How To Make Your 2017 Goals Happen

Goal setting for a year can be overwhelming, I get it. 

But don't let overwhelming and what you think is complicated be the reason you don't have a vision and plan for your year. 

Just keep it simple. You can do it all on one piece of paper. Simple is better, anyways. 

The answer might not be what you're thinking, but the best part about the way to make goals (however big or small) happen is that it's a choice anyone in the world has the power to do. 

First, Reverse Engineer The Goal

Start with the end in mind (telescope) and then breakdown checkpoints along the way, arriving at your weekly and daily habits (microscope). 

Example:

- Telescope, end in mind goal: read the whole bible in one year

- Microscope habit: read the bible 15min a day

I personally like to pick the main buckets in my life (Faith, Relationships, Career, Health), and then set 1-3 main goals for each bucket. Then it's a matter of breaking down and making them happen.

Making The Goals Happen

This is the farthest thing from a novel approach; it is stupid simple. It's so plain and straightforward that it might sound dumb.

The way to make your goals happen is to do what you said you are going to do.

- Go to the gym 5 times a week... how? Get in your car and drive to the gym 5 times that week.

- Cut out sugar for X days per week... how? Find out what has sugar that you normally eat, then don't eat it.

- Publish one blog post a week... how? Time block 3hrs on your calendar each week and write the post.

 - One cup of coffee per day... how? Don't drink another cup after you've had one cup. (btw, I drink a lot of coffee so this one is not for me ;)

- Shoot 100 free throws a day... how? Shoot them every day.

- Get up at 5am during the work week... how? When your alarm goes off, get up and out of your bed.

You own the goal. It's 100% your choice.

Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen. - Michael Jordan

Simple Does Not Mean Easy

It's simple to know exactly what you have to do, but it's not easy because there is no room for excuses. It's black and white and you are entirely responsible for the goal... eg., did you "shoot 100 free throws," or not? 

This requires self-discipline and consistency, two traits that most people deem as hard, but the traits are actually just choices that anyone can make.

If you start and fail, that's okay. Keep going. You can always start over no matter how many times you failed. 

Choosing To Do It Anyway

In the moment, doing the goal will not be comfortable and will suck sometimes. But by you doing it anyway, your growth compounds and it becomes a habit. When stuff comes up that you might not "feel like doing," your operating system tells you to do it anyway. 

Why is this all worth it? Don't think about the little moments (choice to get out of bed early, shoot those extra free throws, etc.), imagine it being December 2017 and looking back on what you made happen for the year. 

Let your vision guide you and your ownership mentality be the vehicle that takes you to your vision.

In summary, the way to make your 2017 goals happen is to do them.

A great app to track daily habits is "Way Of Life."