When you set a goal, what do you visualize?
Most people tend to visualize the end results - the goal completed and their dream a reality.
While it can be exciting to focus on the end result, it can also be disappointing if the realization of that goal seems to be so far away. We are a society that likes instant gratification. Knowing that the achievement of a goal can take some time, may result in some people abandoning their goal completely.
That’s why it is so important to just start. Start taking those action steps that will keep you continually moving toward your end result. You may not know exactly what the right steps are, but it’s more important to keep moving than trying to make every action perfect. Clarity comes through motion. You can always go back and adjust as you get more clarity. Here are three tips to help you continue to make progress and avoid the trap of getting stuck in perfection.
Create stepping stone goals
Work backwards from your end goal and create a series of stepping stones to get there. This could even be a visual exercise, where you write or draw out your entire journey with milestones along the path. As you get closer to the end goal, stepping stone goals provide a sense of accomplishment and eliminate the frustration of feeling the end result is so far away.
Think of it like going for a long run. If you aim for something far off in the distance, it feels like it never gets any closer. But if you look at a street light or a tree a few hundred feet away, it feels much more achievable and gives you that extra spurt of energy to get there.
Set clear metrics of success
Another way to avoid getting stuck in perfection is to set clear daily or weekly metrics that will keep you moving toward your end goal.
For example, if you have a goal to write a book, and you know your end date, set daily goals for how many words you will write every day. This will keep you moving and prevent you from continually wanting to polish what you have already written.
Celebrate the small wins
It is possible to find something to celebrate, every single day. Perhaps you didn’t work on your big project, but instead, learned something new that will better equip you to make it happen. Make sure you take time to pat yourself on the back! After all, it’s about progress… not perfection.
I hope this helped you put your goal-setting - and achieving - back on track for 2022! Be sure to check out my free download, “5 Steps to Clarity During Life Transitions,” right here.