Tip #2: Create Bite-Sized Milestones
OK, by now you’ve gotten clear on your goals, written them down, and started visualizing them. Pretty fun, right?
Today’s tip is to bring some summertime ease in because I don’t want you to get all serious about these… and psych yourself out.
So, take your big goal in each category and break it into 3 months.
If weight loss is your goal, what do you want to weigh on October 1, November 1, and December 1 in order to ultimately reach your big goal by December 31?
One of the biggest goals I ever had is when I set out on my 10-year journey of medical school. At 30, I was older than my classmates and it was DAUNTING!
So what I did was focus on my next milestone.
I will just get through my pre-med classes. 2 years. First there’s this class, then that one, then the next one. One by one, class by class, I got through.
So, since it’s September, think about your goal like you would a school term—from paper to paper or test to test. Seriously, who would ever make it through school if they only looked at the end goal. The bite-sized chunks make it doable.
The power of a small success is huge. Success breeds success. Celebrate each milestone.
And the keyword is “small” success. If your goal is to make $100,000 by the end of year and you’re only at $30,000 right now, you’re going to feel pretty demoralized if you don’t make it. But if you set a series of reachable milestones each month you’ll be saying, “YEAH, I rocked that!” on December 31.
Today, take that journal out to your hammock—even if it’s a virtual hammock—and break your 3 big goals into monthly milestones.
And come up with some fun rewards for meeting each one!
Please share your comments, and stay tuned for my upcoming class on the Magic of Productivity!