dreams come alive.
Practical action for you: Look at all these 4 points above again;
-What is your awesome dream?
-Which of the mistakes do you feel you have been making in achieving your goals?
Write in the comment box below, I will like to read from you.
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