Setting a goal is important, but the proper way of goal setting can be the game-changer.
Today I will be sharing with you a powerful tool and a step-by-step process of how you can set your goal properly, and how you can track your goal so that you can get to know whether you are getting closure to your goal or you just going away from it.
This is the tool we all have access to every single day and yet most people never use it. It’s something that can guide your entire day, an entire week, the entire month, and even your entire year.
But we all ignore it even we all forget it. And yes, it is your calendar. It is setting a goal on the calendar; it is setting your monthly goals.
In this post, I will be telling you all about setting monthly goals. So be with me for a while.
The things I am gonna covering here:
- Why you should set monthly goals?
- How can you set your monthly goals?
- Some examples, How I set my monthly goals
- How can you Track your Goals?
- Why should you Keep one goal for a month?
- What will you do if you have a big goal?
- How to Break Down Big Goals?
- What are some ideas for goals?
- Final Words
So, let’s first know…
Why you should set monthly goals?
We all get 12 months in each year; I call it 12 gifts to grow in a year.
But, you know, most people don’t use their 12 months that they are given each year to improve, to grow, and to live a better quality life.
They are using their calendar just to record simple tasks or to memorize holidays, but they are not using it for their goal, for their personal development, self-improvement, skill development, or something like that. As a result, it becomes a waste of their 12 gifted months, a waste of their calendar.
I also used to do the same before. But one day when I got to know about the importance of a calendar from one of my mentors, I realized how powerful tool I was missing.
On that day I took immediate action. I grab a pen and paper, set my current month’s goal, and started working on that.
At the end, when I reviewed the month, I noticed that I couldn’t achieve all of those goals I listed for that current month.
But, I also want to let you know that although I couldn’t achieve all of them, but I achieved 20% from the list. And it was a big achievement for me, because, 20% achievement is far better than no achievement.
I didn’t focus on how many goals I couldn’t achieve; rather I focused on how many goals I achieved. It’s like seeing a glass as half full instead of half empty.
I felt so happy and excited for my little achievement that I celebrated.
More importantly, I want to let you know that in addition to 20% achievement, I have got control over that month. I found myself improving which didn’t happen before.
In the previous when I didn’t know about setting monthly goals, it seemed like the months were running so fast that I didn’t have any control over it, instead, months were controlling me.
But now I can say confidently that I have total control over my 12 months.
Monthly goals even changed the way I see a calendar. Before I used to see a calendar as a list of the days, weeks, and months of a particular year that is marking the beginning and end of a year.
But now I see it as a challenge, as a tool of my personal growth.
If you can learn how to control your month, you will be able to control your year. The quality of living my life is improving amazingly through monthly goals. I believe it can also improve yours if you start applying it. So let’s know.
How you can set your monthly goals?
To set monthly goals I am going to share with you my technique which is very simple and very effective as well.
To start, I will ask you to take a pen and paper. Draw a calendar of the current month or upcoming month as shown in the picture below. Or you can just print it out whatever is convenient for you.
Now whatever your goal might be, you simply write down your goal statement near the calendar.
Here is Example, How I set my monthly goals
For Goal statement:
- In the first point, write down your outcome in the present tense. What “end-results” you want to achieve write it down on the paper.
- Then in the second point, write down the reason why you want to achieve that goal.
- In the third point, write down what action you require to take on a daily basis in order to achieve that goal.
Your one-month goal setting is done.
How can you Track your Goals?
After setting the goal you need to take action. Actions produce results and no action produces no results.
You can track your goal based on the action you take. And you can measure the progress based on how often you take action.
Now how can you track your goal? Well, to track your goal, all you have to do is after completing every task (daily step) toward the goal, start crossing off the dates. You can also use checkmarks or fill your calendar dates with dots.
No matter what design you choose, the key point is your calendar tracker provides immediate evidence that you completed your daily steps toward your goal. It’s a signal or a record that you are making progress.
If you skip a day then don’t mark on that date. It’s ok to skip a day, don’t feel upset. Forgive yourself and start it again in the next day.
Those checkmarks will show you how many days you accomplish your tasks and how many days you didn’t. It will help you to track whether you are going toward your goals or just getting away from your goal.
Benefits of Tracking:
- It gives you immediate satisfaction
- It records your progress at the moment.
- It reminds you to act
- It motivates you to continue
Why should you keep one goal for a month?
It will be better if you focus on one goal for a month. Make sure that you do not keep more than three goals in a month. Because, too many goals can distract you, and as a result, it may slow down your progress.
If you keep one goal at a time you will see yourself growing faster, because you are giving all your energy and focus to one particular area.
What will you do if you have a big goal?
If you have a big goal then break it down into small chunks. Breaking down Your Goals into actionable steps will make it easy for you to achieve your goal.
If the goal doesn’t finish in one month, then after giving one-month full focus and taking action, continue it in the second month too.
In the second month, you can take another new goal besides that previous goal as your previous goal already becomes your habit. And the new goal will be a fresh start.
In this way, you can adopt a new goal every month.
How to Break Down Big Goals?
Do you have a big goal? That’s excellent! Break it down into small goals. To break the goal you can ask yourself the following questions:
If you have 10 years goal then ask yourself what action you have to take every year to achieve your 10 years goal? By asking this question you will get your yearly goals.
To break yearly goals, ask yourself what action you need to take every month to achieve your one-year goal? You will get your monthly goals.
To break the monthly goal, ask yourself what action you need to take every week to achieve your one-month goal? Now you will have your weekly goals.
And to break the weekly goal you can ask yourself what you need to do every day to achieve that goal within a week? By asking that question you will get your daily goals.
The more you break your goal into smaller parts the easier it will be for you to take action.
What are some ideas for goals?
Here I have shared some monthly goal ideas. These are just for example purposes.
- January Goal Idea
- Make a habit of writing gratitude in the morning for 30 days.
- February Goal Ideas
- Breathing exercise in the morning.
- Make a habit of sleeping and waking up at the same time every day.
- March Goal Ideas
- Meditate
- To become more healthy and vibrant, work out thrice a week
- April Goal Idea
- To improve communication skill, practice to be a good Listener in this month
- May Goal Idea
- Learn a new skill this month.
- June Goal Ideas
- To improve the relationship, read a book that betters your relationship.
- Make your bed every morning.
- July Goal Idea
- To become financially free, learn investing, and start a little bit of investment.
- August Goal Idea
- To nourish your mind, read one positive mindset book.
- September Goal Ideas
- Go on a vacation for a mental break.
- Write a journal for 30 days
- October Goal Idea
- Eat your food mindfully and chew your food 21 times. Eating mindfully and chewing your food 21 times will help you improve your concentration and digestive system.
- November Goal Idea
- To feel peaceful clean your room and keep it organized.
- December Goal Ideas
- Write encouraging notes to 3 friends.
- Feed 3 hungry people
Final Words
Every month you must have a goal. Every 30 days you must have a personal challenge to make yourself a better human.
If you follow the above process, nothing can stop you getting huge progress in whatever area you choose to grow.
This process changes my life. And definitely, it can change yours too if you apply it.
Then why are you waiting for? Go and get a pen and paper. Write down what are your goals for the month? And start applying it from today.
Don’t wait for tomorrow.
Enjoy your growth. Share your results in the comment box below. Thank you for being here for a while!