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Why Monthy Goals Create Better Results
I have always been a goal-orientated person, but this often led to me being overwhelmed, disheartened, and unlikely to underachieve. I would set goals that were too big or took too long to achieve and would end up giving up and feeling less motivated that I had before…. Then, two years ago I read an article on why setting monthly goals created better results and I was hooked! Here are the reasons why monthly goals create better results.
More Realistic
I have a habit of setting my goals too big. Some of my goals in the past have been: read a book every month, train for a natural bodybuilding competition, learn to play guitar, put away $2,000 into savings.
Some of these were unrealistic (let’s face it, I often find it hard to remember to take my vitamins every night, how on earth will I find the time to do these goals??)
Others were realistic, but I had no plan on how to actually accomplish them. With monthly goals, I can take a big goal and break it down into more realistic chunks. Which leads me to my next point.
More Workable
I call myself a productive procrastinator. When I have something I know I need to get done, I tend to find other things to occupy my time instead. I really need to update my budget binder…. oh look! my closet could use some rearranging…. sheesh
A big benefit of setting monthly goals is that you can break down the big, overwhelming goals. A yearly goal of reading a book a month can now be broken down to reading 20 pages a day or something as simple as reading for 30 minutes each night.
Because monthly goals are more workable, I have a much higher chance of actually sticking to them.
Guilt-Free!
Ever set a big goal, tell lots of people about it, then feel ashamed when you can’t complete it? Well, I have. I once set a goal that I would not drink for the entire summer (this is when I was attempting to train for a natural bodybuilding competition) and well… three weeks in I was at a friend’s wedding enjoying the free wine! Oops.
I like setting monthly goals to try new things. Last year I committed to meditation for a month. It was ok, but not something I really wanted to stick to. Because I only set this goal for one month, I had no guilty feelings walking away from it. This year I plan to try yoga for a month, we will see how that goes!
Helps to build habits
When you add all of these benefits together, they really help to build better habits. I found that since I am more likely to stick to a goal for 30 days, I am also more likely to keep that goal moving forward.
For example, two years ago I set a goal to meal prep every Sunday. This has turned into a wonderful habit!! My week is freed up to spend time with my husband instead of worrying about what I will make for dinner and lunches that night.
How to Set Monthly Goals
Now that you know why monthly goals create better results, here’s a list of tips to help you create those monthly goals!
First – Create a List
Think of this as a brain dump. I jot down any and all goals I may want to accomplish, big or small it does not matter!
Some of my ideas were: create a blog schedule, create a nightly beauty routine, floss, create a summer bucket list, pay off two credit cards, attempt yoga, drink more water, clean out every room in the house, research personalized learning, read a workout book, craft more, train for a powerlifting competition.
Second – Categorize
I am obsessed with colored pens, so this was the perfect time to bust them out! Circle, star, or highlight anything that fits together.
My categories were:
- Health/Fitness
- Financial
- Work-Related
- Relationships
Third – Divide and Conquer
Here is where I decide what will be my overall 2020 goals and what will be my specific monthly goals. Now you may be wondering why I still set yearly goals, but remember, the beauty of monthly goals is that I can break down a yearly goal into smaller chunks.
My two yearly goals are: Pay off two credit cards and Train for a powerlifting meet in the fall
The rest of my goals I have set will either help me towards my yearly goals or will be small monthly goals that I personally want to accomplish.
Finally – Create SMART Goals
The final step is to make sure the goals aline with the SMART acronym.
- Specific
- Measurable
- Attainable
- Realistic
- Time-Bound
Using this acronym helps to keep me accountable and allows me to clarify my goals. For example, drink more water is not specific, measurable, or time-bound. If I change that to drink two full water bottles each day, now that checks off every category!
Sum it Up
Overall, goal setting is a great tool for self-development. I encourage you to set goals for 2020 and tell us about them! A great way to stay accountable is to let people know about them.
Want to apply these tips to setting New Year’s Resolutions? See this post!