It is 3 AM in the morning and Nicole is having trouble falling asleep. Her mind is overloaded with the major goals she has set for herself and has set out to achieve. Despite all of the work, all of the forward progress, she is not seeing the results she is after, or at least not fast enough.
If you can relate to this scenario, stay tuned to this article as we are going to discuss something very important.
You see, all of us have goals. And many of us have goals and dreams that expand through different arenas. These goals could be financial, work related, health related, personal projects, and much more. We sit back and can visualize not just the end result, but also the process in which to get to the finish line. But oftentimes, frustration creeps in. The feeling of your efforts not being recognized and the discouragement of the results not matching the work put in. And it is tough, this scenario can keep you awake at night and keep you stuck in your thoughts for large portions of the day.
This is what makes micro goals so important. Micro goals help you see your progress and let go of a time frame to achieve your larger long-term goals. Ultimately, there is no way to tell how long a goal may take. When we try to predict a time frame and it does not come, it can lead to these negative emotions, working less to achieve it, and even giving up on your goal altogether. But if you can stay focused and aware of your micro goals and micro progress, it can change the experience of your goal pursuit entirely.
When you look at yourself in the mirror at the end of a long day, you should ask yourself, “Did I get better today?” Then you can fully see what small steps forward you took on that day no matter how big or small they might have been. This adds encouragement and pride towards your work, but it also helps you see the bigger picture to help you understand that all of these small steps are parts of the process of achieving your highest goal. If you can just see yourself at the end of every day as being better than the previous day and closer to your goals than the previous day, you will continue to stay motivated to pursue your dreams. Let’s dive into how to set micro goals.
Daily, Weekly, Monthly
Every time you awake and begin your morning routine, add in elements of goal setting. At the start of your month, list 3-5 goals for the month. At the start of each week, add 3-5 goals for the week. And of course, every day, provide yourself with goals for that day. All three of these micro goal types are smaller achievements than your bigger goal, but are all steppingstones to get you there, day by day, hour by hour. Daily goals being the easiest and the monthly goals being a combination of all the daily and weekly goals you set.
Now, these types of micro goals will differ depending on what you are trying to achieve, so this article is not the place to try to dive into more detail. However, if you would like a bigger foundation of goal ideas, message us through the comments or email us: [email protected] and we would love to help you figure out what micro goals will mean for you and your goals.
Unseen Micro Goals
The beauty of consistent work is you are making progress every day and might not even see it. I call these unseen micro goals, as they are contributing to your overall progress but they might not be on your radar. These unseen goals can include things as simple as showing up or learning something new that contributes to your goals. When you can train your mind to become more aware of these unseen occurrences, it gets even easier to look in the mirror and see your improvements.
As for an exercise to become more aware, write down 5 things that you think contribute towards your growth or things that you would like to be more aware of in your daily life. I promise doing this will work wonders for your energy and output.
Conclusion
The work you put in day after day adds up quick. If you can be aware of this micro work and notice every small step taken, it will do wonders for your progress. Those discouraged negative feelings will fade away and your focus will remain on your higher goal, but in a different way. Now you will stay in the moment, focused on what you can do today, right now, to grow and make progress towards your larger goals. Your larger goals will remain in the back of your mind in your subconscious as you now know you will get there. You will let go of a time frame and just continue to stay in the present moment, getting better with every passing breath, and getting closer with every passing second. Nothing else will matter to you except for what is inside you, your own personal growth and journey.
If you would like to discuss your goals with us, drop your goals in the comments or email us at: [email protected] We would love to be apart of your journey and help you in anyway that we can. We hope this article was impactful to you and that you can now focus on taking it one step at a time, until you have achieved your dreams.