Tackling Goals 90 Days at a Time
Embarking on the journey of creating your life’s masterpiece (I’m an artist, I tend to speak “artist”!) is both exhilarating and well, kind of daunting. But the key to turning your vision into an enjoyable and tangible reality lies in breaking down those big, audacious goals into manageable and bite sized pieces.
If you read my blog post Crafting a Masterpiece Called Life, about Big Picture Planning, you’ll know that I’m a huge believer in dreaming about where I want to be when I’m old and grey, looking back on the beautiful life I’ve created. But in order for the dream to become a reality, I need to plan for it to happen.
Make the goals and do the things.
But how do I do it?
I do it 90 days at a time.
Ok, back it up.
We have the vision board (from the previous blog post). We know the life we want to create, we’ve got a vibe, an aesthetic, a few theme words and some loose dreams. But what on earth do we do with it all?
We have to break it down!
Instead of being overwhelmed by the magnitude of the big picture (hello beautiful beach house that I simply cannot afford right now), I work to dissect goals into smaller, more digestible tasks, creating a clear roadmap leading to the life I want to live.
1. Plan Out Your Years:
For some, life long goals seem suuuuper far away. This is why I grab a sheet of paper (I like to use this worksheet I created) and I make 4 horizontal columns. Working bottom to top, the 1st column is to brainstorm where you’ll be 1 year from now. The second column, 5 years. the third, 10 years. the 4th, 20 years.
What year will it be? How old will you be? What life events will have happened, or do you hope will happen? A huge one for me was realizing that in 5 years, my daughter will have graduated high school and will be in college and our lives will look very different than they do today!
This exercise really helps you see how things won’t always look like they do right now. It also helps you see that maybe things you were planning for “one day” might be coming up sooner than you think!
Place some of your life goals into each of the 4 columns to give yourself a timeline to work towards. I would like to have that beach house in the next 10 years, thank you very much!
2. Plan out THIS year:
I review my 1 year from now column and I take my big life goals and I begin thinking about what moves I can make towards each of those goals in the current calendar year. I map out some realistic steps, along with a few that push me a little, and I work with the seasons of my already full life.
Look over your events. When will you be busy with work? Log holidays. Vacations. Don’t try and take on a marathon or health goal when you know you’ll be crunching the numbers with a big business or work deadline. The 2 just won’t add up. Work with how you know you will naturally flow.
Are you more motivated in the Spring? Put some of your bigger tasks in those months. Are you more of a hermit crab in the winter months? Take those as rest and ease up. Use a year at a glance calendar to start seeing what’s possible.
3. Set 90-Day Goals:
We made it to the good part - gimmie the 90-day goodness!
The whole concept of 90-day planning is rooted in the idea that smaller, more achievable goals lead to significant progress over time. Plus, 90 days is not an overwhelming amount of time, but still allows for plenty of room for reflection and adjustment.
By this point, you should have a good idea of what things you need to do to make moves towards your goals this year. Now we want to actually make them happen. We need to convert them into SMART goals.
If you’ve not heard about this framework before, here’s a quick breakdown of the acronym and what they represent. SMART goals are:
Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
Specific:
Your goal should be clear and well-defined. Not vague or ambiguous. Specifiy what you want to accomplish and why.
Measurable:
Establish a way to measure your progress and determine when your goal has been achieved. This adds clarity and helps track your success.
Achievable:
Your goal should be realistic and attainable. It’s great to aim high, but setting impossible goals can be demotivating. Keep your resources and capabilities in mind.
Relevant:
Your goal should be aligned with your larger objective or mission. It should be meaningful and contribute to your overall success.
Time-bound:
A deadline or timeframe for achieving your goal should be set, to create a sense of urgency. This helps you stay focused.
An example of a SMART goal to lose weight would be” Lose 10 pounds within the next 8 weeks by exercising three times a week and maintaining a balanced diet.”
I used to roll my eyes anytime someone said anything about smart goals. I felt like I was back in school. But the more I’ve learned about tools and systems, rhythms and routines, and researched ways OUT of burnout, I came to realize that SMART goals really do WORK. I've seen my life and business change because of them. I'm so grateful to have this framework in my back pocket. I hope you'll use it too!
This is when I reaaaally put my pen to paper. Pull out your weekly or monthly planner and start putting tasks to due dates. Then journal out what you hope to achieve 90 days from now. This is a great time to invest in a Clear Mind Journal. The first page of the journal is designed specifically for this exact step of planning.
As you finish out your goal planning, keep these final reminders in mind and go get 'em! You can do this!
Focus on Key Areas
Consider the different areas of your life - career, relationships, health, and personal development. Break down your big picture vision into 90 day objectives for each area. Then break them down monthly, weekly, and daily. Schedule them. Set reminders and show up for yourself.
Adaptability in Action
Life is dynamic, and unforeseen challenges are inevitable. With a 90-day timeframe, you can reassess your goals regularly, adapting to changing circumstances and refining your approach. This flexibility ensures that you stay on course, even when the path takes unexpected turns.
Creating Momentum
Achieving smaller goals within a shorter timeframes provides a sense of accomplishment and motivation. Small steps add up. This positive momentum propels you forward, building confidence and resilience as you work towards the larger milestones in your life vision.
Tracking Progress & Celebrating Wins
Keep a journal and track your achievements, setbacks, and lessons learned. Celebrate your wins, no matter how small, to reinforce positive habits and keep the momentum flowing.
You are one step closer to your dream life!
Rooting for you and in the grind too,
Chloé x
Looking to dive deeper? As a certified coach, I offer a tailored, focused, and results-driven approach designed to guide you away from overwhelm and into working from a place of inspiration and rest. Schedule a coaching discovery call and take the first step towards a more joyful you.