There are no two thoughts about the fact that goals are one of the most integral parts of our identity. They are the source of most of the meaning and purpose of our lives. But goals are not simply fulfilled while you lay on your back. They demand action- you need to have an action plan to reach your goals.
In the absence of an action plan, there is a possibility that you will never be able to align your skills and actions in one direction. You will not have a clear idea of, how to get where you want to? What resources do you need to get there? How do you ensure that you are motivated all the way through the journey towards your goals? Without a plan, you are much likely to get sidetracked or distracted from your path. This is why most of the people fail to reach even the end of February with their “New Year’s Resolution”.
All of us at some point have been in a situation where we are motivated to accomplish our goals. However, after we start on it and reach a midpoint, we start to lose our zeal and motivation with time. Eventually making us fall off the track or just quit altogether.
Why do all of us have goals but just few have an action plan
Remember the time when we wake with a glare in our eyes to do something big. With the energy to steer things around and engage in something impactful. With the ideas of it in our head like running cars on the chaotic crossing; it feels exhausting, noisy, and chaotic. In such a case trying to hold onto ideas residing is futile. Therefore, the next thing we know is that we have thrown off our running shoes and changed into sweat pants. Before we realize we are already fighting feelings of remorse. Does this sound much familiar to you?
Each and everyone around at some point gets stuck in the rut from time to time. We know that we have got a lot on our way but we don’t know where to start from. There are times in our professional lives where we see big projects that can help us take a great leap towards your career goals, but we are not sure if we have the juice to get going.
How to break the inertia?
Following are a few steps to help you come out of the rut:
1. Get in touch with your goals (again)
What is it exactly that you want to accomplish? We often have a vague goal in our mind and we let the picture remain blur sometimes. The key is to be specific. Know what exactly you want to achieve in life. Are you running in the race to get a raise in salary, working towards getting a promotion, creating a new product, expanding your business, or exploring new habits?
Jut stop at this moment and visualize what ever your goal is:
- Imagine yourself accomplishing it- What is the path to your goal like? How do you feel in the journey towards your goal? What are the foreseeable threats and obstacles on the way?
- Think of outcomes of achieving your goals- always remember the gains you want to achieve and what will be your life like in the absence of it.
If you pay enough attention to the above-mentioned points, you will find yourself orienting your actions better and embark on the journey towards the success of the road.
2. Determine the WHY
Never see your goals in isolation. Remember why you want to achieve your goal? This is often referred to as a “BIG WHY”. Identifying and determining the WHY is a big step towards breaking inertia and get out of the rut. Once you break the inertia and are out of the rut, you are able to work towards your goals and take full action.
This step doesn’t just end on the identification of “WHY”. Once you have found your “why” you need to understand it deeper. If you have the very reason for having a goal set in place, it will help you commit to it fully. There are better chances you will utilize the time, efforts, and other resources way more judicially after you have identified your “why”.
It takes time to identify the “WHY” and sometimes you have to dig deeper into yourself. There is a possibility that you may think of some obvious and highly superficial reasons. The reasons like social standing, money, or buying a car you wanted. Know that these reasons are not your “WHY”. Go a bit deeper to know the reason. For example think of why is it that you want to make money, is it for your family or other loved ones? Such deeper reasons like having a strong future for your family, working selflessly for the society, etc. can be your “WHY”?
3. Jot down your goals
According to a study, the simple act of jotting down your goals increases the likelihood of you succeeding at it, increases by 42%. It is no brainier that when you write something down, you are forced to think about it. So writing will give you that visual representation of your goal.
Another perspective to look at it is from the learning point of view. The simple physical activity of writing your goal as compared to just the abstract act of thinking in the head. Therefore, writing down your goals is easy and has an incredible impact on our goals.
You can also use your journal to push you towards your goal. Use it to determine your monthly and quarterly goals, breaking them in a proper chronology and see if they are aligned to the larger life or career goals. If you are consistently writing your goals and hold your patience, you will see your self coming out of the rut and breaking the barriers.
6 Ways to create an action plan to reach your goals
1. Keep others informed
One thing which might look futile from outside, but is one of the best things you can do for your goals is tell on yourself. A lot of people refrain from sharing their goals with people on the outside or even close friends. If you tell about your goals to your friend or your partner, it allows you to hold yourself accountable in a new way. You are likely to stick to plan of action when you know that there is someone to take a follow up with you.
A common way that practice this is by recruiting an accountability partner. That partner could be someone who is also on a journey to his goal. You both can appoint a fixed time once a week or a month, where you reflect upon your goals and share your progress. This practice can solve a lot of your problems, it won’t just hold you accountable but also be an insightful experience, that will help you stay inspired throughout the journey. Additionally, it will help you hone your active listening and problem-solving skills.
2. Anticipate the pain
We all have heard of the phrase “No pain, no pain” in our childhood. We often tend to forget it as we grow up. Whenever we set goals, we know that there will be challenges in the path. Challenges on the way are like uneven obstacles, some are easy to cross and some are very painful. It is not necessary that the obstacles have to be external, there are times when there internally build obstacles that are even worse to deal with. Therefore, always remember the internal and external pushback are an integral and inevitable part of your plan of action. If you don’t anticipate the occurrence of unfavorable situations, then it will be extremely unsettling when it happens. Take the example of getting a tattoo or piercing, you know that it’s going to hurt so you mentally prepare yourself for the coming pain.
Different people have different strategies to handle these push backs. Meditation, yoga, mindfulness practices are great ways to connect to yourself and be more aware. Ultimately, more connected you are with yourself better chances you have to anticipate and forestall the pain.
3. Order tasks by priority
Now that you have figured out what you want to achieve and how you want to do it, the next step is to get the work in order. Putting the work in the right sequence is very important, as it maximizes the output without doing anything extra. For example, if you are working in an environment that doesn’t demand much physical activity, and you on the other hand want to lose weight, the first step would be to become just a little more active. After you have accomplished that you may think of adding more time to your workout plan. The next best step could be changing your diet, replacing soda with sparkling water, or having just salad in dinner to prevent overeating.
4. Take the first “BIG” step
Breaking the monotony of your comfort zone and taking the decision to come out of the rut is a big deal. So far you have set your goals, you have done your planning around it. You have also written your plan, broken it down into smaller and effective actions. Now, it is time to take the first intentional step. The first step that you take is the most difficult one and once you finish this task off, it will start an avalanche. Remain perseverant and consistently work towards your goal. Set a particular time aside each day to work on your goals.
Since you have done the homework of having a set goal and a strategy to follow it. All you need to do is to take the first step. Grab your journal, calendar, or scheduling app and make an appointment with yourself and get that first thing done.
5. Check off items as you go
You would have noticed that you are made to write and reflect on your goals and actions on more than a couple of occasions. Creating a list of the work or milestones you need to get past is a crucial step. It keeps you aware of what is in your way, what all resources you need to equip yourself with, etc. It also created a sense of urgency and gives you the chance to monitor your progress. The best part about making a list is the fact that you can strike out the task once you are done with it. Striking out any task of the list is an act of pleasure, your brain releases dopamine. Our body perceives this response to be good and look forward to completing another task so that we can strike that off too.
6. Revisit and Reset your Goals as necessary
Achieving personal goals is a part of a larger process. When we are on our way to our goals, we face major setbacks. Many times you are confronted with situations you do not have control over. In such moments, instead of getting all worked up and quitting eventually, it is better to review your goals. The review can be done daily, weekly, or monthly. The review process helps you track your process and take action accordingly. Let’s say if you are not where you thought you would be, you may have to alter your action plan. Reconstruct the plan so that you are able to reach the goals that you have set. For instance, if you don’t periodically review your plan of actions and make required changes, there are chances that for a long time you will not realize that you have gone wrong in the process. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to revisit your plans and make changes.
The Conclusion
Always remember that goals without a plan of action are just superfluous ideas and nothing else. It can be extremely difficult to just realize the need to have a plan and actively chase your goals, especially when you are in a rut. Steps like, asking the WHY, or connecting your goals will help you acknowledge the need to take the very first step towards your goal and embark on the journey of success. Another reason that pushed you to break that inertia is the act of writing down your goals.
Remember in order to have a sound plan of action and its execution, never hesitate to mention your goals to a friend, anticipate the push back, prioritize the steps and take the very first step. The first step will start the avalanche of your success.