Key to Success: The Goal Getter

One of the most supremely useful books I’ve ever read was ‘Atomic Habits’ by James Clear. To be fair, I haven’t actually finished reading it yet. I’m one of those people who keeps buying books and doesn’t finish reading the last one. But I promise you it’s not because they aren’t good, in fact ‘Atomic Habits’ helped me write these articles. Let me give you a little story. When I decided to start writing articles, I was pretty set on it, but like most people I struggle with procrastination. It took me ages to write my first. I wanted it to be perfect. At one point, I went to the library determined to get some quality work done, and you know what happened? I wrote two sentences in the whole hour I was there, before deciding I had had enough and went home. While reading the book, I realised it was not enough to simply decide to do something. I even had motivation, but it wasn’t enough to sit down and actually write. I had to do something differently.

I was missing something important: consistency.

When I told my best friend about my plan, she was of course very proud of me and excited. She told me to write only when I had passion, when I really felt like it. Problem was, I was passionate about it. It was my idea after all. But I didn’t have discipline. Just like every extracurricular I had quit before, I couldn’t stick to it.

One of the first key lessons ‘Atomic Habits’ taught me was to show up. It’s easy to dread the work, no matter how simple it is, before you’re doing it, but when you show up, it starts to flow. You start to realise how easy it is once you’re there. I experienced that firsthand when I changed my habits. I started to give up my lunch breaks at school to go to the computer room and work on my articles. I even stayed after school some days. I put myself in a productive environment away from distractions. Just like that it did flow. I wrote my article on forgiveness in about two days. I handwrote over 1000 words for my enlivened speaking article in less than an hour. It’s not the speed that I’m trying to emphasise here, it’s the consistency. I showed up to put in the work, and it just poured out. And it made me happy. It didn’t feel like work. The only effort I put in was having the guts to start. And that effort didn’t really exist, only my ego did.

How to properly Set Goals and actually Achieve Them

It is in our human nature to choose the easiest path. Over the past few centuries, the way we live and work has been more and more automated. We have cars, phones and Chat GPT. It’s incredible that we have created such amazing products, but this automation has made it excruciatingly hard to do simple tasks like completing homework, staying productive, exercising, eating healthy, or even spending time with loved ones. I’m sure you’ve experienced yourself just how hard it is to maintain good habits and break bad ones and for that I highly recommend reading ‘Atomic Habits’. Here’s a few things I learnt from reading the book and my journey.

Step 1: Setting goals.

If you tell yourself, “I’m gonna do this!” or “I’m gonna do that!” You’re probably not. If you’re anything like me, just thinking about a long list of work or a big goal you want to achieve can seem like too much; it puts you off and you never do anything about it. Here’s how to properly set a goal that’ll encourage you to actually achieve it.

a) Small steps – working backwards.

Thought of that big goal? Great! What are the small steps leading up to achieving that goal? For example, you want to start a business. There are many small steps along the way to get to that point. Let’s break it down. Step 1: design a product. How will you do that? Maybe you need to spare time to start drawing, get some paper and a pen, or maybe download a drawing app. Step 2: test the product. Maybe you need to get your friends and family to test it out and see if it’s fully functional. Break down your big goal into smaller goals that lead up to it.

b) Be specific.

“I’m going to complete this assignment!” When? Where? How? If you say you are ‘going to’ or ‘will’ do something, that could be anytime in the future. Instead, being more specific keeps you more accountable. “I’m going to work on this assignment at 9am tomorrow morning at my study desk. I will charge my laptop overnight and continue working on the word document.”

c) Keep it where you can see it.

Ever heard the phrase, “out of sight, out of mind”? Well, it’s true; often we don’t remember things unless it’s right in front of our faces. Try writing down your goals and keeping them where you’ll see them. Like the reminder app on your phone, a sticky note on your bedroom wall, mirrors, doors, anywhere you know you’ll see them.

Step 2: Working towards them.

Okay, so how do I encourage myself to work towards my goal? Most goals don’t reap immediate benefits, that’s why they can be so hard to work towards. You’ve got to keep yourself accountable.

a) Get an accountability partner.

When working towards a goal, you don’t have to do it alone. These sorts of things shouldn’t be taboo. Everyone has goals they want to achieve and with the help of someone else, that’s one thing ticked off the list. Ask a friend or family member to check in with you and make sure you’re on task. Better yet, ask someone who also has a goal they want to achieve to keep you both accountable.

b) 1% better everyday

One of first things I learnt in ‘Atomic Habits’ is that small habits matter. James Clear writes, “Habits are the compound interest of self-improvement.” Imagine if you did just one thing a day to work towards your goal. Maybe not noticeable right away, but in the long run, your goal will soon be achieved, and you’ll have something even more important – a habit. Something that’ll lead you to keep improving yourself after you’ve achieved your goal.

c) The two-minute rule

Another thing I learned later in the book is something extremely valuable to us procrastinators. It’s called the two-minute rule. If something takes less than two minutes to do, do it. Reduce your goal into a tiny version that you can do in two minutes. If you want to write a story, write one sentence. Want to start exercising? Go for a two-minute walk. This is what I mean when I say consistency is so important. Working towards your goal can be hard when you’re just starting out. Start showing up. Then start stretching these versions out and completing them every day and eventually it’ll get easier.

Step 3: Achieving your goal.

One goal shouldn’t be the end of your journey. Completing a goal is like a check point in life and life goes on. Don’t just complete a goal, turn it into a habit, turn it into a lifestyle. If your goal was to finish your homework, become someone who always hands in their homework on time. If your goal was to eat three balanced meals a day, become someone who has a healthy lifestyle eating healthy and exercising regularly. If your goal was to start a business, expand it, educate yourself, make profits.

This article is first one I’ve written in while. In about two months actually. I know, how could that be for someone who strives to upload regularly? Just like you I am on the journey to better myself, and help others do the same. Let’s help each other. Send me a quick email below. What goal are you working towards right now?