How to Simplify Your Goals and Reach Them Faster

Inside: Learn how to simplify your goals so you can be organized and focused with what you want to accomplish in the new year (or anytime).

Happy New Year!  Here we are at the convergence of an end and a beginning. It can feel exciting and daunting all at the same time which is why this is a great time to simplify your goals and organize your aspirations and ideas for the upcoming year or a new season.

You have all these thoughts, ideas, and dreams swirling through your mind. There are things you want to improve or explore. Even things you want to change. With all these thoughts going on upstairs its hard to discern what to prioritize or what even to do first. But there is a way to declutter your brain and get focused so you feel accomplished, not overwhelmed. By simplifying your goals you become aware of what steps to take in reaching them.

No matter if you want to lose ten pounds, change careers or plan a birthday trip for your husband, we all have goals (big and small) and results we want to achieve.

For example, with this blog my goals are ever-changing and I have many long term and short term goals for how to manage and grow this website. I’ve learned when I simplify goals and break them down I don’t feel nearly so overwhelmed.

How to Simplify and Organize Your Goals for the New Year

Brainstorm / Brain Dump

Start to simplify your thoughts with a good old fashioned brainstorming session. This can be done on scratch paper or in a journal with fresh, crisp pages. Writing your thoughts down is incredibly helpful in decluttering your headspace and laying down a start point to clarification. Do this type of writing anytime you feel overwhelmed with what you want to accomplish or need to settle down your thinking and find some clarity. This can done on a regular basis as your goals and efforts evolve.

Review the past year / Reflection

To look forward sometimes we need to look back. Reflecting on what you did right, wrong or somewhere in-between is an indicator to simplify your goals and moving forward. This review filters out what truly worked and what didn’t in the past year. A reflection is also helpful for quieting the mind and truly connecting with your needs and wants.

Acknowledge what works and what doesn’t

Acknowledging what has worked and what hasn’t in the past helps simplify goals because you identify your strengths and weaknesses. Use this data to be clear about steps to take for progress. Knowing what doesn’t work for your personality helps simplify goals so you won’t flounder and get distracted with other methods.

For example, with my fitness goals I realized I need easy access to exercise with a group and a teacher so I take classes online and at the gym (vs. doing personal workouts). For my business goals, I realized I can’t do it all on my own. I need direction and accountability so I found support in those areas.

Set SMART goals

We’ve all heard of SMART goals yet I still sometimes forget exactly what the acronym stands for.

What are SMART goals?

• S – Specific (exactly what it is you are trying to accomplish)
• M – Measurable (actual amounts, i.e, how much weight to lose, how many resumes to send)
• A – Achievable (stretch your abilities but something reasonable
• R – Relevant (does this truly pertain to me, is this the right time, can this actually be accomplished)
• T – Timely (set a deadline)

I used to think the SMART strategy complicated goals but realize it does simplify them. By taking the time to create SMART goals instead of generic ones, you create more concrete, attainable outcomes. Write out your SMART goals in your planner or journal. Keep these in the forefront and remind yourself of them daily.

Break down goals / Aim for small wins

Simplify goals by making them small. Acknowledge your quick wins and go for the low-hanging fruit. One way to do this is to start big with all your ideas. Then work back from the big goal and what must be done step-by-step to achieve it which creates a roadmap. Even the smallest details (i.e., making a phone call or sending an email) can be a quick win.

Review your habits

Habits are routine actions that we typically do on auto-pilot. If you have a “bad” habit that is limiting your ability to reach a goal, try to alter it or replace it with a a good habit. For example, you want to get more sleep but you go to bed too late. You go to bed too late because you scroll social media every night in bed (I’m too familiar with this scenario!).

Replace the media scroll with a book or magazine or put a timer on it for only 10 minutes. Small habit formation can create a snowball effect to reading the ultimate goal. An excellent resource for habit formation is “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. Highly recommended!

Create space and time to reflect

This isn’t a crock-pot, you can’t just set it and forget it! LOL. To simplify goals you must remind yourself of them on a regular basis. Use your goal planner or a journal for a weekly, if not daily, check-in to keep your goals in the forefront or regular life will take over and drown out bigger aspirations. Do this with a daily review, meditation or even during a workout.

Establish a word of the year

Simplify goals by attributing them to one distinct word. Have this word on repeat: in your journal, posted to your fridge, as a wallpaper on your phone or computer. A fun side effect to this is once you have a word in mind you will likely start “seeing” it in different ways among daily life.

Write goals down — repeatedly

Keep writing goals down, especially as they evolve, and note successes and quick wins! Studies show that productivity greatly increases with writing things down. This simple step can make such a difference in reaching goals.

Utilize resources that help

Visit the local library, look up blogs, websites, speakers, books on your goal topic. Want to change jobs? Improve your marriage/ relationship? Travel more? Lose weight? There are tons of books on these topics. A library catalog or Amazon search will give you many book choices. Google will help you find bloggers, magazines and speakers. Only follow accounts on Instagram that serve your goals well.

Reward yourself

Yes, give yourself a pat-on-the-back reward. Kids respond well to this type of motivation why shouldn’t adults? When my daughter completes a week of reading club homework she gets a pencil and eraser from her teacher and she loves this. We can simplify our goals by acknowledging we actually reached them! Small wins count too. Completed a week’s worth of meal prepping? You’ve earned a small treat. Finished a chapter of your book? Cheers with a glass of wine. Cleaned out one section of your garage? Enjoy a nap.

Journal Prompts to Help Simplify Goals

1. What made me happy this past year? 
2. What am I grateful for from this past year?
3. Who encouraged me and supported me this past year?
4. Rate on a scale of 1-10 (1 being the worst, 10 being the best) these areas of my life: health, friendships, family, finances, spiritual life, career, recreation, spouse or partner.  From this list circle the top three areas with lowest scores (Get the Life Balance Worksheet here for a visual exercise).
5. If given a totally free day of responsibility, what would I do just for me?
6. Brainstorm words that inspire me.  Write down as many that cross my mind.  Circle the ones that speak to me the most and narrow down to one Word of the Year.
7. Make a list of books, magazines, blogs that I inspire me. 
8. Based on previous prompts, list at least three ways I can incorporate joy in the new year.
9. Based on previous prompts, list at least three goals. 
10. List three actionable steps I can take TODAY.

Journal (or Conversation) Prompts for Kids for Simplifying Goals

Kids can do this too! It’s a great habit to start with children so they develop the skills to reflect and check in with themselves. Have your kiddos write answers on their own or dictate to you their thoughts.

1. What was your favorite activity from last year?
2. What made you laugh super hard this past year?
3. What was one of the hardest things you had to do last year?
4. Who did you enjoy spending time with this past year?
5. Who would you like to see more of in the coming year?
6. What is something new you would like to learn or become better at this year?
7. What is your biggest memory from this past year?
8. What books did you enjoy this past year?
9. What was your favorite holiday or special occasion last year?
10. What do you hope the new year will be like?

Reflection questions for kids can be done anywhere: around the dinner table, during a family car ride, or during a bedside chat (I did it with my kiddos while they were having an afternoon snack).  Any chance to get the kids share their deeper thoughts is so insightful.

Making It Happen

As you head into this next year I wish you much clarity and productivity as you take on new projects and goals. By simplifying goals my hope is you will find clarity and ways to create your roadmap so accomplishments will follow.