I’ll bet you have a dream. A goal. An idea that you occasionally break out at parties when you’re mojito-happy. Maybe it’s something like:
“Yeah, I’m starting this new business…”
“I have a really great idea for a novel…”
“You know, someday I’m going to create that theme bar that I’ve been dreaming about”
And then you don’t ever take action on the thing, because it’s just TOO BIG. It’s overwhelming. Where would you even start?
If this is too real for you, then it’s time for a new strategy
Climbing to the top of Mount Everest is no small feat. And yet, over 4000 people have climbed to the peak of the tallest mountain in the world. The key to successfully scaling the world’s tallest mountain and to making your dream a reality is the same: break it down into easy-to-achieve actions.
Here are five tips to help you conquer your own personal mountain, whether it’s becoming the artistic director of a mid-sized theatre company, or writing a non-fiction book about the history of shoes.
(You can do it! I believe in you!)
Tip #1: Make sure your goal is SUUUUUPER SPECIFIC
After four years of working with people on their goals, and working on my own, I can tell you—the more specific a goal, the more likely you will achieve it. Unspecific goals lead to unspecific (and unsatisfying) results.
Not only that, but reaching a goal is much more fulfilling when you can see how your actions led to the outcome of achieving that goal.
Gaining a result through luck can be fun and exciting; gaining a result through your own actions is both more likely and more empowering. (And empowerment through actions leading to results leads to more confidence and better self esteem)
To make your goals specific, they should be SMART.
SMART stands for:
Specific
Measureable
Achievable
Relevant
Time-Bound
I’m not going to go too in depth about this here, since there are so many great articles out there about this concept.
Click on these if you’d like a more detailed breakdown:
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/smart-goals.htm https://www.atlassian.com/blog/productivity/how-to-write-smart-goals
Here’s just a small example of how to make a goal more SMART:
I want to climb a mountain. (Not specific enough)
I want to climb the world’s tallest mountain, Mount Everest. (Better…more specific)
I want to climb to the top of the world’s tallest mountain, Mount Everest. (Better…now it is measurable)
I want to climb to the top of the world’s tallest mountain, Mount Everest, next April. (Time-bound! Getting there!)
I want to climb to the top of the world’s tallest mountain, Mount Everest, next April, by training for the next year, because it is something I want to do before I die, and I now have the funds to do it. (Pretty sure this hits every point)
Now that I know WHEN, WHERE, HOW, and WHY, I can break down the steps to getting there.
Create your personal map to get where you’re going.
Tip #2: Figure out the big checkpoints
Once you know what your goal is and when you want to achieve it by, plan backwards.
If the goal is something like “become a nurse,” the timeline could look something like this:
By one month from now, I will have researched online what nursing programs are available within a half hour of my location.
By three months from now, I will have chosen which programs to apply to, and have figured out what the application requirements will be for each.
By six months from now, I will have applied to the programs of my choosing.
By nine months from now, I will have applied for financial assistance, grants, and scholarships to help fund my education.
By one year, I will begin nursing school.
By two years from now, I will be 2/3 of the way done with my schooling, and will have explored specialties.
By three years from now, I will find a job in my specialty.
(This step will differ for everyone. I’m just trying to give you an idea of how to start breaking it down to stay on track.)
The more SMARTly each step is written out, the easier it will be to see the path you will need to walk to get there.
Tip #3: Fill in the blanks
The next part is to fill in what will get you from point A to point B on your checkpoint timeline. Sometimes the checkpoints you set will only take one big action to get there. It’s like you were hiking in the desert and hitchhiked for a few miles with a hippy dude in a pickup truck. But more often, getting through these stretches will require slow, steady, and consistent action.
The temptation will be to stop and just sit on the side of the road hoping that another truck will mosey along, but the way to be SURE you will get to your destination by the date you’ve chosen is to keep putting one foot in front of the other, steadily, every day.
If you’re training for a triathlon, that’s going to mean running, swimming, and biking consistently. If you’re prepping for your VO demo, it will mean practicing copy every day in between your coaching sessions.
Good habits are only formed by repeating action over time, and though it’s possible to get lucky, more often great results from consistently doing the work, rather than just doing the work when we feel like it. Want to be a brilliant guitar player a year from now? You’ll be more likely to get there practicing fifteen minutes every day than an hour once a week.
Tip #4: Go back over your plan, and make sure every single step along the way is in SMART goal format.
It might sound silly, but people are more likely to do a thing, like working out, when they say “I’m going to work out for a half hour after work on M/W/F” rather than “I’m going to work out three times this week.”
Humans are programmed to do what is easiest. If you're still struggling to reach your checkpoints, and you've skipped this step, you might be underestimating the importance of specificity.
Feeling a little lost?
Tip #5: If you get stuck along the way, get yourself a guide
Everyone gets stuck. Sometimes it can feel like you’re doing everything right, and nothing is happening. Or perhaps it feels like the trail just disappeared, and you can’t see how to move forward.
At these times, it’s best to talk through it with someone who’s been there before. You’re probably just a few feet off the route you need to be on. Talking to someone who has walked the path before will either reassure you that you’re still on the right path, or assist you in making adjustments. You don’t have to go it alone!
See how much more realistic a goal seems once you flesh it out? Even if it still seems big, having a date, a location, a how and a why make it much more alive, and can help you get truly pumped about going after it. Learn to speak in specifics, and you can shape your dreams, rather than waiting in vain for them to materialize.
Now get out there, and climb your mountain!
