How to set effective and achievable goals.

Yesterday I asked  a friend of mine what her goals for 2019 were and she said something like this, "to be more disciplined in all areas of my life and in the works of God."

Now, in
asmuch as this seems good, it's too ambiguous to be a goal. She will end up not achieving anything except she gets specific with her goals.


If you've not set your goals yet, it's not too late. You can do it now.

Setting goals help you live intentionally. It brings focus and single-mindedness to life. It helps you to prioritize and separate what is important from what is urgent. It brings clarity.

So, I'll like to help you. It's not difficult to set goals at all but you need to understand how to do it correctly. Goals are not new year resolutions. They are not mere wishes or fantasy.

They are resolutions backed by an action plan and timelines. So here are the steps:

1. Write Down Your Goals

Writing down your goals helps to clearly articulate and define them. Your goals should not be in your head- they should be written down. Don't write on loose sheets.

Write it inside a diary/book if it's important to you. You will have to refer to it constantly throughout the year. You must endeavour to return to that goal and work on it every day.

2. Break Down Your Goals 
Personally, I have spiritual, financial, health/fitness, investment, career and Academic Goals. You should break down your goals to fit your life.

3. Your Goals Must Be Specific
The more specific goals are, the better. They should not be ambiguous. For instance, growing up in all areas of my spiritual life is not a goal. Rather, it should be growing up in my prayer life. Or better still, growing in my midnight prayer life. Saving 100k in 2019 is a better goal than just saving money. Being specific helps you to concentrate your energy and remove any mental luggage.

4. Ensure There Are Timelines
Goals without timelines are mere fantasies. Timelines ensure there is an urgency to the goals. Your goals must, therefore, exist within a time frame. Every goal should have a deadline. For example, I want to start writing my second book in February 2019 is a clearer and more defined goal with a timeline, than I want to start writing my second book.

5. Set Big But Realistic Goals
I encourage people to set audacious goals. Set goals that stretch you but they shouldn't be unnecessarily unrealistic. For instance, if you don't have a job or business you do, you cannot say you want to have a savings goal of 100k in 2019. That's not realistic (maybe except you're planning to do yahoo yahoo or yahoo plus). A realistic goal will be to get a job first.

6. Break Down Your Goals Into Action Plans
There should be a 'how' for your goals. How do you want to go about achieving them? For every 'what' there must be a 'how'. If you have a savings goal of 100k in 2019, how will you achieve that? Is it by putting 10k away monthly in a savings account? Is it by doing a joint contribution? Your action plan breaks down your goals into achievable bits. Don't neglect this. This process takes a lot of thinking.

7. Review Your Goals From Time to Time
Personally when I don't to forget something I write and past it on my wall in my room.
Goals are not static- they are dynamic so it's important to review periodically. Your review period can be monthly or quarterly but ensure you're consistent with the review. Don't just write your goals and file them away. You can add to them along the line or review as appropriate. As you review, you tick for completion or achievement.

8. Have An Accountability Partner
This point is like the force that helps you achieve your goal.
There should be someone you're able to share your goals with who can hold you to account. Such a person will nudge you and push you. If you're married, your spouse can be your accountability partner. A good friend can serve this purpose also. Your pastor or discipler can also do this for you.
Find someone who can do this for you. The person must be someone you respect enough to defer to significantly. The key thing is honesty. Be honest with your accountability partner. And be honest to yourself.

Do this and lets crush 2019 together!