How to Achieve Your Big Goals
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Hi Friends,
Today, I want to help you take immediate steps toward achieving your BIG goals.
Recently, a member of our course, Adult EF Skills 101, asked:
“What should I do if I’m spinning my wheels, trying to achieve a goal, but don’t even know where to start?"
When we have a big goal, the thought can also paralyze us. We know what we want to achieve but have no clue how to get there.
Setting goals is crucial. But taking action is a whole other story. Many of us dream of...
being physically fit 🏃🏻♀️
save more money 💸
being more organized 🧹
Yet, months or even years go by, and we don't take action.
Why?
Because we skip a vital step: creating an action plan.
This proven strategy will help you create an action plan and progress on your BIG goal this week.
Let’s dive in.
Why Don’t People Achieve Their Big Goals?
Everyone’s experience is different, but common emotional barriers can hold us back:
"This tiny step feels like it's getting me nowhere."
"Even if I try, I'll probably get rejected."
"I will work on my goal tomorrow."
A study by the University of Scranton found that only 8% of people achieve their New Year’s resolutions.
"...Shooting for the moon can be so psychologically daunting, you end up failing to launch in the first place."
This is a serious problem! If we don't progress, our physical and mental health are at risk.
This screenshot from Dr. Adele Diamond's study illustrates how impactful executive function skills are on our wellbeing.
However, those who make consistent progress share one thing in common. They break their goals into written steps.
This allows them to focus on the next smallest step rather than the whole journey.
How to Break Down a BIG Goal
This is where our executive function skills—like goal-directed persistence, planning, and organization—come in.
There are three steps to this framework:
Clarify your goal
Develop milestones
Set checkpoints
You can progress toward anything you put your mind to using this framework.
Step 1: Clarify Your Goal
Your first step is to write down your BIG goal.
Last spring, I worked with a client who felt trapped in his job. He was burnt out and dreaded work each day. During our first session, he set a S.M.A.R.T. goal:
“By July 1, I will actively engage in job searching by networking and applying weekly.”
His goal was clear, measurable, and written on a Google doc. This is key.
If you need help with goal-setting, check out our Goal Setting Framework and video guide.
Step 2: Develop Milestones
Once you have a clear goal, it’s time to break it into milestones. Milestones are larger steps you will reach while progressing toward your goal.
To set milestones, ask yourself: What needs to happen to reach my goal?
Brainstorm without worrying about order or difficulty—just write it all down. Then, organize your milestones chronologically.
The milestones my clients brainstormed were:
a) Find my old resume
b) Revise resume
c) Finalize resume
d) Network
e) Apply
Want to learn more about executive function coaching for adults?
Knowing what goal to set can be difficult. Luckily, an executive function coach can guide you through the steps.
Schedule your no-cost inquiry meeting today. 👇
Step 3: Set Checkpoints
Checkpoints are small actions you take to reach a milestone.
Rather than focusing on the end goal, or each milestone, focus on checkpoints. This shift makes goals feel more manageable.
To set your checkpoints, look at your first milestone and ask:
What do I need to do to reach this milestone?
What resources or support do I need?
If a milestone has more than 5 checkpoints, it’s probably too big. Break it into smaller milestones.
For example, for the milestone of "network," some of the checkpoints my clients set were:
Network
list one or more people on a Google doc
choose one person to contact
draft a text, email, or LinkedIn message
send message
schedule a networking call
How Can I Leverage Technology?
Breaking down goals can be time-consuming. To speed up the process, try using a free tool like Magic ToDo. This AI breaks down goals into milestones and checkpoints.
You can explore Magic ToDo here.
What if I Still Can’t Get Started?
Sometimes, despite our best efforts, we get stuck. If this happens, make the next step even smaller—so small that you’d be silly not to do it.
For example, my client was stuck on the networking milestone. He had a list of 10 names. So, we read the list and selected one person he felt most comfortable with. Next, we drafted a LinkedIn message to send.
A few days later, he sent the message. One week later, they were chatting over a Zoom call!
Summary
A lot of us struggle to progress towards a BIG goal.
Many people set goals like becoming fit, saving money, or getting organized, but they get stuck. Common barriers like fear of failure, perfectionism, and overwhelm can keep us from taking that first step.
It’s because they lack a concrete action plan.
Here’s how to overcome these challenges and make progress:
Clarify Your Goal: Define a specific, measurable goal that motivates you.
Develop Milestones: Break the goal into larger steps, then organize them chronologically.
Set Checkpoints: Identify smaller actions needed to reach each milestone.
By following these steps, you can break through paralysis and progress toward your dreams.
And if you need extra guidance, we are here to help! You can schedule a no-cost strategy session with us for 1:1 support on your journey.
P.S.
If you want to work on your adult executive function skills, consider joining dozens of others who graduated from our Adult Executive Function Skills 101 course. Through this course, you enhance your time management, personal finances, and more. Learn more.
About the Author
Eric Kaufmann, M.Ed is a Professional Educational Therapist and Certified Executive Function Coach. He is the Co-founder of UpSkill Specialists, an online adult executive function coaching company designed to guide adults in overcoming disorganization, procrastination, and productivity roadblocks so they can unlock their potential. Eric is also the founder of Elevate Learning Solutions, an Educational Therapy practice located in San Clemente, CA, that guides students with neurological differences toward becoming independent and confident students and self-leaders.