Think Differently: Transformative Goal-Setting Made Simple
If progress equals happiness, here’s your blueprint to making progress inevitable
Fundamentals of Living Life to the Fullest.
You’re not here (on earth) to let time pass you
Nor are you here to be an average version of yourself.
You’re here to make the most of your time and capitalize on your gifts & skillsets.
It takes work. But after all, progress does equal happiness.
Think about it this way, the fact alone that you’re reading this is a blessing; you’re alive.
But you’re not setting daily goals?
If progress is fundamental of happiness then certainly setting goals is a key element to living life to the fullest.
Let’s reframe your thought process and make progress inevitable.
Why Daily Goals are Transformative
When I say “set daily goals” I mean actually writing them down.
Don’t overlook this component; Writing down your goals.
Why is it transformative, you ask?
In order to write down, whether you realize it or not, you must first visualize.
Therefore, even writing down a simple, achievable goal causes you to visualize the big picture.
Moreover, you are remaining focused on the actionable steps that need to be taken in order to progress towards this vision of yours.
Most people skip this step. And therefore, their “goals” remain as thoughts.
Your Goals Don’t Separate You From Anyone.
Everyone has ambitious goals. The true separator is found in the daily execution.
You’re capable of dreaming big but are you willing to separate yourself by taking action? That’s the real question at hand.
The good news is the more progress you make, the easier it is to make progress.
“Objects in motion remain in motion”
The Art of Progress
Has your car ever broke down on you?
At some point, you’ve probably had to push-start a car or get it to the side of the road.
If you can recall, the work upfront was tremendous. You may have even included a few grunts to get that thing moving.
What was the most difficult part? Getting started.
After some grit and sweat, you finally got the wheels turning.
And then what? As long as you maintained momentum forward progress was easy.
If momentum ceased. . . back to square one; more grunting and sweating.
Maintaining Momentum
If there’s one takeaway from this article it’s this: Momentum is powerful. Do whatever you can to gain it and never lose it.
Momentum is typically lost when you:
- Act as if your goals don’t matter on the weekends.
- Fail to write your daily goals down.
- Let your difficult days define you.
The key? Identifying 3 non-negotiable tasks that you can do every single day.
Not every once in a while, or whenever you feel like it.
Every. Single. Day.
- Going on vacation?
- Going out with friends?
- Feeling extra lazy?
Doesn’t matter. . . Find a way.
Simple yet challenging.
Now, if you’re thinking your goals are going to be to write 2k words a day and you have no experience writing, think again.
Set yourself up for success.
So you’re an aspiring writer? How about this. . .
- Write 500 words a day
- Write 10 new blog titles a day
- Edit 1 article a day
Honestly, you could do this in 1 hour if you needed too. And guess what? Sometimes you’ll have to. Remember when I said these are “non-negotiables” and days will be challenging?
Yeah. If you had to sit down for 5 hours to get it done you’d fail as soon as you hit a road bump.
Moreover, you want to have fun on the weekends, I get it. Enjoying yourself is important too, but not at the sake of your momentum. Give yourself a goal that you can get out of the way on a Saturday and Sunday and still maintain forward momentum.
Given 30 days of this and your skillset (and life) will drastically change.
Try it.
You Need a Mindset Shift
Start thinking differently.
Your goals are no longer your goals. They are the new lifestyle you are choosing to embody.
When doing this you’ll look at your goals as a system as opposed to an achievement that you cease to live once it is reached.
- You’ve likely been a victim of a goal before.
2. You set a goal that pushed you.
3. You worked your ass off to get there.
You finally made it happen and took a sigh of relief and eventually found yourself right back at square one.
So ask yourself:
- What kind of lifestyle do I desire?
- Am I willing to do what it takes to achieve it?
Now that you see it as a long-term game as oppose to a short-term one, you’re no longer concerned with short-term pleasure and distractions.
Trusting the Process
Now that you have
- A vision
- Actionable steps
- The proper mindset
You need trust.
The process is grueling.
This is arguably the most difficult part of any process. It requires an immense amount of patience + trust.
You’re not going to see results upfront. And that is frustrating as hell.
You will have bad days where you question what you’re doing and why you should bother.
This is when you fall back on your non-negotiables and let trust and patience lead the way.
Anything worthwhile never came easy, so don’t expect to waltz your way to your dreams.
You’re putting in the work, but understanding that patience and trust are key elements allows you to enjoy the journey; to make the most of each day.
After all, if you have to throw away your life to reach a goal, what’s the purpose?
Prepare for the future, thrive today. That’s the recipe!
Conclusion
- It’s a blessing to be alive. Make the most of it.
- Writing down your goals is transformative.
- Progress is the most difficult upfront.
- Do whatever you can to gain and maintain forward momentum.
- Your goals are your new lifestyle.
- When setting goals, think long-term.
- Your goals can only be achieved with patience + trust.
- Progress for the future + thriving in the moment.
Think + Write + Discover + Be
Dallen
