Goal setting is one of the most important practices that will benefit you during any stage of your life. It has a very specific purpose, to make you a better person. You get to pick the areas you feel like you could improve and ultimately, you decide how much better you want to be. It all depends on the goals you pick and your execution of them. They say the sky is the limit, and it couldn’t be truer in this space of self-development.

 

So if you’re coming over from Part 1 Goal Setting 101 you’ll find out how to take action in reaching your goals here. If you haven’t checked out that post, jump over there to find out how to formulate your goals before you ever do anything about it.

 

Let’s get started!

 

1. Write Them Down/Vision Board

 

You may remember that I mentioned this in Part One. While that point focused more on deciphering your goals, this point hones in on physically writing them down. I like to write down my goals in a notebook first, to see them chronologically through the years, then I create a vision board with photos that represent the goals I’m aiming to reach. So for instance on my personal vision board, I have a photo of my dream house because eventually I want to own a home. I have a photo that says “Debt Free” to represent saying goodbye for good to the student loans that haunt me daily. And so on.

You get the idea. Have this board in plain sight, somewhere you’re bound to look at it everyday. That constant reminder will motivate you, and it doesn’t hurt to get a little mad at the thought that those things are out of reach. You may find having a visual pushes you even harder and the results come about quicker.

 

2. Find a Friend

 

While you are a strong person who has so many talents, chances are your goal journey is going to be difficult on your own. I don’t mean you absolutely can’t do it if no one around you is participating, not at all. It’s actually possible that you won’t have anyone on the same path as you, and that’s okay. What I mean here is it’s important to have someone in your corner. That person can cheer you on, ask you if you’re still on course, and become the brutally honest force you need if you’ve slipped off track.

 

Just having someone to talk through the ups and downs is invaluable. The key here is choosing someone you trust, who won’t tear you down, and who will remain positive when you’re rethinking everything. Picking someone who belittles you or doesn’t take your dream seriously will destroy your progress. So choose wisely.

 

3. Record

 

Recording your progress is like adding caffeine to the exhausted college student. It will wake you up. When you record how you’re doing, you see things start to change, and you get hyper focused to the point where nothing will stop you. Seeing that number on the scale or the dollar amount on Sallie Mae’s site go down pumps you up!

You might find that nothing will distract you off your plan because the next milestone is just up ahead. Leverage that! Let the progress markers you’ve crossed or checked off be what propels you. Again, make your journey visual.

 

 

4. Celebrate

 

It’s important to work hard and sacrifice temporarily for your ultimate goal, but every once in a while it’s a good idea to celebrate. If you’ve hit a milestone it’s okay to get excited about it. When I hit my goal weight, we went out for pizza. That wouldn’t be okay if it was the slippery step that sent me back down to my starting weight, but I knew I had the stamina and willpower to curb it from becoming my downfall.

 

You can easily get burned out if you don’t take the time to appreciate what you’ve accomplished, how far you’ve come from the beginning, and how much closer you are to your dream.

 

But don’t let it become an excuse to slow down or revert back. Celebrate WHOOHOO and then get back after it!

 

Here are just a few ways to get started trekking down your goal path. When you take these steps, later on you’ll be happy you did. It takes a lot of hard work, but stay diligent. You might even learn something about yourself that you weren’t expecting. So now that you have your goals prioritized, let’s go after them!

 

Good luck!

 

Cheers!