How To Set Daily Goals

If you're looking for how to start setting your goals by the day, here are the steps to follow. The whole process becomes a very simple simple routine after a short period of practice.

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Daily goal setting: advantages and examples


The first two points were included because they are just as important as the daily goals themselves.

1. Set your goals (short-term and long-term): There is no point spending much of your daily time on activities that don't propel you toward your life goals. Therefore, your daily goals must be tiny pieces of your life goals.
Just like every airplane must know its destination before even taking off, everyone must know and WRITE DOWN their life goals.
The advantages of writing down life goals is a comprehensive discussion on its own but in summary, Goal setting is a sine quanon for success. Search the Internet for how to identify life goals if you need that help.

2. Prioritise the goals: If you have a long list of goals, you need to prioritise. This is important because splitting attention on many different goals at the same time will reduce your efficiency.
First divide them into short-term and long-term goals. Then pick a few most important ones to work towards.
For example, one may be left with any of the following goals after the elimination process;
Short term (within 3 years):
To complete writing a story book by October, 2018.
To lose 20 kg of body weight by August, 2018.
To move into my own house by January 2019.
Quit smoking by May, 2018.

Long-term (greater than 3 years):
To become a fellow of the Royal College of Physician by 2025.
To own a leading IT company by 2022.
To make heaven after death.

Of course, everyone have unique goals and the possibilities are endless

3. Derive your daily goals: Once the most important life goals have been well defined, next step is to break them down into bits for each day.
For example, if you have a debt of 12,000NGN to pay over a period of 1 year. It means you have to save 1,000NGN every month. This can be further broken down to about 33.33NGN per day. You can then aim to save 34NGN daily.
Similarly if you plan to write a book with 38 chapters over 18 months, this book can be broken-down to assign number of pages to be complete per day
This is very easy to apply for some goals but for others, it may not be very easy.
For example, quitting cigarette or alcohol may not be easy to break down in that manner. For this type, one will need to structure daily goals according to nature of long term goals. A cigarette smoker looking to quit in 6 months may start by setting daily limits to number of sticks smoked. Then he proceeds to set goals of not smoking on some days. And the progress continues.

4. Write them down daily: Daily goals may be set the night before. This makes sure that you have your day all planned before even waking up.
Once set, they should be written down in ink and their allocated time (very important) should be indicated. This doesn't mean you have to write down all your daily activities - though this is a good habit too.
Writing goals and having them in your pocket throughout the day makes it much easier to accomplish them.

5. Set electronic reminder: Additionally, you can setup a to-do list or an alarm for each activity on your smartphone. Note that this is not to replace your written down goals. Rather, it helps to call your attention when daily activities start distracting you.

6. Try you best to complete most of the goals: This is where self discipline comes in. Activities on your daily goal list should override other activities - except they are urgent and important.
Do not let a football match, TV show or a random gist prevent you from getting them done - except, of course, if they have contributory roles to your life goals.

7. Review your list at the end of the day: This should be done before writing out goals for the next day. It helps you monitor your progress, points out activities to be carried over and identify when you need to put in more commitment.

Daily repetition of all these with some personal modifications to suit you will set you on the path of goal actualization.