Success strategy: 5 steps to reach your goal

Step 1: Visualise your goal

Picture what it will be like once you have reached your goal. Imagine in great detail how you will use your new skills and where you will shine with the New You. How do you feel? What do you hear? What do you taste? How do you look – do you seem happy, relaxed, proud, confident? How will your environment react to you? Which people will recognise the difference, how will your interaction with them change?

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Step 2: Define your goal in detail

The next step is to put your goal into very specific words. How can you describe what you intend to do in one sentence? It is best to phrase this definition of your goal in the present tense and always in a positive manner. What’s important to note: “I will do more exercise” as a possible goal is not really very specific. Go into more detail. Determine in your mind: This is the sport I will tackle. That’s how much time I will invest every week. These people – trainers, colleagues, friends – are the ones who will help me. Make your goal “real” and “achievable” with concrete statements.

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Step 3: Small steps and milestones

Take on and change everything all at once? Not a good idea. Divide the path to your desired goal or change into sections and set milestones. Start with “mini habits”. Once you become used to these, continue to build on them until you reach your goal. Celebrate your achievements! Look back on what you have already accomplished and appreciate these small victories as and when they happen.

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Step 4: Make your goal meaningful

Finding meaning is important to help you keep working at it. Ask yourself: “Why am I doing this?” What motivates you to set this goal? Why do you want to change and what do you want to achieve? What changes in your life for those around you? Are there people who would benefit from these changes, and can you harness this motivation from an external source for yourself?

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Step 5: Direction and preparation check

Before you start implementing changes, check one last time: do you have what you need at your disposal to reach your destination? What does your timetable look like? Have you laid this out in detail and determined the dates? Again, here is a good idea to create milestones. And as soon as you get started, check every few days or weeks whether the direction and goal are still right or still aligned with you.