Habit Hacks - Writing Daily Goals
A Helpful Habit Hack
Do you ever write down your goals? How often do you do this? About three months ago, I started to write down a list of goals that I call the 'Daily Five'. This daily five has been my guiding light for the last 90 days and I think you will benefit from this as much as I have. Prior to this, I probably wrote down my goals every few months or whenever I felt the urge to do so. Those days are over. So, what do I write exactly? It doesn't have to be too complicated. I write down five things that I want to accomplish that day. The daily five can range from things like 'Wash All Dishes','Train All Clients/Members Well' or 'Crush Leg Day', etc. I write them down in order as this will usually guide me through my schedule for the day.
How does this help me? As mentioned above, it gives me a very solid structure for my day. I know that I need to do these things throughout the day and the act of checking the tasks off as 'done' is very fulfilling and empowering. As I check things off throughout the day or at the end of the day, it feels like I gather more momentum every single time. Through action and doing things that will guide me towards my ultimate goals, I feel like I'm gathering momentum each and every day. This is a very good feeling. There is no longer as much anxiety surrounding the things that I feel like I need to do. Do I always check off all five things from my daily five? Not always. But even if I check off three or four items, it still feels good to have done these things. Four out of five is still better than zero.
When do I do this?
I am still trying to find a sweet spot for when I write down the daily five. I've played with writing it down the night before and in the morning. Both are good but I'm leaning towards writing them down the night before. Again, these things don't have to be gigantic projects on the daily. They are just little things that add up over time that will guide me towards my ultimate goals and living the life I want to live.
What about Ultimate Goals?
In addition to writing a daily five, I also erase and re-write my ultimate goals daily. This is currently a list of things related to my goals regarding business, my family and my relationships with the people around me. These are all written in present tense - daily. Revisiting these goals at the start of my day has been extremely helpful in keeping me grounded throughout the day. Things may get stressful and I might get tired throughout the day, but if I have revisited these goals before starting my day, I am reminded about WHY I am doing the things I am doing. These ultimate goals provide a clear vision regarding why I am going through my daily five. They are simple, straight to the point and specific.
Examples of some of my ultimate goals and how I write them -
I am enjoying being able to help X amount of clients with their goals
I am being a good son, brother, boyfriend and coach
Notice how these are written in the present tense. My dear friends, the 'Pumpchasers', also told me to add in a word that ends with 'ing' so the vision becomes even clearer. I am 'enjoying, helping, thriving, etc'. What are you currently doing in terms of goal-setting and positive affirmations? If you're already doing something, please share with me what your best practices are. I'd love to hear what you're doing. If you're currently not doing anything, keep reading!
Now What?
Write down a Daily Five that will help guide you throughout the day and towards your ultimate goals
Erase and rewrite your ultimate goals daily so that your Daily Five has a strong Why related to it