We all have what feel like huge scary goals in life that we want to achieve. These are the goals that excite and motivate us, yet they may also be daunting and overwhelming. Whether it’s starting a new business, publishing a book, creating an Udemy course, or running a marathon, the process of achieving a huge goal might be intimidating. However, by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable steps, you can create a roadmap that will help you get there.
Step 1: Identify Your Big-Hairy, Scary Goal.
The first step toward achieving your big goal is identifying it. This may seem obvious, but it is critical to take the time to consider what you want to accomplish. Brainstorm and write down your ideas until you have a clear picture of your overall goal. It may be something personal, such as completing a marathon, or it could be something professional, such as starting your own business. It might even be something more common, like cleaning your whole house.
Step 2: Break it into four medium-sized goals.
After you’ve chosen your overarching goal, it’s important to break it down into smaller, easier-to-achieve objectives. This will save you from becoming overwhelmed and will allow you to focus on one task at a time. Divide your enormous objective into four medium-sized goals that are still fairly large but smaller than the primary objective.
Step 3: Divide each medium-sized goal into four to eight steps.
Now that you’ve identified four medium-sized goals, it’s time to break each one down into four to eight smaller tasks. These stages should be clear, actionable tasks that will help you get closer to your medium-sized goals. This is when you begin to develop a specific strategy for reaching your large goal.
Step 4: Divide each step into 2-3 sections. (optional)
If the 4-8 steps are still overwhelming, you can break them down even further. Divide each step into 2-3 smaller steps. This will result in a list of 32-96 extremely small goals that are far less intimidating. While there may appear to be a lot of goals, they are all very little and extremely achievable.
Step 5: Organize your goals into days, weeks, or months.
Now that you have a list of small, achievable goals, divide them into days, weeks, or months. This will assist you in developing a timeline for reaching your major goal. Check if the timeline is reasonable based on the goals you have and when you expect to reach the overall goal. Don’t make it too difficult, but don’t make it too easy, either. A little challenge makes the reward all the sweeter.
Step 6: Reward Yourself Throughout the Process
The journey to your ultimate goal should be enjoyable and engaging. It’s critical to reward yourself along your journey to keep yourself motivated and on track. You can reward yourself for completing each of the smallest goals, or for completing so many goals in a short period of time, such as completing 5 minor goals in a week. You can also reward yourself at the milestones, which are the larger points at which you have broken down your overall goal.
Step 7: Recognize Your Achievements
It is essential that you recognize your personal triumphs along the way. Celebrate your tiny victories and achievements and give yourself credit for your efforts. This will keep you motivated and on track even when you encounter roadblocks. You are the hero of this story and what is a hero unless they have enemies to defeat. So, when you do defeat an enemy (overcome an obstacle) be sure to reward yourself for that as well.
To summarize, achieving a big, hairy-scary goal may appear overwhelming at first, but by breaking it down into manageable chunks, you can construct a roadmap that will help you get to your desired destination. Determine your overall goal, then break it down into smaller goals and develop a schedule for completing each one. And remember to reward yourself along the way.
If you are feeling overwhelmed by your big hairy-scary goal(s) and you’d like some help or guidance, you can click here to set up a free consultation with me. I’d be happy to discuss how I can help you clarify your goals, create a plan to achieve them, and provide support and accountability to help you stay on track.
Zen Summer 