So many thought leaders, philanthropists, CEO’s, and visionaries of our day have been known to physically write their goals out––whether daily, weekly, or long term. Written goals and visualizations together can manifest your desires. Writing things down will not only remind you when you look at it, but also creates a sense of responsibility in getting tasks and goals done.
When we take ownership of something––an item, an idea, or a goal––we are more committed to it. This is called the endowment effect, which happens when we take ownership of something and it becomes ours, thereby integrating into our sense of identity. This sense of connection to goal will help you work to achieve it.
All goals should be SMART. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time sensitive. Tell the universe exactly what it is you need or it won’t give you anything. Your goal needs to be something concrete, attainable, and realistic. Absolutely shoot for the moon and the universe will let things play out in ways you could have never anticipated. That being said, as much as you visualize, write down and pray to wake up with wings sprouting out of your back tomorrow; it isn't much of a realistic goal. Time sensitive need to set specific time frame for your goals. It hold yourself accountable to prioritize them and get them done.
Here is how I go about making sure my goals become a reality.
Once a month:
Sit down and write out everything you want to accomplish that month. Don’t be afraid to aim high. Have goals so big people think you’re crazy for even saying it.
Each Sunday:
I write out my goals for the coming week. This includes planning out the best way to attack those goals. When doing this, I make sure to space out tasks for certain days by prioritizing tasks that need to be completed for others to be started. (i.e. in order of what needs to be done next).
Each morning:
Write out daily goals--each should be directly in line with your bigger, weekly goals and should be in line with your overall goal. Write it out, repeat them to yourself, and visualize yourself already achieving those goals.
Each night:
Review your daily goals and mark what you got done and what you didn't- each should be directly in line with your bigger, weekly goals and those in line with your overall goal. Write it out, repeat them to yourself and visualize yourself already achieving those goals.
As you read your goals to yourself, visualize them playing out in real life. Pick a time every day for 10 to 20 minutes to visualize your life as you want it. Close your eyes, focus on breathing and live the moment out in your mind. Make it feel so real you almost can’t tell that it isn’t. Hear the sounds, smell the smells, and see the imagery play out as if it were a movie you were starring in. Repeat this daily with all of your daily goals.
Turn your goals into a checklist; i.e. set a goal, accomplish it, and move on the to the next one. You need to look at these as tangible tasks you WILL accomplish, not wishes for things you WANT to accomplish. Do whatever is in your power to get these goals done. Make them your priority and the rest will fall into place.
Be accountable. If you are seeing problems, make a change. If you are slacking off in one area, focus on that area with more effort than normal. It’s on you to realize and make that change. Personal accountability is huge.
At the end of the day, writing down things can only do so much. It comes down to action. Taking massive action in the right direction in order to accomplish these goals you set for yourself. We will talk more about aligning time management and massive action next time.
Glossary:
Endowment Effect - The hypothesis that people ascribe more value to things merely because they own them
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