How to set goals and achieve them

We can use Goals as a road map to move our business or life forward, but how do we create Smart goals and what does it take to accomplish them?

Goal setting has long been one of the best possible ways to move your business, your life, or your body forward to the next stage. It helps us overcome procrastination and improves our ability just to get things done. 

Learn how to set goals and achieve them. There is also a FREE goal setting worksheet included at the end.

We will look at why we should set goals, how to set goals and begin goal-setting habits.

At the end of this post, you will have set a SMART goal and have a plan on how to achieve it.

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The importance of goal setting

Setting goals for ourselves, whether it is for your business or Etsy shop, for your life, or just because you want to is easy if you follow the correct method.

We love to see other people moving forward and gaining ground – but how do they do it?

Setting a goal holds your accountable to yourself, a bit like a business manager; it can drive you – keep you going towards that end destination.

Whether it’s as simple as reading for 30 mins a day or making your first 1 million. Having something to aim for is crucial and directly relates to your success in any given subject. 

Those who write their goals down are more likely to achieve them.

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How to set a Smart Goal?

Ensure you set SMART goals each time you set a goal.

What is a Smart Goal?

A smart goal has 5 key elements within it. It forms an outline to follow and a guide so you can be assured your goal isn’t a waste of time. 

A smart goal is 

1 – Specific 

It is not wishy-washy in its completion. It is concise and clear to everyone exactly what you want to achieve and what it will look like once you have done so. 

2- Measurable

A measurable goal will have some kind of measure to determine your progress. After all, you need to know if you are moving towards or away from your goal. 

3- Achievable 

Each goal really should be attainable, little point in setting a goal which starts with “I want to go to the moon” if infect space travel is not possible.

So only set goals you know you will be able to achieve, even if that goal is a ‘bit of stretch’. Maybe you have seen it done before and know it is therefore possible.

4- Realistic

A realistic goal means you have done some research, you have things in place, and you know its achievable.

Let’s say I want to add 60 knitted armbands to my Etsy shop. But each armband requires 10 balls of wool and 10hrs. Now, do you have wool? Do you have 600hrs to do this? 

5 – Timely

One of my personal goals is to earn 4000 a month, but as I haven’t put a date to it, there is no urgency. I could do it before I’m 80 perhaps.

Not going to happen, is it?

Too vague, no real specifics on how I’m going to achieve this and by when. 

Each goal must have a date attached.

Don’t be fooled into thinking you are disciplined enough just to get it done. Connecting urgency to your target with a deadline ensures it will not drag on forever. So give yourself a date. Tomorrow, next week, next month, next year.

Add that date bright a clear. 

Smart goal example

So going back to the above example our goal is as follows 

My goal is to have 60 items listed in my new Etsy shop by 1st December.

Starting tomorrow, I will work 1hr each weekday night on my woollen armbands. Each week I will complete six armbands ready for sale with labels. In 10 Weeks, I will have completed 60 armbands and aim to have them for sale on Etsy by 1st December.

One of the reasons many Etsy shops fail is because they have no goals.

Steps to achieve goals

To set goals, it’s often best to go back and think of the foundations as to why you want this.

Here are a few ideas to help you achieve your goals. 

Make a plan to write it down

If you don’t write it down, how will you know what you are aiming for? – I’ve seen business owners print out their goals on paper and leave them on the desk at night, so the following day it’s the first thing they see when they begin work.

Ensuring that each day, they keep that goal in mind and work towards it each day.

Believe you can

Knowing and doing are connected. If you believe in yourself, you are much more likely to succeed in your goal.

But you wouldn’t be reading this if you thought you were doomed to fail.

Tell people 

If you speak openly about your goals, you are more likely to achieve them. The feeling that someone else might know you have failed can also be just enough to ensure you do not.

You might think the worst feeling in the world is a failure, but regret at not having done something tastes far worse. 

Only tackle one goal at a time

I’m a tick person, by that I mean I am motivated when I can tick things off my list. Even if that is just doing the washing up before bed or getting up before the kids.

Simple tasks which we complete each day can also be attributed to our sense of well-being.

However, if you create too many goals, then you are less likely to achieve them. Only create one goal at a time, and you are sure to succeed.

“Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.”

– Mark Twain

Don’t set unrealistic goals

When you set goals, ensure they are doable. Do you have all the tools required to achieve that goal? Are there things you need to take into account before setting those goals?

Do they depend on something or someone else?

Never set unachievable goals, these demotivate you to try again after you admit you can’t achieve the first goal you set. 

Remember – Rome wasn’t built in one day!

Map out your time

When setting goals remember to map out the time to complete them. Setting the alarm earlier for a few weeks while you work on your goal. 

Know how much time you have to dedicate to reaching that goal, how long it will take you and when that time will occur.

Cut out the distractions

Use a timer or the Pomodoro technique to keep your focus on the task and cut out all distractions.

Get organised

It might be helpful to streamline your time, giving yourself the maximum chance of working on your goals each day.

Cutting out tasks each day can quickly add up to an hour gained here and there, to give you extra time to work on your goal.

For Example :

Meal planning on Sundays, sharing the school pickups, asking your partner to take holidays and take over your household chores so you work on your goal. 

Don’t forget about your goal

Set reminders on your phone to pop up each morning with your goal. There are several goal apps to help you do this. 

This app for your phone for keeping up with SMART goals

or even full-blown organiser

Here are some of the planners which I have used and are helpful in achieving your goals.

Create Planner Meera Kothand – but business goals and planning

The Ultimate Planner to Conquer your year – by Natalie MacNeil

Benefits of a mentor

You are more likely to achieve your goals if you have a mentor. Someone who holds you accountable and motivates you to continue when you feel like it’s not worth it or it has gotten too hard.

A mentor can offer support and guidance, especially if the mentor is a few steps ahead of you or has trodden that road before and knows the difficulties ahead

Maintain a calendar

A step often overlooked is not having a due date for your goal.

Keeping a diary to check your progress allows you to see in real-time how well you are doing with your goal and if you are going to achieve it on time.

I’ve found the best way to visualise your goal is to keep it on a Wipe board which you can see your goal completion date ahead.

Create a vision board in Pinterest

Use this to drive you forward each day. Visually connect with your goal and can see it clearly if you have it in pictures.

Pinterest Vision boards

If you want to create a beautiful bedroom, then print out some inspiring images and pin them all around the house so you can see them daily – and manifest that beautiful room. 

Expect to fail

Look – life gets in the way. Things happen on or in our worlds which we can neither predict or control.

That’s how life is.

Fortunately, you can re-adjust your goals at any time, but don’t use this as an excuse to slow down, take your foot off the gas or lose focus.

Just be aware that sometimes life is more significant than we are. 

We also need a why? – why do you want to achieve this goal?

Let’s look at why you want this goal?

1. What difference will achieving this goal make in your life or work, family? 
2. How will you benefit from achieving this goal?
3. Why is this goal so important to you now and not before?
4. What will your future look like if you achieve this goal?
5. How will achieving this goal make you feel?
6. Visualise where this will take you and what your future will be

How do you achieve goals successfully?

Create a plan to achieve your goal. 

By now, you must know that there is more to setting goals than just writing them in your or dreaming of them in the mornings. 

So let’s start with the basics of goal setting.

Let’s make a list

Once you have decided on your SMART goal and the reason you must achieve it – we now need to break that goal down into tiny steps. 

Each goal must have a road map to achieve it. The best method for this is to create a list for your goal. 

For each goal to become a reality there must be a number of smaller steps happen before it can move forward.

Write these steps down – and tick them off as you work through them.

A goal may have 4 larger parts and 10 smaller steps in each part. So now you have a list of 40 things to do.

Break down each goal into simple steps – not so big you will not tackle it or make an excuse, but big enough action to make a difference. 

Buy a goal planner

There are many helpful planners my list of wishes just gets bigger each year, but now there are planners specifically for goals you would like to achieve. Here are the best goal planners. 

Reward yourself for achieving that goal

What will you grant yourself as a reward for achieving this goal?

Rewards often motivate people, they feel a sense of achievement and accomplishment at the finish line, and that reward tastes real.

Write down what you will reward yourself with when you achieve your goal. You can even have a picture of it on your vision board.

For example – I will reward myself with a new dress if I lose 4lbs by the end of August for a family wedding. 

What if you find it hard to set goals?

Doing everything above might not be good enough – it may be that you don’t want it enough, or you slip on your small tasks, and suddenly it feels more comforting just to let that goal go and try again later when the time is right. 

Incorrect. 

You will never achieve anything or any goals if you don’t commit. 

In this book, Atomic habits – habits are formed using connected triggers. So let’s say you want to get fit. Then set a trigger of making your bed and each time you make your bed, you do 50 push-ups.

You are still moving towards your goal, but the trigger helps you take action. 

Further help on achieving your goals

There are now lots of fantastic books to read on achieving your goals. I’m currently reading this one, which is about how to increase productivity to help you achieve your goals. 

Here is a recap of the books I recommend for ensuring that this year – your Goals are your priority, not your excuse.

Final thoughts on How to Set Goals and How to achieve them. Here is a recap of how we can maximise our chances of setting SMART goals and achieving them. 

• Why are goals so important
• What is a SMART goal
• Why you should set SMART goals
• Write your goals down
• Believe you can achieve your goal
• Tell people
• Only make one goal at a time
• Don’t set unrealistic goals
• Map out your time
• Cut out distractions
• Get organised
• Employ a mentor
• Use a calendar 
• Expect the unexpected
• Know your why
• Create a list

If you enjoyed this post – please pin it to your Favourite Pinterest board.

You can find more help on opening an Etsy shop:

Why lots of us don’t do well on Etsy

How to collect emails on Etsy

Getting started on Etsy

What are goals and how do we achieve them?