I recently came across an article in Self magazine that was all about setting goals. I always find this to be an interesting topic because in my experience, setting goals doesn’t always work out. At least for me, there is always one thing that gets in the way: procrastination. Every time I strive to accomplish something in the long-term, life just seems to get in the way. Excuses like “I don’t have enough time” “I’m too tired” “I’ll just do it tomorrow” have often left my lips on the day when I was supposed to get something done. Now I know this isn’t just me. If you’re reading this, I’m sure there is something you have procrastinated on or honestly never ended up getting to. Well today is your lucky day because I’m pretty sure I just figured out the keys to setting goals (and by that I mean Self Magazine has found the keys to setting goals, but I am going to share them with you!)

First Step: Discover your goal. Think back on your past experiences and consider what you can do better. Think about your friendships or scroll through social media to remind yourself of the things that made you happy, or the things that filled you with regret. Pick one of these things to work on! Also, think about your priorities. Is it relationships, health, work, etc.? Whatever it is, make sure your goal fits into it, you’ll never accomplish something you’re not passionate about. Remember to be specific. Don’t just say, “I want to lose weight,” say “I want to lose a pound a week” or something of that sort. Vague goals will only make for more room to procrastinate and not get it done! The last part of this step is to tell people. It’s a lot easier to reach a goal when you have the pressure of people knowing you set it. This will only help and push you towards your target.

Second Step: Start working towards your goal. The key here is to create a map of what you need to do. Break up your goal into mini targets that you can reach on a daily basis. These tiny victories give you even more momentum to keep going. Don’t let a lack of planning be the reason you can’t do what it takes. Another way to help boost spirit is to have a friend join you! Being social is an important part of our lives and having a friend there to push us through can only help.

Third Step: Keep it going. Do not give up! In order for this to work you have to persevere. Will there be obstacles? Of course! Should you let them get in the way of your success? Heck no! Won’t the victory feel so much better knowing that you had overcome a few hard times in order to get there? Learn from the things that you may fail at, see them as experiences not a fault within you. When you begin to learn from your mistakes and keep going, you will finally be able to reach your goals.

So there you have it, the big secret to attaining your goals. I encourage you to try it out, as I am working toward a few new ones myself. Let’s meet back here in a month and compare notes because I think this might just be what we’re all looking for.