It’s hard – if not impossible – to succeed at achieving your goals without effectively defining them.  Every successful person is built on a solid foundation of aspirational dreams, but consistency in executing daily actionable steps is the real key to getting what you want.  According to a study done by Dominican University, the simple act of writing goals makes you accomplish significantly more.

The truth is that writing well defined and specific goals that compel and drive you to achievement is no easy task.  Sure, you can write, “I want to be a millionaire” on a fast-food napkin… that won’t help you take home a trophy – and you want the trophy.

Goal setting is a simple strategy that can set you in the right direction to prove those who doubt you, wrong.  Another study revealed that when people set specific and challenging goals, they are 90% more likely to achieve their goals than those who do not.

Now, no matter what area of life you want to improve, you can define what you want and face the right direction. But, to hit milestones, and get real results, you need more.  You need a system that you can implement, and use, that will help you achieve momentum and reach your potential.

In this in-depth guide, I’m going to show you the step-by-step process that my clients and I personally use to set and achieve goals.

1. Define Your Dream Goal
2. Make that Goal S.M.A.R.T.
3. Develop Mental Toughness
4. Prepare the Elephant
5. Create a Power Plan

This process is basically the same for any kind of goal, no matter how big or small it is.

Step #1: DEFINE YOUR DREAM Goal

A lot of people struggle with creating goals outside of their comfort zone, and I understand why.  At a young age our parents, teachers, etc. tell us we can become anything we want when we get older.  Then, when we actually become older, those same people tell us that we need to be “practical”  and “realistic”.  Many people, unfortunately, don’t strive beyond mediocrity because they think those people are right…even though they aren’t you.

I am giving you permission to imagine the possibilities and your wildest dreams.

1. Start with an area of your life: careers, family, friends, other relationships, schooling, spirituality, traveling, fun, charity, money, health, and much more. These are some areas to get your brain churning.
2. What is the biggest struggle there?
3. Where exactly would you like to be? Describe it vividly.

Examples: I want to be completely free of debt and have $200,000 in the bank…or I want to win the strongman competition.

If it doesn’t scare you, you aren’t thinking big enough. You need something that if you told people, they would think you are crazy and say there is no way it will happen… to an average person. But you aren’t average 🙂

TIP: If you find yourself at a mental roadblock, try meditating, going for a nature walk, or taking a shower.

Step #2: Make that Goal S.M.A.R.T.

Do you ever feel like you just worked really hard but didn’t get anywhere? Most people start with a goal that gives them direction, but not a specific destination and an arrival time. Here’s an example, “I want to live healthier and lose two inches around my waist.” That sounds great, right? Well, they are facing the right direction, but it is not specific enough to be put in their path of effort. It needs to be so clear that we can eventually assign behavioral paths to achieve the result. Take a look at your goal and make sure you cover all the bases of the S.M.A.R.T. goal framework:

• Specific – Who, What, When, Where, and Why. The goal should be written and clearly define what you are going to do.
• Measurable – How much, how many, and how will you know when your goal is completed?
• Achievable – The goal should be challenging but not impossible (sorry folks, no catching unicorns). If someone has done it, then it is achievable.
• Result Focused – Goals should measure outcomes.
• Time Bound – Make deadlines. Without a sense of urgency, a goal will likely never come to fruition. Parkinsons Law states, “Work expands to fill the time available for it’s completion”.

Step #3: Develop Mental Toughness

In a popular Ted Talk, Researcher Angela Lee Duckworth talks about her interesting findings in what was common among  successful salesman, military personnel, spelling bee champions, and students.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H14bBuluwB8[/embedyt]

“Grit”, she said, was the outstanding seperating charactaristic from those that acheive to those that don’t. Her definition of grit is “passion and perseverance for very long-term goals… sticking with your future, day in day out…”

I describe that as being relentless.

What if you could develop and cultivate the necessary grit and relentlessness we need to accomplish the goal?

Self Development Guru, Tony Robbins says that what we accomplish in life is controlled by how we assign pain and pleasure.

In order to clearly define the pleasure that drives us to relentlessly pursue this goal and fight tooth and nail, we have to answer questions that uncover our Why.

Discover Your Why

• Why did you choose this area of life?
• Why do you want to do something big?
• Who do you have to prove wrong?
• Who do you have to prove right?
• Why do you really want this?

In order to clearly define the pain, we have to answer questions that uncover what’s at stake so that we have no choice but to take action.

Discover What’s at Stake

• Who would be disappointed?
• Who would be proven right?
• What other options would you have if you didn’t take action?

This framework will ignite your ability to take action. Do you win, or face regret?

I would rather push through being uncomfortable than ending up looking back realizing I don’t have the option anymore, and being full of regret.

Step #4: Prepare the Elephant

Maybe you went for a goal in the past and the feeling of not making any progress was overwhelming. This happens to us all. Kids are the best at this, you hear them say, “That will take forever!” and they don’t even take the first step. So what do you do?

You sit down with them and make a list of steps to finish. We as humans need to break down our goals into smaller chunks to feel capable and make progress. Using the S.M.A.R.T. goal system from Step #2.

Write goals for the following…

1. Where do you think you could be in 3 years? This is a common goal to go for as it’s far in the future, but not too far.
2. Where do you think you could be at in three Months?

Step #5: Create A Power Plan

Ok, you have written down the results that you want. Now, you need to plan actions for next week that will yield progress towards those results. What are the tasks that you can accomplish this week? Break them down by day, like the domino effect. The Domino Effect states that every domino can knock over a domino 1.5x its size, and the 57th domino will touch the moon.

If you win the day and achieve momentum…You will be finishing tasks at lightning speed toward your goals.

Tip: Choose your tasks wisely. According to the 80/20 rule, 20% of what we do causes 80% of results, so make sure you are being deliberate and working on impactful tasks and not just being “busy”.

Another Tip: Don’t forget to reward yourself for being disciplined.

What are you waiting for?

Now you are in possession of:

• Ambitious goals
• A compelling purpose
• High-quality milestone goals that you can feel confident about
• A plan to execute and make things happen

Now, take a long hard look at yourself in the mirror. If you want this…show up, take responsibility, and execute on your actions. You have a lot at stake… Show up consistently and take action.