If a goal has ever been set and has not made it over the finish line, there has probably been something missing. Perhaps the goal was not truly valued, perhaps progress felt impossible, or perhaps there was simply no clear process to follow. Reaching a goal requires bridging the gap between aspiration and reality — and that journey should be an engaging one.
The following three-step process provides a structure to reach goals and become the person one wants to be.
1. Write the Goal Down
Before committing pen to paper, it is worth thinking carefully about what the goal is and the reason why it matters. Having a clear sense of the underlying motivation will give the goal real meaning. Going deeper than surface-level desires is important — rather than setting a goal to lose weight because it will look good, setting a goal to lose weight because health is valued and staying active is a priority gives the goal a stronger foundation.
When writing the goal down, making sure it fits the SMART acronym — Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound — significantly increases the chances of success. Consider the difference between these two versions:
I will lose weight.
I will lose two stones before my summer holiday on 23 June.
The second is far more powerful — it is specific and it has a clear deadline. Once the goal is written down, placing it somewhere visible as a constant reminder will help maintain focus and accountability.
2. Create a Ritual That Supports the Goal
A ritual is a set of actions that have an outcome in mind. It is specific and performed with mindfulness and awareness. Consistently taking action is much easier when there is a clear process to follow.
Taking the example goal above — I will lose two stones before my summer holiday on 23 June — a ritual to support that goal could be:
- Lay out exercise clothes and trainers
- Eat a nutritional breakfast (porridge with a cup of herbal tea)
- Brush teeth and get changed into exercise clothes
- Listen to a 30-minute motivational podcast
- Lace up trainers
- Run or walk for 30 minutes — listen to music to stay motivated
- Do cool down and re-hydrate with a glass of water
- Tick off the activity on an exercise planner and write down how it felt
- Have a relaxing bath
- Write in a journal
Tips to help build a ritual:
- Prepare the environment — if the goal is to write a book, make sure the writing space is comfortable and free from distractions.
- Find the productive window — identify what time of day works best. Some people are most productive in the morning; others in the evening.
- Try different approaches — if the first ritual does not feel right, adjust it until it does. There is no right answer — the key is to have intent and focus.
3. Decide When to Review the Goal
Any goal set should be reviewed regularly. This provides an opportunity to celebrate successes but also address challenges. Deciding whether daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly reviews are suitable will depend on the timeframe of the goal. Reviews do not have to be lengthy — 15 minutes is ideal and will fit easily into most days.
Keeping Motivation Going
One of the most common reasons goals fail is a loss of motivation. Here are three tools to help keep motivation levels in check:
- Maintain a healthy mindset. Maintaining a positive mental attitude sounds easy, but negative mindsets can creep in at any time. Asking only negative questions will only generate negative answers. Turning negative questions on their head and asking positive ones instead makes a real difference. For example, if a supplier has let things down, rather than focusing on the problems this has caused, try viewing the situation as an opportunity to look for a new supplier who could offer better products at more competitive prices.
- Write a journal. The act of writing things down keeps goals visible and builds momentum. Writing down the goal turns vague desires into well-articulated targets that can be clearly seen and aimed for. As part of a daily ritual, taking 15 minutes to reflect on what action was taken that day to help achieve the goal — writing about any challenges faced and how to plan to overcome them — is a powerful habit. A journal also serves as a tool for brainstorming and capturing ideas for the future.
- Get a support network. Trying to achieve anything alone is hard work. Spreading the load and sharing goals with trusted people means having a support network to celebrate successes and help navigate challenges. Combined with journaling, a strong support network is a powerful accountability tool.
How Professional Academy Supports Your Journey
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