Why should we track our goals?
By tracking your goals, you enhance your ability to stay focused, motivated, adaptable, and increase your chances of success. It’s incredibly beneficial to have goals that you can track.
To be honest, I didn't have a lot of clear goals in my life. My best attempts were: "get my bachelor's degree someday," "find some form of work," and "try a front roll with kitesurfing." These were vague goals. And as we all know, vague goals are not really motivating. Because you cannot track them, you have no idea how far you are and can easily get sidetracked.
The goals you may have already read on the homepage are my first solid and somewhat SMART goals. Goals I genuinely want to achieve. Because those 365 days will pass anyway, why not work towards becoming an insanely good kitesurfer? These goals give me motivation and direction in life.
Tracking and reviewing your goals regularly works best when your goals are clear and SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). It helps you define what you want to achieve, keeps your efforts aligned, and helps you stay focused without straying off course.
Through tracking my goals and reviewing the process, I’ve already identified an area for improvement. While my 6-month goals are quite good, I realized they are too big for now. Not too big to achieve, but I need smaller goals to get there.
Sometimes we feel overwhelmed when there’s too much information at once, or when goals seem too big and unattainable at the moment. Not to brag, but I’ve already achieved some parts of my 6-month goals. For example, I’ve ridden more than two waves and landed multiple backroll tacks. Instead of being paralyzed by the overwhelming feeling, I break it down into smaller, manageable goals.
Achieving smaller goals is essential for reaching bigger ones. In essence, smaller goals act as stepping stones that lead to the achievement of bigger goals. They help you stay organized, motivated, and focused, making the larger objectives more attainable.
Like many people, I'm a bit addicted to achieving things and getting that dopamine rush. So, if I crush smaller goals, I gain momentum. If I only focus on the bigger goals, I might miss out on that momentum and potentially lose motivation.
It's crucial to track and review my goals because, otherwise, in 6 months, I’d be doing random things to achieve them. Now, I know I need to improve or make changes in my approach. I need to set monthly goals that will help me achieve my 6-month goals, keep me motivated, build momentum, and enjoy the process.
Of course, I'm also human, and my goals are not always top of mind. I’m still learning about this. Don’t expect to get it perfect on your first try. I will make changes in my plan and execution, and that is okay.
A tip for you and me: plan monthly goal tracking and reviewing moments. Make it fun, do it at your favorite place like that beach club, or reward yourself afterward with a lovely lunch.
Remember, you got this. I also got this.
xoxo Berit