I recently read the book Your Best Year Ever by Michael Hyatt. It is a self-help book that examines goal setting across different areas of your life. If you want to make some changes in your life but don’t know where to start, this book is for you. Michael believes your best year will only take five steps to plan. This plan will triple your chances of achieving your goals. Let’s go over these five steps.
Step 1: Believe the Possibility
Believing you can achieve something is the first step to actually getting there. When you think you can do it, things often work out better. Our beliefs shape how we see things and what we do, which affects what happens to us. Let me tell you a story about a dog. This family used a special collar on their dog. When the dog went too far, the collar would buzz a bit, and the dog learned not to go beyond a set point. After a while, they took out the collar, but you know what, the dog still wouldn’t go beyond that line even when they wanted him to go. The dog was limited by his own thinking. And that happens to a lot of us, we often limit ourselves by believing that something is impossible without even trying it. Believe in yourself, use your imagination, and let go of doubts and wrong ideas. You've got the power to make things better!
Step 2: Complete the Past
So, thinking about the past and learning from it is super important if we want a better future. We can't ignore or pretend the past didn't happen – that won't help us move forward. Things we went through before can affect how we try to reach our goals in the future. The US Army has a clever way to use past experiences to make better choices in the future. It's called the "After-Action Review." Here is what it is:
1. What We Wanted: Think about our goals.
2. What Actually Happened: See what really happened, both good and not-so-good.
3. Lessons Learned: Figure out what we learned from the experience.
4. Changing How We Act: Use what we learned to do things differently in the future.
Use this simple method to get what you want in your life.
Step 3: Design Your Future
For a better future, you need to have goals. But not all goals are the same. Some goals will dramatically change your life. But for that to happen, your goals need to have seven important qualities, called SMARTER:
1. Specific: Make sure your goals are super clear.
2. Measurable: Have a way to track your progress.
3. Actionable: Use strong action words in your goals.
4. Risky: Aim for big things, even if they seem tough.
5. Timed: Set deadlines to stay focused.
6. Exciting: Your goals should excite you.
7. Relevant: Make sure your goals match your life and what you care about.
So, if you want your goals to really work, remember SMARTER!
Step 4: Find Your Why
Starting to chase your goals is like getting the ball rolling – pretty simple. But you know what's harder? Making actual progress. When things get tough, your "why" – the reason you're doing it – should keep you going. And this "why" should come from inside you, like your hopes, what you care about, and what you want to achieve. Don't make your "why" about outside stuff, like what society or others want. Those might help a little in the beginning, but for real, long-lasting success, you've got to motivate yourself from the inside.
Step 5: Make It Happen
You know how people say successful folks are "self-made"? Well, the truth is, everyone needs help to succeed. Starting something new can be tricky. Sometimes we're good at planning but not at starting. Feeling unsure is normal, especially when a big project is involved. Having amazing plans is cool, but they don't mean much if you don't get going. Don't worry if you can't see the end yet. Just focus on taking that first step. Here's a tip: Begin with the easiest task. Something so simple that you won't get discouraged even if things go wrong. Once you finish that, you can take on bigger challenges. If you get stuck, switch tasks. The key is to keep moving forward, step by step. You got this!
So, in summary, you've got this amazing potential in you, and you can unlock it by following these five steps we discussed in this video. The secret sauce to success involves believing in yourself, learning from what's happened before, planning for what you want in the future, finding motivation from the inside, and taking action right away.