5 Steps to Break Down Long-term Goals into Achievable Short-term Goals
Setting long-term goals is an essential step toward achieving success in any area of your life, including your business.
However, when it comes to achieving these long-term goals, you, like many others including myself, may find yourself struggling to make progress. Sometimes the sheer size and complexity of the goals can be daunting.
Although there is not a one-size-fits-all solution to this challenge, one effective way that’s worked for many people is to break down your long-term goals into smaller, more achievable short-term goals.
Here are some steps you can take to break down your long-term goals into attainable short-term goals.
Step 1: Define your long-term goals
The first step is to clearly define your long-term goals. They should be clear, concise and measurable. An easy way to ensure your long-term goals are actionable is to use the SMART goal method of making them Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound.
For example, if you want to write a book, your long-term goal may be to complete a 400-page book within two years.
Step 2: Determine your milestones
Once you’ve defined your long-term goals, the next step is to determine your milestones.
Milestones are the smaller goals that you need to achieve in order to make progress toward your long-term goals.
Staying with the book example, your milestones may be to write 50 pages within three months, write 50 more pages over the next three months and so on.
Step 3: Break down your milestones into short-term goals
Now that you’ve determined your milestones, the next step is to break them down into short-term goals.
Short-term goals are the specific actions you need to take to achieve your milestones.
So if your milestone was to write 50 pages in three months, your short-term goal may be to write 500 words a day, write for two hours every day or complete one chapter per week. Break it down into smaller, more manageable actions you can take toward your milestone. Again, using SMART goals would be beneficial here.
Step 4: Prioritize your short-term goals and make an action plan
Once you’ve identified your short-term goals, the next step is to prioritize them.
You can prioritize them based on their importance and urgency.
So if you plan to write two hours a day, you have to prioritize time in your day to set aside to do the writing.
Regardless of what your short-term goals are, the purpose of this step is to get them on your calendar. Treat this time and these tasks just as you would for a doctor's appointment or an important, mandatory business meeting.
One thing I want to mention is to build some flexibility into your short-term goals. Don’t make it so rigid that it doesn’t allow for real life.
I’m not talking about prioritizing Real Housewives over writing for your two hours that day. I’m talking about giving yourself some extra space for when things out of your control impact your short-term goals.
For example, I get debilitating migraines a couple of times a year, so I include “migraine” days in my action plan for my short-term goals. If I don’t need them then great - I’m ahead of the game. But if I do get a migraine that halts my action, I have some time to “catch up” and stay on track with my short-term goals.
Step 5: Monitor your progress
The final step is to monitor your progress.
It’s essential to track your progress toward your long-term goals. You can use a planner, spreadsheet, habit tracker or whatever is easiest for you to manage. Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.
Monitoring your progress will help you stay motivated and build momentum toward achieving your long-term goals. It will also give you the opportunity to adjust your action plan if necessary.
Action comes through clarity and you may want to adjust as you work toward your goals, both short- and long-term.
BONUS Step 6: Celebrate your success
Don’t forget to make time to celebrate your success. Tying small rewards to your actions, like buying those cute sandals after you finish your first 100 pages, is a great way to keep yourself motivated.
Breaking down long-term goals into manageable short-term goals is a powerful strategy for achieving success in any area of your life, including your business.
By defining your long-term goals, determining your milestones, breaking them down into short-term goals that you can prioritize and create an action plan from and monitoring your progress, you can make steady progress toward your long-term goals and the happiness you so deserve.
DM me on Instagram (@aynsli_co)and let me know what strategies you use for achieving your goals. I’m ALWAYS interested in what works for others!