Have you ever set goals, but you don’t feel excited or motivated to take action? If you had this experience before, then it means that the goals you set are not compelling and exciting enough.
One of the most important keys to achieving your goals is to set goals that are motivating and exciting.
You want to wake up each morning feeling driven and are ready to work on your goals, not waking up feeling dreaded that you need to work on your goals.
So, if your goals are not inspiring and motivating enough, here are 10 tips to help. Use these suggestions and make your goals exciting and compelling…
1. Your goals must be yours
First, make sure the goals you set are yours, not others. Some people set goals because of others. They are influenced by their boss, colleagues, parents, and teachers, hence, they set goals that are not what they really want.
As a result, they find it difficult to get motivated to work on their goals. It is not a target that they want after all.
Think about it, do you set the sales goal because your boss wants you to, or it is something that you really want? What about your financial goals? Is it because you really want it or is it because you think that it is what you are supposed to have?
Remember, set a goal that’s truly yours. Don’t set a goal because of someone or something.
2. Your purpose for your goals must be strong
We all do things for a reason. Even your decision to read this article has a purpose. Why are you reading this right now? Well, because you want to know how to make your goals exciting and compelling.
The same goes for everything we do in life. We do it for a reason. And when you set a goal, you need to make sure the purpose behind the goal is strong.
Without a strong reason, you will never feel the need to work on that goal.
Think about why most people want to be a millionaire but fail to achieve it. The reason is simple – their purpose of becoming a millionaire isn’t strong enough.
Most people prefer to enjoy and have fun rather than working on their goals. They prefer to watch Netflix and play mobile games than to execute on their plan. And they wonder why they fail at their goals.
When your purpose is strong and emotional, you will become more committed. And when you’re committed, you will do whatever it takes to achieve your goals.
Read: Why Clarity of Purpose is Important to Success and How to Get It
3. Your goals must challenge you
Have you ever play games or sports with someone who is well below your skill? Is the game fun? No, right?
How about playing games or sports with national players where their skills are way above yours? Again, there is no fun in these games because the skill difference is huge.
But when you play a game with someone who is equally good as you, the game will be fun.
I play badminton every Tuesday. When the opponent is about my level, we have a lot of fun. But when the opponent is rookie or is too skillful, the game becomes boring.
Thus, you must make your goals difficult enough, and at the same time, not overly difficult to achieve.
You must follow the Goldilock’s Rule. Make your goals challenging so that they will drive you. In other words, your goals must not be too easy or too difficult to achieve.
4. Your goals must align with your values
Do you know your inner values? What do you seek for in life? Do you seek security or do you seek adventure?
If you are someone who values security more than anything else, and you set a goal to venture into business where you need to take a lot of risks, do you think this is going to work out?
Well, probably. But I can assure you that you will go through a lot of stress. And most likely, you’re going to give up because your goal is in conflict with your inner value.
Therefore, you have to understand your values and your goals. Make sure your goals are in alignment with your values.
When you do, achieving your goals become something fun and easy to do.
5. Your goals must impact others and helpful
Have you read the book, Give and Take by Adam Grant? If you don’t, get a copy and read it now. There is a section in the book where professor Grant mentioned creating impact on other people’s lives.
He said that when someone is working for a greater cause like helping or serving others, they are more inspired and motivated to do the work.
How can your goals impact others and contribute to the world? Link your goals with a contribution.
When you set out to help others, impact lives, and make the world a better place, don’t you think that this is something more meaningful to pursue? Don’t you feel more inspired to do it?
6. You must measure and track your goals
Yes, you must measure and track your goals. When was the last time you measure your progress?
If you want to make your goals compelling, you must measure them. Goal setting is not a one-time process where you just write down your goals for once. It is a continuous process where you have to track and measure your results.
The key is that when you track your progress, you make things more interesting. Not only that, you are making your goals more “real” and tangible.
You bring your ideas into reality by putting real effort and measuring the progress. Plus, you can improve your results when you measure.
The point is that you are bringing your goals closer to you when you track them.
Read: How to Track Your Goals: The 5 Fabulous Ways You Should Consider
7. You must create an action plan for your goals
If you want to make your goal exciting and motivating, you can’t just dream or think about it, you must create an action plan for it.
When you make plans for your goals, you are more involved with them. You will become more committed because you are making your thoughts into things.
This is why you don’t want to just write down your goals, you must also create a strategic plan to achieve them.
Read this article below and learn how to turn your goals into actionable plans:
How to Turn Your Goals into Actionable Plans
8. You must involve others
I bet you have heard about getting an accountability partner for your goals, right? There is less fun when you have to do everything by yourself. And things can become so much better when there are others to help you and do it together.
This is why it is easier to succeed in a team than when you’re alone. When you work in a group, there are others to support you and help you. Others can share your wins and losses, ups and downs, sadness and laughter.
When others get involved, you become more committed. Your goals become more exciting because you are trying to achieve them together, not just by yourself.
9. You must maintain your momentum
To keep your motivation going, you must also maintain your momentum. Meaning, you have to be in action all the time. You can’t stop because when you do, your momentum will fade.
If you want to have a fit body, you must exercise in the gym. Are you going to hit the gym 5 hours today and then take a 2 weeks rest? Or are you going to exercise for 30 minutes 3 times a week for 2 months?
If you choose the first option, after the first session, you will lose your motivation and momentum. But for the second option, whereby you workout in the gym at a more regular interval, you are maintaining your momentum.
This is how you get to sustain your motivation. Success is a marathon, not a sprint. Hence, make sure you keep your pace and have a sustainable action plan to support your goals.
You can keep your momentum going through constant learning, just follow my method from Goal Setting Formula.
10. Your goals must be realistic to you
Should you set a realistic goal or an unrealistic one? I have explained my point of view in this article:
Setting Realistic VS Unrealistic Goals: What You Need to Know
The answer is pretty subjective because it depends on your capability and resources available. Tell someone who is broke to make a million dollars in a year may seem like an impossible task, but the same goal will be an easy task to a billionaire.
Thus, to make your goals motivating and exciting, they must be realistic… to you.
You don’t want to set a goal that is totally out of your league because that will de-motivate you. When you don’t believe in your goal, you will never play it full out.
And we don’t want that to happen. This is why your goals must be realistic for you. When a goal is unrealistic, you will do it with a half-hearted attempt.
Conclusion
Now that you understand how to make your goals motivating and exciting. Follow these 10 tips mentioned above.
Do you still lack motivation for your goals?
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