Making Sure Goals Begin with the End in Mind

The key to long-term success is beginning with the end in mind, and then breaking down exactly what you have to do step by step in order to get there.  The steps you take in achieving long-term success are generally short term or longer term in nature, but interestingly their exact principles remain the same. Let’s illustrate this concept further. 

Example 1: Short Term Goal

You want to lose 10 pounds over the course of three months. That’s less than a pound a week.  How do you get there?  You break down what you need to do today to get to where you want to be tomorrow.  Start simple, and just deconstruct the process. 

What are some of the ways you can accomplish this task through choices you’ll be making over the next 90 days? 

For one, you’d begin by looking at what you need to add to your lifestyle vs. what you need to subtract.  In the add category, you may want to set a target to get at least 10,000 steps a day, to go to the gym at least three times a week, perform at least 3 sets of body weight exercises a day.

In the subtract category, you could look to reduce alcohol consumption to a minimum of twice a month, skip the appetizer next time you go out to eat, or not load up the cart with cookies and ice cream on your next shopping trip. 

Both the additions and subtractions would work in a complimentary fashion to help you towards your ultimate goal of losing the weight in 90 days. 

Example 2: Long Term Goal

You want to save an extra $5,000 over the next year. How do you, within reason, accomplish this?  You will need to bring in an extra $417 a month, or about $13-14 a day. 

Similar to the short term example, by drilling down from top-line goal to more tangible smaller numbers, your brain gets to work as a problem-solving mechanism looking for ways to make that happen.  Now you know just cutting out a cup of coffee a day might not get you there, but this is where the complimentary steps come into play. 

Whether it is second-guessing impulse online purchases, eating at home a couple more times a month rather than going out, or buying one less round of drinks during happy hour, all of those incremental savings will begin to add up.  In addition, don’t forget your that bringing an extra $5,000 into your bank account doesn’t just mean having to save, but could also mean find a way to earn that extra cash.

Do you have any items lying around the house taking up space that you could sell locally?  An extra shift you could pick up at work?  Maybe a freelance skill that people would be willing to pay for?  There is only so much you may be able to save but there isn’t really a limit on what you can earn.

As stated, knowing where you want to be by when, and working your way backwards can be a powerful way to shift your mindset and keep you locked in on your goals without getting lost in the details.  

In both examples by simply identifying the appropriate balance of manageable and realistic actions to take and committing to them daily, you don’t lose yourself in the outcome as much as you commit yourself to the process. 

When you do this, you have put one foot in front of the other, trusting you are taking the right actions you’ve identified to achieve the desired outcome. 

Additional Takeaway: For further consideration, having a written record of actions taken helps for maintaining accountability.