There has never been a better time in history when we have all the tools and resources to define and accomplish our goals in life. While the opportunities and possibilities this world has presented have increased, the tendency to fall into mediocrity has never been greater.
In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, it’s easy to get carried away by the numerous opportunities before our eyes and fall into mediocrity—settling for less than we deserve and losing sight of our true purpose. There’s too much you can do, too much to do, and too little time.
You have to be willing and dedicated to changing your life. With the right mindset, strong motivation, and well-defined goals, you can break free from the shackles of mediocrity.
Imagine waking up every morning with a sense of purpose that drives you out of bed, excited to take on the day—a life where you’re not just a passenger but the driver of your destiny, steering through your goals with unwavering clarity.
From small daily goals to dream goals, you’ll learn how to develop clarity about what you want in life and how to get it at the end of this post.
Let’s get started.
But first,
What Are The Goals?
Simply put, goals are what you want to achieve in life. They can be anything from short-term, like spending more time with your loved ones, to long-term, like retirement savings.
Whatever your goals are, you need these seven steps to define them to achieve them.
Identifying Your Goals In Life
The first step to defining your goals in life is to honestly answer this question: What do you want in life?
This question allows you to gain a deeper understanding of yourself and lays the foundation for setting fulfilling and purpose-driven goals. By closely examining your needs, desires, and wants, you’ll get a rough understanding of what you want in life.
Your wants are the extra things you could add to make your life more enjoyable. They’re not must-haves, but they add more joy to your life. It could be an instrument you’ve always wanted to learn, a country you’ve always wanted to travel to, or a hobby you’ve always wanted to be good at.
Your needs are the fundamental parts of your life. They are essential for your health, well-being, relationships, and security. Your needs encompass the daily essentials that keep you going, from physical sustenance to mental and emotional support.
5 Simple Questions To Help You Identify Your Wants And Needs In Life
Get a pen and paper, and write down the answers to these questions:
- What would you become if you had the power to achieve anything in this world?
- What do you do that gives you a sense of purpose in life?
- What would it be if you could talk for hours about one topic?
- Looking at your life right now, what’s the one thing you want to improve?
- What items do you wish you could do if you had the time?
The first step in overcoming a life of mediocrity is knowing yourself—what you need, what you want, and what gets you excited.
Choosing Your Goals In Life
Imagine for a moment that you had no limitations; 10 years from now, when you wake up in the morning, what would your reality be like?
- Where would you be living?
- How much money would you have in your bank account?
- How would your ideal calendar be?
Let your vision of our future guide your present goals.
You must be clear about why you want to accomplish those goals. For instance, if you decide to work in a bank for financial freedom and one of your dreams is to travel the world, you may need to revise your goals because working in banking doesn’t quickly provide you with the luxury of traveling the world.
So, you’ll have to consider other jobs that provide the financial freedom you desire while still allowing you the luxury of traveling the world.
Be careful about goals that only provide you with fleeting joy and happiness. You must have a strong reason for choosing a goal that aligns with your values and purpose in life.
Ranking Your Goals In Life
At this point, you know what goals you want and why you want them. It’s time to get serious and take action, but before that, you need to know which of the goals are the most important ones to you. What is the most important thing right now?
This is to avoid focusing your energy on the least important things; this makes it longer and harder for you to achieve the goals you truly desire.
3 Steps To Help You Effectively Rank Your Goals
- How much difference will this goal make to my life if I achieve it right now?
- How soon can I accomplish this goal?
- Which goals do I feel most excited and happy to reach?
Regularly review the ranking based on your circumstances and insights. Ranking your goals doesn’t mean some goals are unnecessary or you give up on them. You’re simply allocating your time and energy more effectively.
Your goals are rewarded based on your effort and time in the priority areas. Remember to be flexible and adjust these rankings as you grow and learn more about yourself.
Planning Your Goals In Life
Now that you’ve set the table, you can jump right in. Before you do that, there’s something important you need to do before taking action on your goals.
You need a plan—it helps you navigate the journey to your goals. Planning involves determining the best route, mode of action, timing, resources, and tools necessary to help you achieve your goals.
This step involves looking for a better, faster, and easier way to achieve your goals and get the desired results.
3 Steps To Help You Efficiently Plan Your Goals
Gather Resources
Identify what you need, whether knowledge, skills, or tools. For instance, if you want to become a successful football player, you need the skills to become one; you need to be trained and coached at an academy.
Categorize
Classify your goals into short-term or long-term categories depending on the time it takes to achieve each. Doing this will help you know the deadline to assign to each goal. Without a deadline, all you’ll do is procrastinate and get very little done.
Organize
Put everything on a list. Assign resources and tools to each goal. Lay out the steps required to achieve each goal. You have what you need to get the job done, and you know how long it takes to get the job done.
Now that you have what you need and know how long it takes to achieve your goals, getting started can seem daunting. To make it easier, break those goals into small chunks that can be completed daily.
The more you achieve those goals, the easier it becomes to push through. Be flexible about making changes to adjust your goals.
Taking Action On Your Goals In Life
Do something. Do anything. One pushup a day is better than none at all. It would help if you put in the effort to achieve the goals you’ve defined. Never miss a day.
Your action toward your goal each day separates you from a life of mediocrity. Resolve within yourself to take a step every day towards your goal. Engrave your goals into your daily routine. Let your goals become a part of you.
Often, people make plans and get all excited about starting, telling everyone about their goals, only to accomplish very little because they need more motivation or strength.
3 Tips To Stay Motivated While Achieving Your Goals And Avoiding Burnout
Track Your Progress
Write down your goals where you can easily see them. This could be a sticky note or a note-taking app on your phone. Each time you cross a milestone, tick it off. Doing this encourages you to do more because of what you’ve accomplished.
Positive Reinforcements
Each time you achieve a goal, no matter how small, give yourself a pat on the back. Positive reinforcements are a way of rewarding yourself for the work you have done so far.
Take Breaks
When things get tougher than usual, taking a break and refresh is okay. Leaves serve as a time for you to recharge your mind. However, be careful not to turn your holidays into distractions.
Keep walking; don’t stop.
Conclusion
Only you have the power to make the life you desire come true. Defining your goals is the first step to rejecting a life of mediocrity and living a life of purpose and fulfillment. It doesn’t matter how you’ve lived your life; all that matters is that you can change it now. It starts with identifying what you truly want, planning, and taking action immediately.
If you’re still confused about defining your goals, join my “Convert Confusion to Clarity” training, where I teach you how to take charge of your life and live the life you’ve always dreamed of.
