You’ve probably already set your New Year Resolutions, and your goals for 2024, and you are super excited to finally start exercising, take that trip you always wanted, start saving money, or get a better job.
I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that 94% of people drop their goals.
The good news is that I’m here to help you stick to your plan and fulfill your goals.
I’d like to share with you how you can set your goals better and actually achieve them by using the 6% methodology, a system I created over the last decade. It is based on research I conducted in 2023 about New Year’s resolutions and experience working with many Fortune 100 leaders.
Table of Contents
What Are Goals?
A goal is a desired future state that you strive to achieve. A goal might sound like a desire, but the difference is that, for it to be a goal, it needs to be clearly defined, have a clear target or outcome, and be realistic and challenging. In other words, it needs to be as specific as possible.
Your goals can be related to your personal life, your career, or, if you’re a manager, team-oriented.
Some of the most common goals people set are related to losing weight, making or saving more money, learning a new skill, or traveling more. Students also like to set performance goals, like achieving a 3.5 GPA at the end of the school year.
But, if you want to have a higher chance of achieving goals, and we’ll talk about that more in-depth below, you need to make your goals as specific as possible.
What Is a Specific Goal?
A specific goal is a goal that is clear, well-defined, and has a clear target, and deadline. If they are not specific, there’s a much bigger chance that you won’t reach your desired outcome. In order for you to achieve your goal, you need to be as granular as possible. I call this the Law of Specification. The more specific and granular you are with your goals, the more you are going to succeed.
For example, a goal could be something like ‘I want to lose weight’. A specific goal is ‘I will lose 10 pounds by April by going to the gym 3 times per week, in the morning’.
Why Are Goals So Important?
Goals are important because setting them will motivate you to achieve your full potential. When you have clear goals, you are more likely to focus your efforts and take action. Goals can also help you to stay motivated when things get tough, and they can provide you with a sense of accomplishment as you achieve them.
Simply put, goal setting is the key to leading a better life, to being more successful and happy.
94% of People Fail to Achieve Goals
In 2023, from January to June, I conducted research specifically about New Year’s resolutions and the goal-setting process of people in the US. They, just like you, were excited about setting career and personal goals. However, by the end of February, so in just 2 months, out of those 1000 people I surveyed, 94% of them failed. You can check out the article about my research to learn more.
So what made the other 6% achieve their goals? The secret lies in the way they actually set goals. After studying them, I developed the 6% methodology for setting and achieving specific and challenging goals.
How to Set Goals Using The 6% Methodology
Here are the 5 steps you can start taking today to set goals and actually achieve them.
1. Figure Out What’s Important to You
The goal-setting process begins with knowing what you really want. So, first, you need to pause and think – be aware of where you are and what you want to achieve in terms of personal growth.
In my book The 6% Club, I talk about The Power of the Pause. Modern life is extremely busy and you barely have time to check in with yourself. By pausing to think, or having a meeting with yourself, you can identify those areas in your life that you need to work on. This, in turn, will help you set the right goals. This step is crucial – without using The Power of the Pause, you can’t know where you need to go. So, no matter how busy you are, block out at least 2 hours and make sure you won’t be disturbed.
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is setting too many goals or focusing on things that are not important. To figure out what really matters, you can use The 0 – 10 Rule. This is a tool that I developed to help anyone prioritize, to just goals but also tasks. This article will explain everything you need to know about how to use it.
After careful consideration, you can move on to the next step, which is writing your goals down.
2. Write It Down
The next step you need to take is to write it down. This is really important because written goals are more real and tangible. This, in turn, can help you to stay motivated and focused, even when you face challenges.
But don’t just write it down on a piece of paper and then forget about it. Write your goal down somewhere you can see it each day. By doing this you will be reminded every day of what’s really important and will help you stay on track.
Lastly, writing down your goals will help you to break them down, which is actually the next step that you need to take.
3. Make a Granular Action Plan
Your next step toward more attainable goals is to create a granular action plan. After defining and writing down your goal, you need to define all the steps you are going to take toward that goal. Remember what I told you earlier about making everything as specific as possible?
So, if your goal was to lose 10 pounds by April, now you need to create your roadmap and set short-term objectives. How will you achieve that? By going to the gym? How often? What else?
A granular plan to lose 10 pounds by April will look something like this:
- I will go to the gym each morning for 1 hour
- I won’t eat anything after 7 PM
- I will only eat carbs on Tuesday and Thursday
4. Take Action
Next, you need to actually implement that new plan. Goal achievement requires making changes and creating new habits and your brain hates that. Why? Because the brain loves to do things on autopilot. It’s easy for your brain to follow the same morning routine you’ve had for years. It’s like taking the same path over and over again when you’re hiking.
When you want to create a new habit, it’s like taking a new, unbeaten, path. In order to create a new habit you have to do it over and over, for 30 days. that’s how much it takes your brain to develop new neural pathways and get used to a new habit.
5. Re-Evaluate & Adjust
Let’s be real. No plan, no matter how good it is, goes smoothly. The same can be said about achieving goals. Many external factors can get you off track.
It’s important to not abandon your goals when you hit potential obstacles. What you need to do instead is adjust so that you keep making progress. So, instead of April, you might move your deadline for losing 10 pounds to May.
Learn The Secrets of Goal-Setting
If you want to learn more about goal setting and how to start living a more successful life, you should check out the Secrets to Goal Setting Masterclass. This masterclass will teach you all the ins and outs of goal setting using the 6% methodology. In less than an hour, you will learn how to properly set realistic goals and also achieve them.
Use the Domino Effect to Make More Changes
One thing that’s great about achieving your goal is that you can use that momentum to achieve other goals. I call this the Domino Effect. One simple achieved goal might not change your life, but what about 5 or 6?
Tackling all 5 or 6 at the same time is impossible and you won’t achieve any of them. But by using the Domino Effect and setting them one after the other you’ll have a much bigger chance of making an everlasting change in your life.
How to Set Goals at Work
Setting goals at work can improve your job performance and help you progress in your career.
When planning your career goals you can use the same process I explained above. One extra step you can take when setting goals at work is to talk to your superiors. Your manager, for example, can provide valuable insights and guidance, helping you set goals that are realistic, achievable, and aligned with your current role and potential.
Don’t be afraid to seek feedback from your manager, colleagues, or mentors. Their insights can help you identify areas for improvement and stay on track.
How to Set Goals for Your Wellness
Setting wellness goals is a key step toward a healthier and happier lifestyle. Whether it’s improving physical fitness, enhancing mental well-being, or adopting healthier habits, setting wellness goals provides a roadmap for personal growth and self-improvement.
It’s also important to set wellness goals, especially when you are dealing with burnout. Treating burnout should be the first step in your journey. You need to have the mental budget and energy to focus on your goals and you can’t do that if you’re burned out.
Start by reflecting on your current state and identify areas for improvement.
Establish specific and achievable goals that align with your values and priorities. Whether it’s committing to regular exercise, practicing mindfulness meditation, or prioritizing nutritious eating habits, setting wellness goals helps create positive habits and behaviors that contribute to overall well-being.
With clear goals, consistency, and a clear vision of your desired outcomes, you can embark on a journey towards a healthier and more fulfilling life.
In Conclusion
Don’t overwhelm yourself with grandiose goals or too many goals. Pick something simple that is important to you like changing the kind of lunch you have or putting your phone down when someone talks to you and being more present. Be consistent for 30 days. What you’ll discover is…that it works! Then you can pick another goal for thirty days. Be consistent- and you’ll find out that it works again. Over the span of a year, you will be creating 9, 10, 12 new winning habits. Over time you’ll gain more confidence and your goals will become more ambitious. You will also have the accumulating effect of all of these changes. That’s the Domino Effect. Don’t get overwhelmed, This is simple. This is underwhelming not overwhelming. That’s what the 6% do differently and you can do it too. Once you do, your hopes, your dreams and your aspirations, over time, will become your reality.
FAQ
You might notice people often talk about change, yet few actually make it happen. To initiate this transformation, pause and reflect on what matters most to you at this moment. Set a detailed plan with a clear deadline. Then, solidify this change by practicing your new habit consistently, every day at the same time, for 30 days straight.
If you don’t know where to start, use the Power of the Pause. Block out some time for yourself to figure out what you want. Then, use The 0-10 Rule to prioritize your goals. Always start with the most important one.
If you have a lot of goals you need to prioritize them. Use The 0-10 Rule to find the most important one and start with that. Once you’ve achieved that goal, move on to the next one. And the next one.