Read Time: 8 Minutes

There is an old Yogi Berra saying that states “If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up some place else.” 
This is true to every extent of the word.  Think back to some things that you really wanted to do when you were younger? 
“When I grow up I am going to be…..”
What happened? 
Chances are we didn’t create a specific path for ourselves to follow and then life intervened.
Things happen. 
We can become participants in our lives instead of the creators of it. 
This article will help provide you with some strategies to help regain control.

There is an extremely valuable goal setting exercise called Future Authoring.  Anyone that is interested in exploring this idea of goal setting further should definitely check out this valuable resource (future authoring).

From the Future Authoring website it is presented that:
“Without a plan, people often default to whatever is easiest, such as television watching, and waste their private time. If you waste 4 hours a day, which is not uncommon, then you are wasting 1400 hours a year. That is equivalent to 35, 40 hour work weeks, which is almost as much as the typical individual spends at his or her job every year. 

Think of what you get paid per hour.

Now multiply that by 40.
Now multiply that by 35.

This is how much you are essentially paying yourself to waste your time.

Does this resonate with you deeply?
If so, why do you think that is? 
It’s ok. 
This is very common.  We're human.  It happens.
We all have great ideas. 
I should do this.
I know I can do that. 

What typically happens to those ideas though? 

Life happens.  That’s what.
Your commute.
Your time at work.
Your responsibilities.
Your distractions.
Your recreation.
Your family.

It is no wonder very few of us actually accomplish those things we set out to do.  There is hardly any time for much else. 
This lack of time however is often combined with the deadliest killer of all motivation: Lack of action. 
Often it can be said that lack of action only comes from a clear lack of direction. 
No more.
We want to help you set and reach your goals…starting now. 

Here are 3 simple strategies to kick start you towards accomplishing more of what you really want.

1) Think of 25 things you want to have accomplished 1 year from today.
This is pretty self-explanatory.  We don’t mean just think them in your head.  We want you to write them down.
No, your phone doesn’t count. 
Grab a piece of paper and something to write with.  This is the first step to making them actually happen.  We have to actually take these ideas out of our head and create them in a physical form as words on a page.

Ready?
 
This is a principle and exercise we have shared from Warren Buffet. 
Come up with 25 goals you want to accomplish in the next year.  Anything at all. 
If you have thought it, write it down.

• Go to the gym more? Write it down

• Learn to play the guitar? Write it down

• Spend more time with your family members? Write it down

• Run that 5k? Write it down.

You get the idea.  The point is to do this in one exercise.  You might get stuck.  Don’t get frustrated.  This is very common and perhaps the first step towards you giving up on your goals already.  Don’t quit or remove yourself from this list until you have 25 full goals.  Only here can we move on to the next step.

• Complete this step before reading further!

2) Cut that list down.
The first step was actually the easy part.  Now the real challenge begins.  This is where things get difficult and you are going to have to make some tough decisions.  Start with cutting your list down to 10 ideas.  This will help make the process much easier. 

If there is something on that list that does not immediately jump out at you?
Cross it out.  
Onto the next one.
Keep going.

Chances are you will be able to get close to 5 targets and will only have to make a couple of tough decisions. 
Literally think deeply on each goal you have written down.  
Again, if it does not immediately resonate with you.  Eliminate it.  

We are looking for 5 things that you REALLY want to accomplish. 

You know what they are.  Life is tough.  Sometimes we have to make tough decisions.

Maybe learning to play the guitar isn’t the best choice this year if you are struggling to pay your rent month to month. 

Dig deeper. 

Find out what you NEED to accomplish in order to truly improve yourself. 

Think of where you want to be one year from now? 

You have the rest of your life to learn how to play the guitar. 

This is the point of this exercise.  Often because we have small focus on many different things we want to accomplish, this causes us to not accomplish anything at all. 

We become overwhelmed with options. 
Distractions. 
Lack of direction.
Focus only on the 5 you have selected. 
These are all that matter.
The other 20 things listed that you didn’t select, do not matter right now.

Each year you have to better yourself becomes more important than the last. 

Pick yourself up. 

It’s time to get to work.


3) Identify a target for each goal to reach in the next 30 days.
This is all you have to do.  What is one aspect that you can work on in each of your 5 areas for the next 30 days? 

These should be fairly actionable towards making the ultimate progress towards your goals.

For example:  Say one of your top 5 goals is to exercise more. 
One of your targets for the next 30 days could be to go for a walk 3x/Week. 
It can be that simple. 

Often when most of us get lost and discouraged with goals it is simply that we are just trying to reach the summit immediately.  Think of what happens with most New Year’s Resolutions? 
We try and go from 0 to 100 real quick and that never works. 

We need to build upon the key factors in truly making anything sustainable; building consistency & frequency over time.
 
Anything worth doing takes time to get there. 
The success lies in identifying the steps that are going to get you to that peak; that goal. 
We can’t just jump there unfortunately. 
Learn to appreciate the process. 
Learn to appreciate how good you can feel with each slight adjustment that dials you in a little closer. 

Once you have reached all of these targets after 30 days, take a look back to where you started. 
See what drastic changes you have made.  This is the real first step towards sustained success. 
Congratulations.  You are already on your way.

Reaching goals in our lives can be a very rewarding and fulfilling process. 
However...
When we feel we have failed or given up on these goals, this can be a very discouraging process. 

It’s ok.
It is ok to fail. 
It is NOT OK to have just given up without a fight. 

Goal setting is a very important aspect of our existence. 
It is also something that is not really ever taught or instructed as we develop. 

It is time to change all of that. 

After reading this, we hope you now have a clear path to pursue.   A roadmap on how to get exactly where you want to end up.

Take your time, enjoy the trip.

Please share this with someone close to you.

LIVE. WELL.
EPOCH.