We love goals. They give us inspiration and motivation to launch new pursuits or overcome challenges. But here’s a kicker: setting goals or dreaming of something is much easier than making daily steps to achieve them. Plus, how can you be honest about your progress? To turn all those bright ideas of yours into reality, the Liven app has developed a set of strategies that can make the process easier and, hopefully, fun. Are you excited about it just as much as we are? Let’s go!
The Psychology of Goal Setting
You probably want to jump into action mode, but let’s pause briefly and consider how to set these goals and why it’s so important. When we think about a particular task, especially if it’s something we want, it can send our minds into a joyful frenzy and inspire us. But excitement dies down, and the time to set and monitor a goal comes.
One common mistake we make is focusing only on the end goal, meaning the final result. This can bore our brains — after all, we need some dopamine boost to continue. So instead of always thinking about the outcome, we should shift to process goals, which are small, repeatable actions that lead to success, such as “exercise three times a week” or “apply to two jobs per week.”
If you tend to worry about achieving the goal or failing, we’ve got a small tip from cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): Reframe the unhelpful thought that makes it hard to set and move toward a healthy objective. For example, instead of thinking, “I won’t stick to it because it’s hard,” reframe it as, “I stuck to my goals before; I just need a more practical approach.”
Learning to Set Goals
We need our goal to motivate and keep us engaged. Below are the most effective strategies for setting an objective and keeping you interested.
The Goldilocks Rule
This strategy works for people who set unreasonably high or low expectations for themselves. Choose a goal that you want to achieve — for instance, you want to run a marathon. Divide this task into several levels, like in a game: too easy, just right, and too difficult. Here’s how it’s done:
Too easy: walk five minutes once a week.
Just right: jog 30 minutes three times a week.
Too difficult: run 10 km today.
It will help you understand your current abilities based on your skill and preparedness level while not overwhelming you.
SMART Goals
You have probably heard of this approach — every letter in the abbreviation stands for a specific criterion for a goal you will set.
S — Specific (What do you want to achieve?).
M — Measurable (How can you follow your progress?)
A — Achievable (Can you realistically do this?)
R — Relevant (Do your goals suit your current lifestyle and needs?)
T — Time-bound (Set yourself a timeframe or regularity.)
Here’s an example of a SMART objective:
I will read two books next month by dedicating half an hour to reading every evening.
Make an Identity-Based Goal
This goal-setting method highlights the type of person you want to be. We often think we are not “brave enough,” or “smart enough,” and so on, but in reality, we can become whoever we want.
For instance, you want to be confident and try improvisation comedy. So instead of writing a goal “I want to do improv comedy,” you formulate your objective into “I am someone who loves connecting with people and making them laugh.”
Monitoring Your Goals
Now that you’ve learned how to set a goal, it’s time to track your performance and commitment. But before we go into detail, please remember: When you choose a tool to follow your progress, it shouldn’t take much time to update. Some fall into the “aesthetic trap,” which makes them stop using the instrument over time. If you ever had a beautiful weekly planner that required a lot of input, you probably dropped it within the next few months — at least it’s common enough. So, go for the portable and quick technique instead.
Use Online Tracking Tools
Many programs and websites are multi-platform and allow you to update your progress from your phone, PC, or laptop. Just recently, Etsy started to feature hundreds of beautiful Google Sheets templates that serve as impressive monthly planners, reading trackers, and so on — this solution is pretty simple and takes just a few clicks to edit. If you want a certain software, try something free before investing in an expensive program.
Make Info-Dump Lists
If you like to keep track of your progress with physical notes, we suggest not buying a costly planner first. Instead, pick a small pocket-sized notebook with a tiny pen or pencil and take it with you. If a new goal or change appears, you can quickly write it down without opening a dinosaur of a planner with colorful pens. Later, you can put them into something larger or nicer at home if you want.
Use Checkpoints or Areas, Not Strict Deadlines
Although some people get irritated due to the lack of guidance, deadlines may frustrate us because, let’s be honest, delays happen more often than not. As a result, we get mad at ourselves when we don’t reach a particular deadline. Try something different! Create a timeframe instead of picking the specific date, like May 30th. So, if you want to finish writing your novel, paint several calendar weeks in a separate color, meaning you want to be done around that time. It’ll take the dread of a finish line without a laissez-faire approach.
For example: Not “I will reach my running goal by the 18th of June” but “I’ll reach my running goal around the middle of June.”
Ready to Pursue a Goal? Let’s Go!
Setting and achieving a goal is more than just wanting to do something; it often takes discipline and resilience when everyday progress gets boring. Reward yourself for small wins and learn to enjoy the process. Try to integrate the tips we’ve provided into your life without sacrificing comfort and time. And even if (or when) you stumble, remind yourself that you are doing so well on the other days — and you’ll crush it soon!
