Goals are what drive us to grow and develop as individuals.  Whether that means exploring a new passion, exercising more, or getting back into reading, goals inspire us to be better.  No matter your aspiration, all goals have one thing in common: they can’t be reached without a plan. Creating a plan is just the first step, though.  The key is to follow through with it, and that is often the hardest part of the whole process. 

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I’ve set many goals for myself, created plans, and have fallen short more times than I can count.  Most of these plans failed for the same reason: me.  I allowed my slip-ups and mistakes to get in the way of my success.  For example, I once set a goal of working out every other day.  I bought an exercise mat, found a program I would follow, and got started.  The first time I skipped working out was in favor of completing school work.  I rationalized that reason to myself pretty easily.  ‘Obviously, I can’t skip my assignments just to work out.’  That one missed day quickly turned into seven.  By the end of that week, I decided to postpone my goal until the next month. 

In speaking with others, I’ve come to realize that forfeiting goals due to early setbacks is a common occurrence.  We become so caught up in following our first plan that we forget we can create new ones along the way; failing to do so results in hindering our own success.  Merriam-Webster defines a plan as ‘a method for achieving an end.’  If the initial method doesn’t work, don’t be afraid to create a new one!  Life is dynamic, and it’s okay if our plans change.  Whenever I want to set a goal for myself, I follow these three steps:

1) Set a Timeframe

There are two main types of goals: short-term and long-term.  I consider a task that would take longer than three months to complete to be a long-term goal, and anything less to be short-term.  For example, cleaning out your voicemail is a short-term goal so I would set a one-week deadline, whereas losing 20 pounds is a long-term goal so I would recommend a 3-4 month deadline.  Giving yourself too little or too much time to accomplish your goals can hinder your overall progress, so it’s important to pick a reasonable timeframe.

2) Devise a Plan

When I create a plan, I determine which actions would have the most impact and how I can best incorporate them into my schedule.  For a goal of eating healthier, buying fresh produce is imperative.  But if you have to be out of the house at 6 AM, making breakfast and lunch each morning would interfere with this goal.  Therefore, it would wiser to make meals the night before.  This same strategy can be applied to any plan.  You just have to ask yourself: how can I make this work for me?  

3) Reflect, Review and Adjust

Reflection is a necessary part of achieving your goals because it allows for a better sense of self-understanding.  Taking the time to review your progress and asking yourself these three questions will help with adjusting your plan: what isn’t working, why isn’t it working, and how can it be improved?  If plan A doesn’t work, these questions will help you create plan B, C, D, and so on, until you find what works for you.  The linchpin of this entire process is that you don’t stop working towards your goal!

Forfeiting goals due to early setbacks is a common occurrence.

After practicing this method of goal setting, I’ve noticed a significant improvement in my overall disposition.  I’m more focused, procrastinate less, and have more time to explore my interests.  I have definitely hit some speed bumps along the way, but each time I review and adjust my plans I get another boost of motivation to continue on the path to achieving my goals.   

Maya Mason is a senior biomedical engineering student at Vanderbilt University.