The 7R’s of Goal Setting

What steps do you need to take to reach your goal? What does your timeline look like? What is your strategy? What objectives do you have?

Planning out the steps to take and when to complete them helps to have a big picture and eliminates any procrastination or indecision because you know what to do next.

You can further break down your steps into objectives. Objectives start with an action verb, are specific, measurable, and have a deadline. An action verb tells what you are doing.

For Example:

Goal: Get to a healthy weight (~120 lbs) in 2024.

Strategy: I will go to the gym regularly and eat nutritiously.

Objectives: Work out at the gym 3 days per week,

Cook at home at least 5 days per week.

Eat a 1,400 calorie diet & Track your food daily.

What do you need to reach your goal? (Time, energy, people, skills, money?)

Your resources are often constraints that you need to be aware of. I mean, chances are you don’t have unlimited time and money to pour into your new business idea.

So, defining what resources you have to use towards completing your goals is necessary.

For Example:

Goal: Get to a healthy weight (~120 lbs) in 2024.

Resources: I have an hour before work or two hours after work when I could go to the gym. I might have more energy before work to go to the gym; so that needs to be considered. I already saved money in December to purchase a gym membership.

What are the daily actions and tasks you need to complete to reach your goal? What habits do you need to start/stop?

Stay committed to your goal, route, and responsibilities.

For each step and objective, you reach make sure to have a little reward. By having positive reinforcements, you keep motivation high and momentum going.

What are some rewards you could give yourself when you reach certain milestones of your goal?

Side note, make sure your goals support your goal versus undermine your efforts.

For Example:

Take the same goal of reaching a healthy weight. Even though indulging in ice cream or going out for a celebratory dinner, including dessert, sound like yummy rewards, they don’t support all the positive healthy changes you have made, and they can easily get out of hand and result in eating too many calories and/or completely derail you off your plan.

A better reward would be something that doesn’t involve food you are trying to avoid. Ideas: treat yourself to a massage, a manicure, purchasing a new pair of leggings to wear, or a piece of gym equipment to build your own home gym.

In other words, celebrate your win or revise your goal route and responsibilities and try again.

If you achieved your goal, look back on all the hard work and celebrate your success.

However, if you didn’t reach your goal, reflect on your attempts and ask, “What can you learn from your attempt and what could you do differently next time to give yourself a better chance of goal achievement?”

And then go through the 7 R’s and create your plan, milestones, objectives, habits, and rewards, and try again!

Following the 7R’s as you set your new goals for 2024 gives you a roadmap to success. Your goals go from aspirations to a strategy with tangible steps to follow. You know exactly what to do next, what resources you have, what habits you need to have, and what rewards you can look forward to.

Keep your enthusiasm about achieving your goals, remain focused, and make 2024 a year of triumphs and transformation!