It was one of those unusually warm London days in May and I was eager to get outside and soak up the sunshine before it disappeared again. On my lunch break I hurriedly bought a health magazine, some carrot sticks and hummus, and headed to the Broadgate Circle steps.

The sunshine was every bit as glorious as it had looked from my desk window. I sat on my winter coat, flipped through my new magazine, and willed myself to be healthy that Summer. In disgust, I sighed and pinched the 10kg belly I’d put on since I arrived in London town.

I desperately wanted to be like the women in the magazine but I felt so lost and frustrated. In my heart I hoped it would just magically ‘happen’ one day. If it was a journey of a thousand steps, those steps seemed wayyy too steep.

My goal ‘to get healthy’ seemed too broad, too overwhelming, and too impossibly far away.

Thankfully (sweet heavens!), since then I’ve picked up a trick or two for rockin’ it at achieving goals. Whether you want to achieve goals related to your health, finances, personal life or biz, this little exercise might help:

The Secret to Killin' It (Goal Winning Made Easy)

Step 1

Grab a large piece of paper and brainstorm the bananas out of your goal. Get really specific. For example, if your goal is to ‘get healthy’, what exactly does ‘healthy’ mean to you? Does it mean feeling confident and happy in your body? Feeling well-rested and peaceful? Bouncing around with energy to burn? Being 5kg lighter? Having glowing skin and eyes that sparkle?

Step 2

Write down a date that you’d like to achieve this goal by. Keep in mind that lifestyle changes don’t happen overnight, so by all means be optimistic but also realistic with your deadline.

Step 3

Close your eyes for a few moments and visualise yourself on that date, having achieved your goal. Imagine it in bold technicolour, baby! What does it look, taste, smell, sound, and feel like? Revel in just how blissful it feels. Soak it up and let it out – grin, giggle, and do a happy dance.

Step 4

Open your eyes and take another look at your brainstorm paper. The key to achieving any goal (and avoiding overwhelm) is to break it down into bite-sized chunks.

Working backwards from your deadline, what do you think might need to happen each month in order for you to achieve your goal? Would you need to exercise a certain number of times per month? Learn how to make healthy, satisfying meals at home? Attend a certain number of classes? Jot down a little timeline with a few ideas for each month leading up to your deadline.

Step 5

Breaking it down even further, what do you think the first 3 action steps might be in order to move you towards achieving your big, beautiful goal? Do you need to buy or borrow a juicer? Book yourself into a yoga class? Download a meditation app? Plan your meals for the week? Go to the farmers market and stock up on green goodies?

Getting really specific with your action steps will help you power through them. Write a verb before each action step (e.g.: hire, read, research, attend, download) and how long you think each step might take.

Step 6

Open up your calendar/diary for the next week or fortnight. Figure out where you could slot your first 3 action steps into your schedule and write them into your calendar (in ink!). Scheduling your action steps sends a flashing signal to your subconscious that you’re serious about achieving your goal and are making it a priority in your life.

If it’s not scheduled, it’s not real. – Marie Forleo

Step 7

When you’ve completed your first 3 action steps, revisit your brainstorm paper and figure out what the next 3 action steps might be. Repeat steps 5 and 6.

Keep going – step by step – until you achieve your big, shiny goal! Enjoy how empowering it feels to have an action plan for achieving your goals and the little boost of self esteem that comes every time you tick off a completed action step.

Ready to rock your health and wellness goals? The new and improved Sparkle Project is HERE! Come join us! Click here to learn more and jump on board.  x

The Sparkle ProjectThe Secret to Killin' It (Goal Winning Made Easy)

2 Comments on The Secret to Killin’ It (Goal Winning Made Easy)

  1. Patricia
    June 6, 2014 at 8:07 pm (10 years ago)

    Right on target–again! I’ve begun doing step aerobics again and am going to plan a date for when these extra 5 pounds are HISTORY! I’m also ordering a new exercise DVD today so I can mix things up a bit. Thanks, Bex, for the additional guidance.

    • Vegan Sparkles
      June 7, 2014 at 10:36 am (10 years ago)

      A brilliant plan, Patricia! So happy I could help and I’d love to hear how you go with killin’ that goal! 🙂 x