The one change that can help you conquer your goals faster

“Setting goals in life is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” – Tony Robbins, businessman and philanthropist

Setting a goal is one thing and accomplishing it is another. If we already knew how to achieve our goals, they wouldn't really be counted as ‘goals’. Your goals are your aspirations, visions, and ideas that are yet to materialise. Perhaps feeding your mind with numerous goals won't cut it. So how do you ensure that your formulated goals come into being successfully?

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This brings me to my most important set of questions.

Do you pen down your goals?

Do you believe in the power of written goals?

When was the last time you tried to put your goals into actual words?

Regardless of your answer to these questions, here's one thing you need to know: when you put your goals on paper, you not only direct your vague ideas into concrete actions but also solidify your intentions and commit yourself to achieving them. When done right, you can consider half the battle won. The other half of achieving success is solely based on your actions and dedication.

So, here's what you need to know to raise your odds of achieving your goals:

Write them down, precisely

We hear a lot about the importance of writing down goals, but most of us don’t have clear and measurable goals to work towards. If you don't know where you are heading, or if only have a vague idea of the destination you want to reach, the effectiveness of goal-setting might need some rehabilitation. Research by Dominican University of California psychology professor Dr Gail Matthews showed that those who penned down their goals and shared their aspirations with their friends and closed ones were 33 percent more successful in accomplishing their goals than those who merely formulated goals.

“I want to plan a trip abroad next year” is totally different from “I want to travel to New Zealand for a long vacation in September, 2017.” Unless you are mentally clear about which destination you would like to visit for a vacation, you will never be able to get to the point of transpiring it into reality.

Put achievable deadlines

Setting a deadline will push you to act. However, make sure your deadline is realistic and achievable in the given time frame. For instance, if you have a big campaign coming up in the month of September next year, you should plan your trip for a month that’s relatively free of commitments. You can say, “I want to plan a holiday to New Zealand in the second quarter of the year 2017.” Put a deadline that is challenging enough to motivate you to take relevant actions without being extremely tough on you.

Create frequent reminders

This one is easy if you’ve already penned down your goals. Find ways to keep your goals in front of you. The idea is to read your goals daily. You can put them up on your work desk, on the refrigerator, or next to your mirror, where you can read your goals immediately after you wake up and before you go to bed. When constantly reminded of our goals, our minds start identifying opportunities that can help us achieve them. When we keep our subconscious mind aware of our intentions, we tend to reach our goals 42 percent faster.

Finally, no matter how hard the situation gets, do not quit. Life without goals is like a plastic bag drifting through the wind. If needed, there’s always room to make some amendments in the plan, but the ultimate focus should be to achieve the goals successfully, because the greatest opportunities are always found during the most difficult struggles of your life.