Has it been a while since you set your goals? Have you forgotten that you even set goals? Unsure how to kick-start your goals? Or are you feeling stuck and don’t know how to start pursuing your goals again?
Don’t worry it happens to everyone at one point or another. According to Reliable Planet, only 20% of the population sets goals. And of that 20%, 70% fail to achieve them. A University of Scranton study found that only 8% of people who set goals actually go on to achieve them. Those are very motivating statistics.
If you have set a goal and are feeling stuck, I’m here to help you kick-start your goals. Just because you are feeling stuck right now doesn’t mean you have to stay there. Here are 6 things you can do to re-energize yourself and increase your motivation for achieving your goals.
And don’t worry, these tips to kick-start your goals work with any goal, from finance to fitness and everything in between.
Take One Small Step Right Now
When it comes to pursuing goals, one of my favourite quotes is “what’s the easiest way to eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” Sometimes our goals seem so big or far off that achieving them feels impossible.
I often feel like this on my journey to financial independence. It just seems so far away and at times unachievable.
Have you ever felt like that?
If so, the next time you feel like that take one small step in the direction of your goal. This creates a mini-deadline for your goal. Having a deadline can be very motivating because as Parkinson’s Law states: “work will expand so as to fill the time available.”
Maybe that small step is to transfer $5 into your savings account, or go for a walk around the block, or read the first page in that book you’ve been wanting to read.
Whatever that small step is, just take it.
In doing so, congratulations, you have kick-started your goal. You are now that much closer to achieving your target. You are becoming the type of person that pursues their goals, the type of person who saves money, exercises, reads or whatever else your goal may be.
That small step may not seem like a lot, but continue to complete those small steps and they will add up. Before you know it you will have saved hundreds of dollars, walked thousands of steps or read that whole book.
Do it right now, take a few minutes to take one small step towards a goal of yours. I’ll wait. When you’re done, come back and read the other things you can do to kick-start your goals.
Focus On One Thing
Similar to the previous tip, focus on just one thing. It is so easy to become overwhelmed by a large goal or all the other distractions that are competing for our attention. Does anyone else have shiny object syndrome? Or the incessant need to multitask as I do?
My multitasking is getting so out of control I find myself working on my phone in between workout sets at the gym.
Trying to do more than one thing at a time leads to nothing being focused on.
In order to help combat shiny object syndrome, carve out a chunk of time to only focus on one thing. Maybe that chunk of time is only 5 minutes. But for that 5 minutes, you are only going to focus on one task that will help you work towards your goal.
If your goal is to read more, that one task might be reading 1 chapter or 1 page. For a weight loss goal, maybe the one thing to focus on is a healthy breakfast tomorrow morning.
Whatever the thing is, zeroing in and focusing on just one thing can help your goal feel more manageable and achievable. It might be just the push you need to kick-start your goal when you’re feeling stuck.
Concentrate On Your Why
Why did you set the goal in the first place? What were you trying to achieve or become in setting the goal?
Having a strong why behind your goal will help to keep you motivated when the times get tough. And if you’re feeling stuck right now, then times are tough.
If your goal was related to saving more money, why do you want to save more money? What do you want to do or achieve with this increase in saved money? Are you wanting to save more money to put towards your debt so that you no longer have to pay interest? Or maybe you want to save more to buy that new handbag that you have been wanting for so long.
If you want to exercise more consistently, why is this important to you? Maybe your why for wanting to exercise more is because you have a holiday coming up and want to feel comfortable in a bathing suit. Or maybe it’s because you want to be able to have the energy to keep up with your little ones on the playground.
Whatever the why is behind your goal, when you’re feeling stuck, take some time to concentrate on your why. This will help to kick-start your goal and keep you motivated.
Bonus tip – in order to prevent feeling stuck in the future, develop a strong why behind your goals and have a frequent reminder of your why. Maybe it’s a picture of that handbag you want or keeping your bathing suit out where you can see it.
Get an Accountability Partner
An accountability partner (or buddy) is someone who is aware of what your goals are and has an interest in helping you achieve them. They may be trying to achieve the same goal as you which works well for you both keeping each other accountable.
I personally have had great success when using an accountability partner was part of my goal-setting system. They have been very supportive on those days when I just don’t feel like continuing in my goal pursuit. There have been times when I’m in a bit of a funk and a message from my accountability partner has helped to refocus my attention.
Because an accountability partner is aware of what you are trying to achieve they can remind you of your targets and provide support along the way. When you’re stuck, a good accountability buddy can do wonders for getting you motivated again.
Accountability partners work great if your goal is related to physical activity or working out. You are more likely to go and exercise if you know someone else is counting on you to be there. If calling someone an accountability partner is too extreme for you, then in this case just call them a workout buddy.
Bonus tip – tell your accountability partner about the why behind your goal. They can remind you of this the next time you’re feeling stuck.
Reward Yourself
Delayed gratification isn’t for everyone. So don’t feel like you have to wait until you reach the end of your goal in order to reward yourself. Mini-rewards along the path to your goal can help you stay motivated.
If your goal is to save a certain amount of money this year. Then a great time to mini-reward yourself would be when you open a high-interest savings account and make your first transfer into it. The mini-reward doesn’t have to be monetary. It could be a hot bath with a glass of wine.
Maybe your goal is to workout 3 times a week. If so then, after a month of doing this maybe you reward yourself with a new pair of running shoes or workout outfit.
Or if you’re like me and your goal is to take more time for yourself, the next time you make your time a priority maybe you reward yourself with a nap. Because after all, that is your time to do with whatever you want, and taking a mid-day nap sounds amazing.
Setting yourself up with min-rewards on the way to your big goal will help keep you motivated. And excited to keep going.
Re-Evaluate Your Goals
Take some time to look at the goals that you have set. Are they SMART goals? Are they still relevant to you? Is your goal still something that you want to achieve or is it no longer applicable to you?
Sometimes people lose motivation for their goals because their goals are no longer relevant. If this is you, then ask yourself why this goal is no longer relevant? Is there a way you can adjust the goal so that it is still relevant and something that you want to achieve?
If you have not set SMART goals, then it is very easy to lose motivation. Vague unrealistic goals are difficult to measure so you never know if you have achieved them or even if you are headed in the right direction.
Final Thoughts
Just because you are feeling stuck right now does not mean that feeling has to last forever. Give yourself some grace momma, you have gotten this far and setting a goal is the first step in achieving it.
By applying all of these tips to kick-start your goals you are telling the world that you are the type of person who achieves their goals. The type of person who continues when times get tough, the type of person who is resilient and has grit.
Don’t become another negative statistic, you can do this. And know that I am right here for you along the way.
It’s time to kick-start your goals, stop feeling stuck and start achieving all the great things you set your mind to.
What one thing can you do right now to kick-start your goals?