Implementation, execution – it’s one of the greatest unaddressed issues in people’s lives.
— Jon Butcher, trainer of Mindvalley’s Lifebook Quest
If you’ve ever tried to reach a set goal, you know it’s usually easier said than done. And it can be exponentially harder without a clearly laid-out plan that includes your final goals and all the steps you need to get there.
Luckily, a goal-setting template can give the necessary structure to your life plans. Here’s everything you need to know about creating your own goal-setting template.
Key Elements of a Goal-Setting Template
Regardless of your personal goals, the template has a few ideal characteristics:
Simplicity
Your objectives and actions should be clearly defined. This means simple forms and layouts, be it in Excel or any other tool.
It’s important to review your goal-setting template and tweak it to ensure you always know what the next step is.
Deadlines
Goals are often long-term, so the deadline might be “TBD” or subject to change. However, objectives should have clear deadlines, and to outline these, you may have to break them down into more achievable steps. You can even connect your set objectives to your online calendar to create an extra incentive to take action.
Most Important Goal (MIG)
A goal-setting template needs to have a clear hierarchical structure starting with your MIG, or Most Important Goal. Some people prefer to structure their goals within a pyramid, while others prefer rows and columns.
Decide what works best for you and design a template with your sub-goals ranked below your MIG.
Scores
There is no right or wrong way to keep track of your progress. But scoring your progress can help you quantify your momentum and success.
You can use a scale of 1 to 10, percentages, or any other scoring system you like.
Sometimes you might not be able to complete an objective in a timely manner, or it may turn out to be too ambitious. As a result, that particular task gets a lower score, which prompts you to pay more attention to your progress.
Motivation
The template needs to show what drives you to achieve your final goal beyond your scores, measurements, and tasks. Figure out what gives you the extra push and puts a smile on your face.
Include an inspiring quote or image that motivates you to step up your game and follow through with your objectives.
Keeping your motivation high as you pursue your goals can be a challenge – especially in the long term. So, be sure to take the time to celebrate each of your successes. Any success, no matter how large or small, is a step in the right direction.
The Final Takeaway
Creating a goal-setting template has never been easier. There are a bunch of free online templates that can be customized to match your goals and objectives.
And if you feel creative, you can design a special template from scratch with just a ruler, pencil, and marker. Get creative and make it your own!
