How to Make Goals Personal and Take Action

How to make goals personal

There is a difference between making goals and making goals personal. I may have a plan to make money which is a great goal. However, If I decide my goal is to make money so I can go to Hawaii, I just made it personal. Answer the question, “Why is this goal important to me?”

Goals should have personal meaning behind them. When you write out a goal, it should have a purpose and a deadline date to accomplish it. You should look at a plan and feel energized whenever you think about it.

The purpose and the timing are critical to your success. The purpose keeps you motivated, and the timing keeps you on track. The more specific the purpose and the more defined the timing, the better. Make it personal.

You should have a list of reasons you need to hit the goal written down. It would be best if you looked at this daily until it is complete.

Example of a Goal: I want to go to Hawaii

I need a break from work.
I like to travel and love beautiful beaches.
My spouse and kids will enjoy this trip.
I need to try shaved ice in Hawaii. (I heard it was great)
I love fresh pineapple. (I know it is excellent)

Make it fun, meaningful, and personal. A goal is a fuel to feed the fire to achieve it.

Plan to take action.

Make a checklist of things you need to do.

I need to save $4,000.
I need to ask for the time off.
I need to lose 10 lbs.
I need to finish my project at work

Set specific timing for your goals

I need to save $4,000 by March 1st.
I need to ask for time off by January 30th.
I need to lose 10 lbs by March 1st.
I need to finish my project at work by February 1st.

Add these things to your calendar and a daily planner.

Get to work and take action.

Do something daily to accomplish your goals. Also, read your goals daily and remind yourself of what you need to do. It also helps to mark it off with a check mark when you accomplish something. It helps motivate and keeps you on track.

Ask for help, and don’t do this alone. Get an extra job for the money, recruit a workout buddy to lose the weight, delegate work, so your project gets done on time, you get the picture.

Be determined to accomplish it.

So much success is deciding to do it and then just showing up. Never give up, and don’t distract yourself with meaningless things. A big part of success is knowing what not to do. You got this.

How to make goals personal and take action

Be intentional about your calendar.

Most of us have several goals competing for our time and attention.

Family and relationship goals
Work and business goals
Health and personal wellness goals
Money goals
Personal growth and educational goals
Spiritual goals (should be at the top of this list)

Your calendar and daily planner will help you manage your time when pursuing your dreams. There needs to be adequate time set aside to follow everything important to you.

When you write out your goals and look at them, you begin the process of prioritizing your day. Some days will be full of work and business, while others will allow time for relationships and personal wellness.

Intentionality is easy to say and not always easy to achieve. Striking balance in an unbalanced world is where stress comes into our lives.

Scheduling is an art and a science. I call it trying to put 10lbs of stuff into a 5lb bag and ending the day hoping you picked the right 5lbs. It is also a lifelong challenge that will never go away.

The better you prioritize and eliminate wasteful activities, the better this gets. Worthwhile goals are the best goals. If you are pursuing a goal with little meaning, you should consider why you are seeking it in the first place.

Serving others offers perspective.

When you get too busy and stressed, I recommend adding one more thing to your schedule. Serve others! When you take your eyes off yourself and serve others, God has a way of giving you the proper perspective. Afterward, I usually realize what is essential, which helps me adjust my schedule.

Have the right mindset and go all in

When you know what is essential, go 100% all in and never quit until the goal is complete. Decide, commit and take massive action until the goal is complete. No excuses.

This mindset will help you keep going when things get tough. This mindset swats away distractions. This mindset stimulates solutions to challenging problems. This mindset will pick you up when you are feeling down. Taking action will overcome most obstacles. Pushing through resistance builds strength. You will catch your “second wind” when you keep moving and never give up.

It is ok to take a break, pray, think, and then start again. Just make sure you start again and never quit until the goal is marked complete.

To recap

Set goals and make them personal
Make a plan to take action
Set completion deadlines
Get to work and take massive action
Be determined to accomplish
Be intentional with your calendar
Serve others and gain perspective
Go all in with the right mindset.
Never quit!

The key is to have the right goals and take the right action. You have plans that are personal and fuel the desire to take action. If you are chasing stuff and feel tired and ready to give up all the time, you need to re-evaluate the goal itself.

The right goals should give you energy and passion when pursued.

On another note: When you realize you need to break a bad habit and replace it with good practice. You may not feel motivated or energized at first. You will need to ask God for help and start doing the right things with the right people supporting you. It may be challenging and seem impossible at first. You may want to quit and give up. Your mindset may be a challenge, and you may struggle to keep going. The advice is to do it anyway!

The motivation will come when you take the courageous steps to make the change. You have to hang in there and not quit until the transformation is complete in your life. Worthwhile, things are not always easy, and it may be a dog fight. You can do it with the right attitude, solid support, and proper preparation. Decide to do it and get after it until it is complete.

Then celebrate your success and be thankful you did it!