How to achieve your goals (quick and easy tool)

I like moments of hindsight. The moments, when I consciously take stock of my goals and adjust my planning. This allows me to anticipate, to have a good vision and above all to adapt to the context! This famous context that is constantly changing! Yes, even in my field! There are new trends, new players and market adjustments. To stay competitive and productive, I keep my eyes open! I invite you to do the same and enjoy the power of hindsight!

Let’s take advantage of this mid-year to make a quick and simple assessment. The idea is to adjust, take stock and plan what is right and relevant for the rest of the year.

For my part, I have a quarterly routine, which starts in January of each year. There she is:

• Review for the new year at the beginning of January, or during the holiday season. I take the opportunity to take a few days off and take stock that includes a 3-year vision and annual objectives.
• March or April I take about 1/2 day to review and adjust my goals for the current year.
• In July, I take 1-2 days to take stock of the last 6 months and redo an overall plan for the rest of the year. I reread my vision over 3 years to see if it still resonates with me, I adjust if necessary.
• In October I take about 1/2 day to review and adjust my goals for the current year.

It’s simple, efficient and flexible. I use flexibility and adjust according to the current context: opportunities and the market. There is so much going on and this world is going so fast!! What’s important is not to lose sight of my meaning, my “why” I do what I do. As long as I stay in this line, the rest is just support to move forward.

To get back to my routine, I’ve been using it for several years (even when I was an employee). I like to take stock of my desires, my desires, transform them into goals and adjust everything according to the vagaries of life. Here are some impacts of taking a step back, for me:

• increase my focus on the goals to be achieved (to manage my creative mind!!);
• develop my skills by planning training or readings related to what I want to achieve;
• organize myself to take a vacation (because it’s in my plan!);
• anticipate monetary needs, hours to be worked, etc. so that everything is realistic and that I can do it!

I was inspired by several ways of doing things and present you my personal tool. I invite you to do the exercise which has the definite benefit of not losing sight of the forest! So, here’s a little guide to inspire you! You need something to write about. Personally I am in notebook and pencil, but take the medium that suits you best.

 

#1: Hindsight on your goals, on yourself and your context

I always take a little time to take stock of what is happening, what has happened on the market, to look back at the results achieved or not, the why.

I ask myself these 5 questions:

1. To what extent did I or did I not achieve the intended objectives and what were the reasons for this? (For what I didn’t manage to do, I wonder if I need coaching! 😉 )
2. What have I observed that is different in the market?
3. What did I do right?
4. What could I have done better?
5. What do I need to achieve my goals?

 

#2: Abolish the filters

Get out of your reason and just write down what you would accomplish if anything were possible. If it inspires you, you can do it by sphere of life: personal, social, professional, etc. It sounds simple, and it’s not! We so often have our little internal voice holding us back before we can even write down these ideas. This step is very important!

 

#3: Prioritize

For each of your desires, indicate three things: the impact on you and others, and then who you need to be. Here are some examples:

• Personal Goal (Health) – To increase my cardiovascular health so that I am able to run 5K easily.
  • Impact (on me) – Get up earlier, reorganize my schedule, get out of my comfort zone in terms of health, be able to run 5km!
  • Impact (on others) – Change of routine in the family, inspiration for a healthy lifestyle!
  • Who I need to be – determined
• Professional Purpose (Marketing) – Publish a new article every week.
  • Impact (on me) – create a realistic schedule and decline commitments when needed, fulfill my mission to share!
  • Impact (on others) – being told no, receiving content regularly!
  • Who I Should Be – Creative

And how do we prioritize all this? By asking ourselves if the impacts of doing versus not doing are greater and what effort we are willing to invest.

No one is forcing you to do anything. Do what nourishes you. Doesn’t your goal inspire you? Get coached! *inspired by a video by Marie Forleo

 

#4: Create Your Annual Plan (and Reprioritize)

On a page of a notebook, make 12 boxes: one for each month. Start by indicating the months when you already know that you will be busy or unavailable for your goals: vacation, your tax year-end, etc.

It’s just about creating clarity and being realistic.

You know when you’re less willing and now have a high-level view of your availability. Well done! Now add high-level planning, i.e. the outline of your goals/dreams. If you had the goal of developing a new product, increasing your sales, etc., indicate by which months you would like to have finished everything and do “reverse planning”.

For example: to launch my new product next October, I have to have finished the last step in September, in August I will be on vacation, and before that I have some research to do. I have to start in May at the latest to launch in October.

This is an opportunity to make another selection. Do you have time to do everything you want to do?

 

#5: Create Your Quarterly Plan

I like to see everything over a quarter. It’s short and at the same time long enough to deliver concrete. Divide a new page of your notebook horizontally into thirds. For each month, write down the sub-objectives that will allow you to achieve your overall goals and dreams during the year. It is quite normal to have more details for the current quarter and less and less for the following ones.

*You could go further by taking inspiration from the Bullet Journal method.

 

#6 Track and adjust

At the end of each month if you wish and/or during your quarterly revisions, make this reflection:

• What did I do right?
• What can be improved?
• What am I missing?

And adjust your plan!!

 

Conclusion

In fact, if there was only one thing to remember, it would be: take the time to take a step back, regularly, for yourself. The more you are able to understand your context, the market, what is going on and adjust your plan taking into account your deepest desires, the more successful you will be!