You don’t need to wait to set new year’s resolutions to start on a new goal. And it’s ok if you choose an easy goal.
After all, easy goals can lay the groundwork for the more challenging ones.
And, not all goals need to take months or years to accomplish. Some can be done in a matter of days.
And those easy goals can quickly help you gain momentum towards something more significant.
Easy goals don’t always start out easy
In August last year, I set myself a goal of drinking one litre of water daily.
Sounds pretty easy, right? Wrong.
You may be wondering why I set such a small amount as my goal considering most recommend drinking at least two litres of water per day.
I have struggled for most of my life to drink enough fluids. In my teens and into my 20s, I would often go the whole day on about half a litre of water, which is certainly not enough. And it might explain why when I hit 25, I learned I could no longer eat what I wanted without it affecting my weight.
So back to last August, I decided to start setting some monthly goals for myself.
One of which was to drink more water.
Now, drinking more water isn’t a good choice for a goal, it needs to be specific (the S is for specific goals). So I decided that one litre of water (the M for measurable goals) seemed a stretch yet still achievable, given my track record. Those two components take care of the first two parts that make up smart goals. And this was one litre of water on top of anything else I had to drink, like coffee, tea, juice or even a cheeky Vodka Cruiser!
I’d love to be able to sit here and say I effortlessly hit my one-litre goal every day from the day I set it.
But that’s not the way it happened. It took me four to five months to start hitting that goal. If I messed up, it would take a few days for me to get back on track. And at most, I’d get about a week of one litre a day and then just stop.
But since January, I have been pretty consistent with only one or two days per month where I don’t hit my mark. All it took was a little preparation on my part and a willingness to keep going.
Having a glass of water upon waking and carrying a one-litre water bottle has been a great way to give me a good starting point.
And I’m sharing this goal with you to remind you that it’s ok to mess up. And it’s even ok to change your goals if they aren’t working for you.
Easy goals help you build momentum
And now that I know I can set achievable goals, it’s time to add another into the mix and build from here.
Plus, knowing that I have one goal down pat, I know I can do the next thing I set my mind to. Having mastered my initial goal, I feel like any subsequent one seems equally effortless.
Completing set goals serves as a catalyst for momentum building, especially when integrated into a well-defined action plan, propelling you toward larger achievements.
Easy goals can turn into habits
My goal of drinking one litre of water a day started because I wanted to get into the new habit of drinking more water.
And starting with smaller goals like this can help build a habit out of absolutely nothing.
Now that you’ve built up some momentum, it just keeps growing.
You can easily add another habit or goal knowing that I’ve succeeded with the first one.
Easy goals teach you patience
Being patient while trying to achieve your personal goals can be tough.
But patience and persistence will pay off in the long run.
Being patient to complete a straightforward goal will be rewarding when you struggle to achieve your big goals.
Easy goals teach you what you want
It takes a bit of practice to choose goals that suit your needs. And sometimes you’ll find that the timing isn’t right or a goal is no longer a good fit for your stage of life.
You might think you want to walk 10,000 steps per day. But if you work from home and don’t need to walk far to the fridge or bathroom, it might not be realistic. So walking 10,000 steps might not be a good goal for you.
Just like my drink one litre of water example, you might decide that you want to drink two litres of water per day. But you also drink four cups of coffee throughout the day and have a wine or two with dinner. You will be going to the bathroom as often as a pregnant woman!
Some mini goals you could start working towards or complete today:
- Drink one litre of water per day
- Update your LinkedIn profile
- Clean out your inbox by filing, deleting and unsubscribing
- Go to the dentist/optometrist/doctor
- Exercise twice a week
- Take a multivitamin every day
- Apply for a college degree program
- Read a set number of books per year
- 10,000 daily steps
- Leave your phone in another room while you sleep
- Limit your screen time
- Change a bad habit
- Get out of bed the first time your alarm goes off
- Set yourself a bedtime
- Save a set amount of money over a year
- Do 10 minutes of tidying each night
- Sign up for an online course to learn new skills
- Write out a to-do list each day
- Create an ultimate goal master list
Your hard work in doing a little bit to work towards a bigger goal like a long term goal or simply improving your professional life.
Goals can be achieved when you take steps each day to reach them. Bigger goals might need to be broken down into smaller steps, which can help prevent you from getting overwhelmed. You can accomplish small goals in no time. You don’t need to wait until next year to start working towards something.
In your journey of goal setting, recognizing the significance of easy goals is the first step. They serve as pivotal starting points, laying the groundwork for the best ways to achieve personal growth and more ambitious goals. Reflecting on achievements is an important step in cultivating patience, adaptability, and understanding your individual needs. Easy goals foster momentum, teach patience, and clarify priorities, guiding you toward sustainable habits and shaping your future self. Embrace the power of incremental progress, because every small accomplishment contributes to a larger journey of personal development. Remember, there’s no need to wait for a particular time to embark on the path of change—the time to start is now.
