4 Key Ways You Can Set Effective Mini Goals
I’m so excited to share 4 key ways you can set effective mini goals with you! Did you set big goals or resolutions for 2020? I set some great goals for the year that I’m really excited about. It’s been three months and I’m right on track with a few and revisiting others.
As we head into April let’s talking about setting mini goals (inside of your bigger goals) for the month and evaluating where you are with your yearly goals.
Setting small attainable daily, weekly and monthly goals lead up to meeting those larger goals.
Meeting goals is really about setting goals within goals. I love goals because rather than feeling bound by them I use them to map out where I want to go and what I want to achieve. However, instead of feeling like I’ve failed when I don’t meet them, it’s important to take the time to evaluate how your goals are working for you.
In fact it’s okay to revamp your goals! Break them down into more manageable ones or even scratch goals you aren’t meeting to create new ones! Let’s get started on our 4 key ways you can set effective mini goals.
4 Key Ways You Can Set Effective Mini Goals
1. Start with your approach to goals:
You get to choose. You can do anything you want to. You have the freedom to make your own choices. In either direction. If you want to eat ten chocolate bars a day or spend 5 hours watching Netflix, you can.
You have choosing power. Of course not everything you can do is necessarily beneficial. If you want to go for a walk everyday or spend a few hours preparing healthy meal for the week you can. Meeting goals is about making choices.
There’s a lot of power and freedom in recognizing that your choices truly can get you to where you want to go. No one is stopping you, but you. Set parameters to follow every day, throughout the week and each month that will allow you to successfully meet your goals.
So our first key step in mini goals setting is to adopt a mindset that we have choosing power.
2. Change up the routine and create new habits:
Establishing new habits and routines will naturally lead up to meeting your overarching goals. No matter what goal you want to accomplish, from eating healthy, to learning a new skill, or to breaking a bad habit. Setting smaller mini goals is going to help you meet your objectives. These smaller goals, know as micro goals, also help you work up to things without overwhelming you.
First name your goal. What it is you want to conquer? I want to create a more healthy lifestyle this year by what I eat. This is my overarching goal. Now I need some stepping stones to get there. This means making one decision at a time. Master one step towards your goal at a time.
In her Article, To Achieve Big Goals, Start with Small Habits, written for Harvard Business Review, Sabina Nawaz shares,
It’s great to dream big, but the way to achieve big is to start small — through micro habits.
Sabina Nawaz for Harvard Business Review
She smartly shares that big goals are good, but can be burdensome. By creating micro goals we start taking one step at a time towards those big goals.
Ready to tackle the third step in our 4 key ways you can set effective mini goals? Here’s where we start to set our plan in place.
RELATED: Slay Your Goals Anytime of the Year
3. Get specific about your micro goals:
I need to have daily, weekly and even monthly goals to get me to my final goal. So getting specific is really important. For example, since I want to establish healthier eating habits this year I need to break things down by making a series of mini goals. As I make these goals inside of goals I will hone in on things more and more as I go.
For example a monthly goal could be: Make a daily meal plan for the next month with healthy meal and snack options.
Weekly: Go to the Farmer’s Market on Saturday for fresh local produce and prep my meals on Sunday evening for the week ahead.
Daily: Drink 8 glasses of water, treat myself with one cup of coffee and cut out all sugary drinks.
Don’t forget we want to create those highly achievable micro goals, so start with one step at a time. Conquer one at a time and add the next step as you go.
4. Mix it up:
Don’t be afraid to try new things. Try a fresh approach. Come at things from a different angle. If what you are doing isn’t working for you change it up. Your goals should be working for you. Goals are meant to help you grow and succeed. They are not meant to make you feel trapped of box you in. Stepping outside of the box is one of my favorite goals I ever tackled! I’m doing all sorts of different new things to meet my goals.
Did these 4 key ways you can set effective mini goals resonate with you? Have something to add? Leave me a comment. I’d love to hear from you.
xoxo
Naomi
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If you like this post, 4 Key Ways You Can Set Effective Mini Goals, check out my Six Powerful Steps to Effective Goal Setting.
Breaking goals up definitely helps to make them seem more easier to achieve! This is great advice, especially at the beginning of a new month. It’s a fresh new start ☺️
Thanks Addie! Yes a fresh start feels so good!
I find it SO important to build those new habits! If I don’t – nothing works for me!
This is great advice, I often get overwhelmed with a big goal, breaking into smaller ones is definitely helpful!
I definitely need long-term goals mixed with daily or weekly goals, but I like what you said about how you get to choose what you accomplish! Don’t just set the goal, do it!
This is a great idea! It can be so hard to look at your big, lofty goals on your check list and know where to start. Setting mini goals is so much more attainable (and efficient!)
Rae | Mindful Rambles
Thanks Rae. Haha! Sipping coffee is a form of productivity in itself, right?!
I like the idea of breaking up your bigger new year’s goals down into smaller more obtainable monthly goals to help you achieve the bigger goal. Great advice!
Kadie | The Great Canadian Housewife & A Story About A Girl
Thanks so much for taking the time to read Kadie! I’m glad you found it helpful. I finding breaking goals down helps keep me from getting overwhelmed.