Goal Setting: I got it all wrong

The biggest mistake I made with goal setting was thinking "What goals do I want"

When setting goals I made the common mistake of writing my goals. I would start listing down all the goals I wanted in my diary. Amazing goals that made me feel like I was killing it in life.

The idea of goals is easy! Goals aren't.

“What do I find worth working towards?" is a better question to ask

Goals come at a cost. One has to put in the effort to achieve them. Otherwise the goal isn't one we truly want to achieve.

If learning a language is your goal, then you need to consider the time and effort you have to invest. If you dread the process of learning because it's difficult, you DO NOT enjoy your goal; you will not succeed. All you have done is write a goal, then hate it.

If you're aware of the sacrifices of your goal and are willing to deal with them, you stand a greater chance.

How do I do that?

#1. Have limited goals

The greater the count of goals, higher the chance of missing them all.

Instead,

• Eliminate all goals that don't matter

• Focus on one goal at a time

• Select goals that matter right now

#2. Goal Stacking

New goals require new behaviour.

Pairing a goal with something that's a part of your routine helps. For example:

• Writing after your morning coffee

• Stretching after work

• Listening to an audiobook before sleeping

#3. Aligning your environment

Success of tasks depend on the environment. The better your environment, the higher the chances of success.

• Meditate early in the morning / end of day when people are asleep

• Use some lo-fi music and coffee to aid your writing and make it enjoyable

Not all failures are due to lack of discipline or fault of the individual. This was a misconception I had . With these changes, I did much better (and so can you).

James Clear is an inspiration to me with regards to habit formation. Would personally recommend the book ‘Atomic Habits’ if you’re interested further.