Last Updated on 2024-07-25
Believe that everyone has had such an experience. When you start to implement a new goal, as a week or two weeks pass, the initial enthusiasm quickly decreases.
So you started to be lazy once or twice, and then the frequency of laziness gradually increased until the enthusiasm for the new goal faded out.
In order to be able to really move towards new goals and develop long-term habits, this article will share “3 major steps” to achieve goals.
And these steps are exactly some of the methods and thinking patterns that I have personally implemented when cultivating long-term interests and habits.
Hope that helps for you to get some new perspectives.
1. How To Read This Article
# 1.1. General Direction
The 3 major steps to be introduced in this article will be the “General Direction”.
It is suitable for everyone, and it is used to construct the basic architecture of a new plan, so that you can plan in a specific direction for the development of long-term habits.
And by following the “General Direction” of these 3 steps, what is extended is “Personal Exclusive Action”.
# 1.2. Personal Exclusive Actions
“Personal Exclusive Actions” will have different actions for different people.
Therefore, the purpose of this article is not to provide the same standard answer for everyone.
Instead, it focuses on how to use 3 steps to extend the thinking logic of “Personal Exclusive Actions”.
And it will take some “Personal Exclusive Ections” which executed by me as an example.
# 1.3. Knowing Yourself
Before starting all the steps, what I want to introduce is a very important pre-work, that is – Knowing Yourself.
Although it may seem simple in words, Knowing Yourself is a profound one for people’s whole life.
We should all learn to be a little philosopher, analyze ourselves and life, and keep exploring the contours of our hearts.
It is easy to know yourself, but it is also not easy actually.
You need to constantly try and verify the “Heart’s Contours you assume” in your life , which will be a long-term Trial & Error process.
When you continue this process, the contours of your heart will gradually become clearer and clearer.
In the 3 steps of developing long-term habits that will be introduced next, when you have a deep understanding of yourself, the effect of execution will be more significant, and you can learn to decide your own “Personal Exclusive Actions” more easily.
2. 【Step 1】Goal Blueprint
# 2.1. Setting Goals
In order to effectively develop long-term habits, it is of course necessary to set some clear goals.
A well-designed goal can help you move forward step by step without losing your way.
However, what is a clear goal? And what method can be used to formulate it?
# 2.2. Principle Of S-M-A-R-T
I am here to provide a point of view – “SMART principle”.
✅ S: Specific
✅ M: Measurable
✅ A: Attainable
✅ R: Relevant
✅ T: Time-based
This is a principled method that the management of many enterprises may choose when formulating the company’s strategic goals.
While the SMART principles are intended to be used in corporations, this perspective can also be a good reference when applying personal goals.
# 2.3. Example
The 5 points listed by SMART are the five principles that can be used when setting personal goals.
A goal that can “be clearly implemented” is an important concept of this principle.
Here’s an example of one of my goals:
"I want to create 3 articles within 1 month"
From this example of goal setting, we can find out the concept of SMART principles:
✅ “Create an article” — S, specific
✅ “3 articles” – M, measurable
✅ “3 articles in 1 month” — A. attainable
✅ “Creating articles” is the focus of my long-term goals — R, relevant
✅ “Within 1 month” — T, with a deadline (Time-based)
# 2.4. Counter-example
In addition, it also provides an example of a more exaggerated wrong goal – “I want to lose 20 kg within 1 week”.
This goal clearly violates “Attainable (A)” and also sets an unrealistic “deadline (T)”.
No matter who sees this goal, they will not want to implement it…
Therefore, the SMART principle can not only be used to clearly plan one’s own goals, but also can be used to check the rationality of the goals.
3. Conclusion
This【Part 1】article has already introduced “Step 1” of three steps; the subsequent steps will be introduced in the next article.
“Step 1” focuses on setting goals; when we set goals, it is usually to give you some blueprint for the future.
Blueprints allow you to “imagine” the execution process and what it will look like when you achieve your goals.
And these blueprints will subtly guide you towards your goal. (This is a bit mysterious, but it is recommended to experience it )
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