The journey to achieving your goals is rarely smooth, especially if they are aspirational goals you’ve set for yourself. Achieving your goals is a powerful catalyst for personal growth and fulfilment. Setting and pursuing objectives provides direction, motivation, and a sense of purpose. But as we all know, obstacles, setbacks, and self-doubt can hinder progress. Balancing ambition with realistic expectations is an important factor in this case.
Building resilience, staying committed, and learning from failures are essential components of navigating the challenges that inevitably arise. The rewards of overcoming adversity and ultimately reaching your goals are immeasurable, contributing to a sense of accomplishment and confidence that extends far beyond the achievement itself. Darius Foroux, author of seven books that centre around improving your life, business, and productivity, including Focus on What Matters and The Stoic Path to Wealth, shares a simple and powerful guide to achieving your goals in life, however big or small they may be.
But here are 3 simple strategies on how to achieve your goals, according to an expert
1. Small steps, giant leaps
Dreaming of success is a great start, but turning those dreams into reality can be as daunting as climbing Everest. “The problem with being overwhelmed is not setting goals, it’s setting goals that are outside of your control,” says Darius Foroux. The trick is to slice those towering ambitions into smaller, bite-sized tasks. Foroux shares the examples: “When it comes to health, avoid setting goals like, ‘I want to lose 20 pounds.’ Instead, say, ‘My goal is to exercise 25 minutes a day and to eat three meals, without snacking in between meals.’ When it comes to your career, don’t say, ‘I want to get a raise this year.’ Say, ‘I’m going to stop chit-chatting and browsing social media during the day. I’m going to show up to work energised every day, and I’m going to give it my all.” Focus on what you control and you will never be disappointed.
Even actor Arnold Schwarzenegger down his “one day at a time” approach in his newsletter at the start of the year. “Make your daily goals something that stretches you, but don’t make them something so big that you’ll fail,” he wrote. By taking even tiny actions, you build momentum that propels you forward. This step-by-step strategy makes grand goals seem less intimidating and gives you room to learn, adapt, and celebrate small victories. After all, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is your empire. Ditch the “perfect moment” myth—your best time to start is now.
2. Be consistent, be accountable
The saying “slow and steady wins the race” isn’t just a quaint old adage—it’s a strategy for success. Consistency, the unsung hero of progress, requires you to be steadfast in pursuing goals. You build discipline and momentum by setting up routines and sticking to them. “Focus on the tried and tested goals, the obvious things in life, like exercise regularly, eat healthy, get eight hours of sleep, don’t complain, spend time with your loved ones, be honest, save at least 10 percent of your income, invest in the stock market. These small things add up to big things in the long run,” says Foroux. Accountability, whether it comes from self-imposed deadlines or a supportive cheer squad, it keeps you on track. Consistency and accountability form a dynamic duo that helps you smash through obstacles and achieve your dreams.
3. Clear the path, conquer the goal
Identifying and eliminating potential obstacles is often overlooked yet crucial step in achieving your goals. Think of it as a preemptive strike against anything that might trip you up—be it that nagging self-doubt, a time-sucking distraction, a mountain of paperwork or fear of failure. “We tend to make failure so big in our minds that we mentally cave in,” says Faroux. “It’s important to realise that many of us put too much pressure on ourselves. We think we should be perfect,” he adds. By scanning your environment, resources, and personal hurdles, you can clear the path and avoid getting derailed. “Sometimes it also means you need to take a step back and get some rest before getting back to working on your goals from a fresh perspective,” Faraoux suggests. This proactive approach not only saves you time and energy but also boosts your confidence and preparedness. Tackle those obstacles before they tackle you.
