If you want to succeed at anything in life, you need to know how to achieve your goals.

Goals give us a sense of direction and focus. Without them, we would be wandering aimlessly. If you don't have a clear understanding of where you want to go, then how do you expect to ever get there?

We all want to achieve something great in our lives, yet many of us don't know what it takes in order to reach our desired outcome. The trick is knowing how to move from wanting something to actually following through and making it happen. 

Setting goals is a good start, but it's not enough. If you don't have a plan in place for execution, you will fail.

When you look at the statistics for failure to achieve goals, the numbers are shocking. According to research by the University of Scranton, 92 percent of people that set New Year's goals never actually achieve them. Failure to achieve your goals can leave you feeling disappointed and depressed. The result? People give up.

If you want to be one of the 8% who succeeds, you need to know how to achieve your goals. Don't expect to say, “This is what I want” and have it magically come true. If you are serious about goal-setting, you need to understand that it is a process that takes time, commitment, hard work, and patience.

In the words of Brad Burden, “Winners must have two things; definite goals and a burning desire to achieve them.” Are you ready to learn what it takes to be a winner and achieve your goals? 

Watch the video below:

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How will you achieve your goals?

Before you can even think about setting or achieving your goals, you need to understand the difference between results-oriented and process-oriented goals.

Results-oriented goals are focused towards a specific result. Ultimately, a result is what you are striving for. However, if you only concern yourself with the final outcome, you are making a big mistake. Don't forget about the process that it takes in order to achieve your goals.

Process-oriented goals are small milestones that remind you that you are going in the right direction. Think of process-based goals as habits. Once you have mastered habits, then you can turn your focus towards the results that those habits are supposed to create.

I am a firm believer that, if you want to achieve your goals, you need to focus on and enjoy the process. This is my goal-setting strategy for success. In the words of Eric Thomas, “Fall in love with the process and the results will come.”

Let's explore 10 tips that will help you achieve your goals. 

1. Make A Commitment

If you want to achieve your goals, you need to first make a commitment to yourself. Look at the current state of your life and ask yourself, “What is the consequence of NOT achieving my goals?”

If there is something that is holding you back, go inward and figure out what it is. If you are waiting for the perfect moment to commit to achieving your goals, you are going to be waiting a long time.

As William James once proclaimed, “To change one's life: Start immediately. Do it flamboyantly. No exceptions.” Are you ready to go all in?

2. Aim High, But Start Small

When it comes to setting goals, it's important to aim high. Big goals are awesome, in that they inspire us to take action. However, I see a lot of people that set big goals that are too grandiose. As a result, they never get achieved.

I'm a big believer that, when it comes to setting goals, you need to start small. Sometimes when we look at the big picture, our goals can feel unattainable, which is why we need to celebrate the small milestones that we make on a daily basis.

This idea is supported by Harvard researcher Teresa Amabile who points out that the single most powerful workplace motivator is small, daily progress which has the power to ignite joy and engagement in people.

I probably have over 50 plus goals. The reason why I never get overwhelmed with the number of goals that I have is that I don't focus on all of my goals at once. I hone in on 1-2 projects at a time, and then as I grow, I celebrate my wins and slowly start taking on more goals. 

3. Determine Your Level of Desire and Belief 

Whenever you set a goal, your intention is always to change something. In order to achieve your goals, you need to have a deep-seeded desire to change throughout the entire goal-setting process. 

When you set a goal, ask yourself, “On a scale from 1-10, what is my level of desire to achieve this goal?” If your desire is a 2, then obviously you won't have the momentum that you need in order to achieve your goals. You want your desire to be in the range of 7-10.

Here's the kicker. Desire isn't enough. You also need to possess an unwavering belief in your ability to achieve your goals, which is why you also need to ask yourself, “On a scale from 1-10, what is my level of belief that I can achieve this goal?”

If you have a desire to make $10 million dollars this year, but your belief is at a 1, you are setting yourself up for failure. This is where a lot of people get stuck. They set goals, but because their desire and/or belief is not in alignment with the goal that they want to achieve, they fail.

The result? They drop into avoidance mode and forget about their goals altogether.

When you find the sweet spot, where your desire and your belief are in full alignment with your goals, you are setting yourself up for success. This goal-setting formula is what has allowed me to achieve my goals and take my life to the next level. 

4. Drop Bad Habits 

Achieving your goals is not so much about mastering the art of goal-setting, as it is about dropping the bad habits that are holding you back from success.

Our brains are hard-wired to prefer routine over something new, so when we are trying to kick a bad habit there is always some resistance. The result is that it inhibits our ability to make progress. Bring yourself back to “here and now” and stop thinking too far into the future.

Take the focus away from the goal itself and how you are going to get there and learn to fall in love with the process of who you want to become.

In the words of Leo Tolstoy, “Remember then: there is only one time that is important — Now. It is the most important time because it is the only time when we have any power.”

5. Be Consistent

To be consistent means that you commit to taking action over the long-term. It means that you are willing to go all-in and fully dedicate yourself to achieving your goals. This is what a master does. They don't get distracted by shiny objects. Rather, they are hyper-focused. Nothing stands in their way of success. If they can't find a way, they make a way.

Consistency comes down to repetition. If you want to master your life, you need to commit to repeating the same habits and rituals over and over again. One of the best ways to trick your brain into helping you achieve your goals is by consistently engaging in the habit that you want to adopt.

By working towards your goal, every day, it will be easier for your brain to convert that behavior into a habit. This is why I am such a big fan of morning rituals, as they help you make progress towards your goals by conditioning your mindset for success every day.

6. Set SMART Goals

When you set goals you have to make sure that you are achieving 80-90% of them. This is a mistake that I see a lot of people make. They set goals that are so big that they end up being impossible to achieve.

You need to phrase your goals properly, and the way that you do that is by using the S.M.A.R.T. philosophy. S.M.A.R.T. is an acronym that stands for: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely.

These types of goals will provide you with the structure and guidance that you need in order to ensure that you actually achieve what it is that you set out to do. I achieve all of the goals that I set for myself because I follow this strategy.

When it comes to reaching your goals, in her book, Succeed: How We Can Reach Our Goals, Heidi Halvorson says that “Difficult but possible is the key. That’s because more difficult goals cause you to, often unconsciously, increase your effort, focus, and commitment to the goal; persist longer; and make better use of the most effective strategies.” 

7. Find an Accountability Partner 

Achieving goals takes time, hard work, discipline, and commitment. When results don't come fast enough, a lot of people give up. Yes, it can be easy to lose your motivation in the process of achieving your goals, which is why you need to find an accountability partner. 

The American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) did a study on accountability and found that you have a 65% of completing a goal if you commit to someone. Moreover, if you have a specific accountability appointment with a person you’ve committed, you will increase your chance of success by up to 95%!

When you are accountable to someone else, it gives you the momentum that you need to keep pushing forward. Find someone who will inspire you to stop talking about achieving your goals and that will actually challenge you to take action and crush them!

8. Write Your Goals Down

The act of setting goals is great, but they become real and tangible when you actually write your goals down. Doing so forces you to really think about what it is that you want. Visualize what life would be like if you achieved your goals.

What would it feel like to achieve the success that you desire? 

Setting a goal is one thing, but oftentimes life gets in the way and we don't hold ourselves accountable for following through. Can you relate? We've all been there.

Writing down your goals also forces you to take action, especially when you read them out loud to yourself every day. They provide a benchmark that allows you to check-in with your progress so that you know how much farther you need to go in order to achieve your desired outcome.

9. Celebrate Your Milestones 

Sometimes we can get so consumed with juggling our massive to-do lists that we forget to celebrate our accomplishments. Whenever you achieve a small milestone, don't forget to celebrate yourself! This will give you the motivation that you need in order to keep moving forward to keep leveling up and achieve your next big goal.

10. Don't Give Up!

The people who always succeed in achieving their goals are the ones who never give up. If you are expecting an easy, breezy ride on the road to success, keep dreaming. Anything of value requires hard work and persistence.

Your ability to overcome the challenges that you face along the way makes accomplishing your goals all that sweeter.

The fact that you have read this entire blog shows me that you are the type of person that is committed to doing whatever it takes to achieve your goals. Someone once said, “Giving up on your goal because of one setback is like slashing your other 3 tires because you got one flat.” Follow your dreams and don't ever give up.

If you want to live a life that you love, you need to achieve your goals.

The best place to start is by following the above 1o tips. Every successful person has one thing in common – they all set goals and work extremely hard to achieve them. 

If you want to be successful, you need to drop the excuses. Stop telling yourself that you don't have time to achieve your goals. It's time to make time for the things that are most important to you. 

Are you ready to crush your goals? There is no better time than today to start.

Are you ready to succeed faster and master every area of your life? CLICK HERE to join my Life Mastery Accelerator program!

Do you want to learn 3 reasons why you aren't crushing your goals? CLICK HERE to read the article I wrote on Medium!