Keys to Success: Break Your Goal into Small Steps

Keys to Success: Break Your Goal into Small Steps

When children are learning new skills, we break everything into small steps for them and celebrate all the small accomplishments along the way. When we are teaching children to ride a bike we start them with training wheels or someone holds the bike until they are able to maintain their balance. Unless you are in my family. My mom took me to the top of a hill and pushed. I fell into a ditch the first time, but even that helps illustrate this point. 

No one expects a child to master new skills on the first try & without any build up. We give children training wheels to build their confidence and to allow them to gradually learn the skills necessary to ride a bike solo. Letting me ride my bike down a hill, was a different approach, but controlling a bike going downhill, meant I would be able to control a bike on a flat surface (if you're wondering, I fell off my bike a couple times before I got it). 

So why do we allow children the space to take gradual steps, but we don't do the same for ourselves? 

Whether you have a fitness goal, educational goal, career goal or any other goal - breaking your goal into small steps will help you succeed. Small, manageable steps will help build your confidence and momentum and keep you motivated along the way. 

How do you break a goal into small steps? 

Identify the ultimate goal (or big goal). What needs to happen in order for you to accomplish that goal? How can you split those steps into smaller goals? Keep breaking each step down until you have very small (think bite sized) pieces. Let me give you some examples: 

Example 1:

Goal - Lose 20lbs 

If I lose 5lbs a month I can lose 20lbs in 4 months. 

I need to lose 1-2lbs per week to lose 5lbs a month. 

I will exercise 5 days per week & stick to my diet to lose 1-2lbs per week. 

Example 2:

Goal - Save $1000 for a trip in 5 months. 

If I save $200 a month I can save $1000. 

If I save $50 a week I can save $200 a month. 

I will take my lunch to work rather than eating out every day I can save $50 a week. 

Simply put, ask yourself "What small thing can I accomplish today or this week to get me closer to my ultimate goal?" And keep repeating that process until you have accomplished your goal. 

Check back the rest of the month for the rest of the posts in this series!

Follow me on Facebook and Instagram! And be sure to subscribe to my mailing list to get blog posts & other updates from me! 

You can also purchase my 10 Day Quick Start here. It comes with an easy to follow meal plan and everything you need to jump start your lifestyle change.