Goal Setting Versus Goal Achieving, What’s the Difference?

Goal Setting Versus Goal Achieving, What’s the Difference?

New year, new you – right?

With the new year already upon us, the season of goal setting has arrived. We all have a list of things we want to achieve in our lives, and the new year always seems like the perfect time to start. While our intentions are good, achieving these goals becomes another task altogether.

If only it were as simple as saying, “I will.” Maybe then we’d go to the gym for the entire year instead of stopping in February. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. The purpose of setting these goals is to actually achieve them—and in a way that will have a permanent, positive effect on our lives.

Setting goals, whether long-term or short-term, is always a good idea. They help you focus, give you direction, and can be used to gauge whether you’re actually making progress in your life. The reality is, though, that unless you put a concrete plan into place and have some accountability to hold you to that plan, it’s unlikely that you’ll actually achieve those goals.

It’s time to take your new year’s resolutions to a whole new level. This time, you can and will achieve your goals! Here’s how.

The Art of Goal Achieving

1. It’s All in the Planning

First things first: set goals that are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-bound). If you’re like me, you’re probably all too familiar with this concept in the business world—you may even apply it often in your corporate position. Why not apply it to your life goals as well?

Apart from setting goals, you actually need to develop an action plan for achieving them. For example, as busy corporate women and mothers, one of our main goals may be to spend more time with our children and spouses. Although it may be truly what you want, and ultimately your end goal, what steps will you take to make it happen? Take your goal and break it down into smaller, actionable steps to help you visualize how you’re actually going to achieve it. For example, you might:
Hire a babysitter once a week for date night with the hubby
Schedule regular outings with each of your children to enjoy dedicated quality time with them individually
Institute a family game night with a media-free zone to keep you and your kids off their phones for an hour or two of old-fashioned family fun
Plan a 5-day family vacation and actually use some of your vacation days

Look at setting SMART goals as the what and planning them as the how. Knowing what you want is easy, but the key to sticking to and achieving your goals lies in the planning.

2. Find an Accountability Partner

Sometimes, the mind is willing but the flesh is weak. Telling someone your goals and plans to achieve them can go a long way in ensuring that you actually reach them. It’s much easier to give up on a goal when no one else knows about it. That said, there are also times when you may be too hard on yourself. Holding yourself accountable can be a tough job when it comes to achieving your goals, and that’s where an accountability partner can help:

Review Your Progress: What did you do well this week? What went wrong? What did you learn? Answering these questions in a conversation with your accountability partner can help you refocus, and your partner can provide advice and suggestions, gently pointing out your areas of weakness and helping you find ways to overcome them.
No More Excuses: When difficulties arise or laziness sets in, many of us are great at coming up with reasons why we can’t stick to our plans. For example, if part of your goal of being more organized is to meal prep the kids’ lunches the night before but you’re feeling a little too lazy, you may end up telling yourself you’ll do it in the morning. If you have an accountability partner to answer to, you’ll think twice before abandoning your plan so easily—and you can even call them when you’re feeling tempted to go rogue!
Someone to Celebrate With: It’s not about pointing fingers and making you feel ashamed of yourself. Your accountability partner is also there to help you celebrate your successes, no matter how big or small. The road to achieving your goals should be motivating and fun, so let their enthusiastic support build you up along the way!

3. Don’t Be Limited by Your Options

Sometimes, when faced with difficulties, it can be tough to see the light at the end of the tunnel. That’s when we tend to give up on our goals. Instead of abandoning your dreams altogether, take the time to explore other ways around the obstacle you’re currently facing. For example, say your goal of spending more time with your children is being jeopardized by your demanding corporate job and it seems like there’s nothing you can do about it. Have you considered leaving your corporate position and giving a completely different career path a try?

Goal-Achieving and Being a Mom

As moms, we often put the needs of our family before our own. This frequently results in our own aspirations falling by the wayside.

You CAN achieve your family goals and individual goals.

By making the change to working from home, you’ll enjoy infinite benefits—including the ability to pursue personal goals and family goals. One aspect of your life no longer has to suffer because of another.

If you’re interested in seeing your goals through from start to finish, Moms Making Six Figures can help you get there. Visit our website momsmakingsixfigures.com or call us at (858) 837-1505.