Photo courtesy of MJ Mac

How to Make the Time for Your Personal Goals

“Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.” - Henry Ford

One of the biggest challenges in trying to accomplish any personal goal is that we tend to put them off until tomorrow, or next week, in favor of more pressing matters at work and home.

Unfortunately, tomorrow never gets here.

If you want to accomplish a goal, you have to start on it today. Finding the time to take the steps necessary is the problem, of course, as we all lead busy and complicated lives, and when we do have time, we’re too tired to do anything that requires energy or thought. We want to veg out in front of the TV, or take a nap.

So how do you find the time for your personal goals? That’s what reader Trin recently asked:

How to do you honestly make the time? I’m not even sure where to begin with my own goals, as I already feel I have to sacrifice something important to take care of me. I would really love your opinion, as a father of 6 children, what activities were cut out of your daily life in order to insert your personal goals?

I’m not going to be able to give an easy answer. There isn’t a single little trick I can give you to find huge blocks of time where you can pursue all the goals you’ve ever dreamed of. It takes work, it takes commitment, it takes motivation … but it can be done, without a doubt. I’ve done it — despite being married with six kids, and until recently working two jobs, I found time to train for a marathon, to work on eliminating my debt, to eat healthier, to declutter and become organized, to wake earlier, and more.

How? Again, there was no one step that did it for me, but a series of them that add up over time:

One goal at a time. Often the problem is that we try to take on too many goals at once. We have a list of things we want to accomplish, spanning the spectrum from gardening to learning Italian to getting in shape. It can be overwhelming, and because of that we never start. Or instead, perhaps we start with a head full of steam, but then run out of steam quickly, because it’s extremely difficult to maintain focus and energy (the two key ingredients in accomplishing a goal) for too many goals at once. Even two goals at once is difficult, if you aren’t already running on autopilot for one of those goals. For now, focus on one goal at a time. Once that’s on autopilot, you can go to the next one. Figure on at least a month per goal.
Make sure you really want it. It’s not enough to say, “It would be nice to learn French” or “It would be cool to do yoga every morning”. It has to be something you really want. Ask yourself why you want to achieve this goal, and how much you want it. Figure out your motivations. That’s important to do early on, or you won’t make time for it.
Make it your top priority. We all have multiple things to focus on in our lives, from school or work to family to errands to various goals and commitments and hobbies and civic activities. If we put all these focuses before our One Goal, we won’t ever find the time for our goal. There’s only so much time in the day. At some point, we’ve got to prioritize, and if we make our goal our top priority,we’ll make the time.
Reduce your commitments. I’m a big fan of simplifying your life — and one of the first things you should do when simplifying is to make a short list of the 4-5 things that are most important to you, that you want to make time for, that you love and that bring you joy. I’ve said this before, but just to give you an example, my top things are spending time with my family, writing, reading, and running. Everything else is non-essential. Once you’ve made your short list, you should reduce some of the non-essential commitments. Is being a member of the Harley-Davidson club no longer bringing you joy and fulfillment? Gracefully bow out. If you reduce at least a few commitments, you’ll now have room in your life for the things you want to do — including your personal goal.
Keep it simple. It’s important not to make your personal goal too complicated. You don’t want to have a huge list of things to do in order to accomplish your goal. You’ll be overwhelmed. Instead, focus on a smaller sub-goal that will lead you to your bigger goal. If you have a goal to invest for retirement, for example, make your first goal simply to learn what you need to know about investing. Make your second goal to open the necessary account and transfer money. Then make it your goal to have regular, automatic contributions and not to touch those contributions. Another approach is to focus first on creating a habit that will get you to your goal. If your goal is getting in shape, for example, focus on forming the habit of walking each day (or running, or cycling, or whatever). Once you’ve formed that habit, focus on drinking only water. Then on eating fruits and veggies instead of junk snacks. And so on, until you’ve reached your goal.
Stay focused. One of the most difficult things when it comes to achieving goals is maintaining your focus on that goal. It’s easy to become obsessed with something else, and when we lose focus, we suddenly stop making time for the goal. Instead, find ways to maintain that focus. Put a poster on your wall, or a printout on your fridge, or make your goal your computer desktop picture. Send yourself daily reminders. Tell others about it, in real life and on your blog, and have them ask you about it daily.
Block off time. OK, this is a crucial step. Maybe it should be No. 1 on this list, but I felt it important to lay the foundation with the steps above first. But once you’ve laid that foundation, you absolutely must block off time to work on your goal. Whatever time works for you — first thing in the morning, lunchtime, mid-afternoon, right after work, late at night. Try to schedule a time when you won’t be interrupted by other “urgent” requests (meetings, calls, kids, etc.) and when you have good energy. For me, that’s in the morning, as mid-afternoons are times when other things come up to interrupt your schedule (especially when I worked in an office) and early evening (right after work for most people) I tend to get a bit tired. You have to find the right block of time. Designate no less than 30 minutes, although really an hour is much, much better. Two hours isn’t feasible for most people, but your schedule might be different.

Make it your most important appointment. That block of time you just scheduled has to be given the utmost priority. There are appointments we take seriously — a doctor’s appointment, or an important meeting — and we will do everything we can to ensure that we make those appointments and are not late for them. “Sorry, I have a doctor’s appointment at that time — can’t take the conference call until a couple hours later.” But when it comes to our time for working on our personal goal, we will often push it back because of other pressing things. Don’t let that happen. Make that block of time on your schedule become sacrosanct, and never let it be violated.
Show that you’re serious. Be fully committed. Tell as many people as possible about your goal, and the scheduled block of time that is sacrosanct. Write down your goal, and be specific. If you can’t even write it down, you’re not serious. Then write out a plan, with dates and actions. Think about obstacles, and write down your strategy for overcoming them. The plan shows you’re serious.
Find your time wasters. In every person’s life, there are things that can easily be cut out without making much of a difference. Things that waste our time without giving us much benefit. Things such as TV, video games, fun stuff online, going to bars, etc. If you can identify those time wasters, you can free up time for working on your goals. Remember, if it’s not on your short list (No. 4 above), you can eliminate it.
Make it a part of your daily or weekly routine. This is important to keep the goal going for a long period of time. If it’s a goal you can complete in a week, you don’t need to do this step. But the most worthwhile goals are ones that take time to accomplish, and for those, you’ll need to make it part of your routine. Some goals will need to be daily — say, drinking water, or exercise, or perhaps decluttering. Find a time in your daily routine where you will always do this activity, and don’t let yourself drop it. Put it immediately after something that’s already firmly ingrained in your routine — say, showering or brushing your teeth, or arriving at work — so that you won’t forget to do it. For other goal activities, a weekly schedule would be better — say, making a weekly savings deposit or debt payment, or a weekly yoga class — put this on your calendar and have a reminder sent to you so you don’t forget it.

“Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.” - Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back

If you liked this article, please share it on del.icio.us, StumbleUpon or Digg. I’d appreciate it. :)

How to Make the Time for Your Personal Goals

“Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.” - Henry Ford

One of the biggest challenges in trying to accomplish any personal goal is that we tend to put them off until tomorrow, or next week, in favor of more pressing matters at work and home.

Unfortunately, tomorrow never gets here.

So how do you find the time for your personal goals? That’s what reader Trin recently asked:

How to do you honestly make the time? I’m not even sure where to begin with my own goals, as I already feel I have to sacrifice something important to take care of me. I would really love your opinion, as a father of 6 children, what activities were cut out of your daily life in order to insert your personal goals?

How? Again, there was no one step that did it for me, but a series of them that add up over time:

One goal at a time. Often the problem is that we try to take on too many goals at once. We have a list of things we want to accomplish, spanning the spectrum from gardening to learning Italian to getting in shape. It can be overwhelming, and because of that we never start. Or instead, perhaps we start with a head full of steam, but then run out of steam quickly, because it’s extremely difficult to maintain focus and energy (the two key ingredients in accomplishing a goal) for too many goals at once. Even two goals at once is difficult, if you aren’t already running on autopilot for one of those goals. For now, focus on one goal at a time. Once that’s on autopilot, you can go to the next one. Figure on at least a month per goal.
Make sure you really want it. It’s not enough to say, “It would be nice to learn French” or “It would be cool to do yoga every morning”. It has to be something you really want. Ask yourself why you want to achieve this goal, and how much you want it. Figure out your motivations. That’s important to do early on, or you won’t make time for it.
Make it your top priority. We all have multiple things to focus on in our lives, from school or work to family to errands to various goals and commitments and hobbies and civic activities. If we put all these focuses before our One Goal, we won’t ever find the time for our goal. There’s only so much time in the day. At some point, we’ve got to prioritize, and if we make our goal our top priority,we’ll make the time.
Reduce your commitments. I’m a big fan of simplifying your life — and one of the first things you should do when simplifying is to make a short list of the 4-5 things that are most important to you, that you want to make time for, that you love and that bring you joy. I’ve said this before, but just to give you an example, my top things are spending time with my family, writing, reading, and running. Everything else is non-essential. Once you’ve made your short list, you should reduce some of the non-essential commitments. Is being a member of the Harley-Davidson club no longer bringing you joy and fulfillment? Gracefully bow out. If you reduce at least a few commitments, you’ll now have room in your life for the things you want to do — including your personal goal.
Keep it simple. It’s important not to make your personal goal too complicated. You don’t want to have a huge list of things to do in order to accomplish your goal. You’ll be overwhelmed. Instead, focus on a smaller sub-goal that will lead you to your bigger goal. If you have a goal to invest for retirement, for example, make your first goal simply to learn what you need to know about investing. Make your second goal to open the necessary account and transfer money. Then make it your goal to have regular, automatic contributions and not to touch those contributions. Another approach is to focus first on creating a habit that will get you to your goal. If your goal is getting in shape, for example, focus on forming the habit of walking each day (or running, or cycling, or whatever). Once you’ve formed that habit, focus on drinking only water. Then on eating fruits and veggies instead of junk snacks. And so on, until you’ve reached your goal.
Stay focused. One of the most difficult things when it comes to achieving goals is maintaining your focus on that goal. It’s easy to become obsessed with something else, and when we lose focus, we suddenly stop making time for the goal. Instead, find ways to maintain that focus. Put a poster on your wall, or a printout on your fridge, or make your goal your computer desktop picture. Send yourself daily reminders. Tell others about it, in real life and on your blog, and have them ask you about it daily.
Block off time. OK, this is a crucial step. Maybe it should be No. 1 on this list, but I felt it important to lay the foundation with the steps above first. But once you’ve laid that foundation, you absolutely must block off time to work on your goal. Whatever time works for you — first thing in the morning, lunchtime, mid-afternoon, right after work, late at night. Try to schedule a time when you won’t be interrupted by other “urgent” requests (meetings, calls, kids, etc.) and when you have good energy. For me, that’s in the morning, as mid-afternoons are times when other things come up to interrupt your schedule (especially when I worked in an office) and early evening (right after work for most people) I tend to get a bit tired. You have to find the right block of time. Designate no less than 30 minutes, although really an hour is much, much better. Two hours isn’t feasible for most people, but your schedule might be different.

Make it your most important appointment. That block of time you just scheduled has to be given the utmost priority. There are appointments we take seriously — a doctor’s appointment, or an important meeting — and we will do everything we can to ensure that we make those appointments and are not late for them. “Sorry, I have a doctor’s appointment at that time — can’t take the conference call until a couple hours later.” But when it comes to our time for working on our personal goal, we will often push it back because of other pressing things. Don’t let that happen. Make that block of time on your schedule become sacrosanct, and never let it be violated.
Show that you’re serious. Be fully committed. Tell as many people as possible about your goal, and the scheduled block of time that is sacrosanct. Write down your goal, and be specific. If you can’t even write it down, you’re not serious. Then write out a plan, with dates and actions. Think about obstacles, and write down your strategy for overcoming them. The plan shows you’re serious.
Find your time wasters. In every person’s life, there are things that can easily be cut out without making much of a difference. Things that waste our time without giving us much benefit. Things such as TV, video games, fun stuff online, going to bars, etc. If you can identify those time wasters, you can free up time for working on your goals. Remember, if it’s not on your short list (No. 4 above), you can eliminate it.
Make it a part of your daily or weekly routine. This is important to keep the goal going for a long period of time. If it’s a goal you can complete in a week, you don’t need to do this step. But the most worthwhile goals are ones that take time to accomplish, and for those, you’ll need to make it part of your routine. Some goals will need to be daily — say, drinking water, or exercise, or perhaps decluttering. Find a time in your daily routine where you will always do this activity, and don’t let yourself drop it. Put it immediately after something that’s already firmly ingrained in your routine — say, showering or brushing your teeth, or arriving at work — so that you won’t forget to do it. For other goal activities, a weekly schedule would be better — say, making a weekly savings deposit or debt payment, or a weekly yoga class — put this on your calendar and have a reminder sent to you so you don’t forget it.

“Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.” - Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back

If you liked this article, please share it on del.icio.us, StumbleUpon or Digg. I’d appreciate it. :)

Posted on 10 March 2008 in Goals |
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Comments (82)

Shilpan | successsoul.com Says:

March 10th, 2008, 20:03 pm

Leo -

Great post again. It is important to visualize your daily targets and try to hit them on a daily basis. I also try to review the day and make adjustment for the next day. Your post has great content.

Shilpan

Marelisa Says:

March 10th, 2008, 20:24 pm

This all sounds good. I would add to just get started. So often we just sit there thinking of all the things we wish we were doing. Just get up and start doing it. Starting is the hardest part (it’s physics –an object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion). You need to get some momentum going (sign up for the class, get a domain name and hosting, order the how-to DVD, etc.).

Griffin Says:

March 10th, 2008, 20:35 pm

I have to confess, Leo - I’m a chronic abuser of goal-exuberance. It’s difficult, too, when you mean well. It’s rough when your enthusiasm (that would bode very well for one, specific goal) rears its ugly head towards a laundry list of “I should do’s”, which in turns causes me to become completely inundated…drowning in the muck and mire of “ambition.”

Thanks for the reminder!

Eric Says:

March 10th, 2008, 20:40 pm

Excellent points to implement! I can only imagine how many of us really need to examine number 10!

Manly Dale Says:

March 10th, 2008, 20:45 pm

An excellent post for scatterbrained individuals like myself. I always find myself thinking “Gee I should make that a goal” or “I really want to do this _____” but never get around to finding the time.

Just wanted to say I love your blog and its tips. Some of your writing has inspired me to get off my butt and start my own blog project.

Aloha from Hawaii,
The Manly Guy Dale

Clay Collins | How to Pick Up a Cow, Daily Says:

March 10th, 2008, 20:45 pm

Just wrote a related piece on incremental development called How to Pick Up a Cow, Daily”

Anyway, I think a really important element is to figure out your “goal rate.” That is, you need to find out how much of the goal you need to accomplish per day in order to achieve your goal on time (this requires a deadline). Things like writing a novel, or prepping for an Ironman don’t seem so huge when we give ourselves 3 years to complete the task. That’s just my take.

–Clay

Carole Fogarty Says:

March 10th, 2008, 20:46 pm

Hi Leo,

Your first point is the winner for me.

I usually get so excited with so many goals that my energies can easily disperse. The joys of being an air sign.

When I stay focused and just stick to one goal then success usually follows. I never get out of bed in the morning until I can feel the goal in my feet, toes, body, arms and fingers. This tends to make it more real for me.

Peace, love and travel

Carole Fogarty

Putta Says:

March 10th, 2008, 20:56 pm

Leo:

Thanks again for your inspiration. I am trying to declutter my house with great difficulty as I am dealing with over ten years of piling and shelving and so on. But I am trying my very best to declutter. Although I cannot do it everyday as I am tied up with my tight schedule, I put this as my Sunday goal. So, every Sunday (I work 6 days a week), I declutter bit by bit while trying to negotiate with my mom, who is a packed rat and refuses to let go of everything. She has to go through everything I throw or give away, nearly always takes back a few things and saves them under the table, personal boxes, and so on…

Prior to reading your blog, I usually laid blame on others: my mom, my sis, my brothers, etc. Now, I stop!!!! I decide to be positive and believe I can do my very utmost by stopping the blame game and starting my own decluttering endeavors. I still have a hard time negotiating with my mom but I’ve tried not to lose my cool and go on with my personal Sunday goal…

Again, it is a very long way from the minimalist goal I set for myself… But I would like to let you know that I am trying and doing this. Small steps, small successes and great stories!!! Thanks again.

Corey - Simple Marriage Project Says:

March 10th, 2008, 21:24 pm

It all starts with action. Get up a get going. It gets easier as you get into what’s important. The same points can be applied to marriage.

Whatever is important in our life, we will make time for.

Rachel Says:

March 10th, 2008, 21:26 pm

Watever it is I want to do, if it is difficult, I try doing it for just 20 minutes. I figure I can do anything for 20 minutes, exercise, clean the kitchen, study, etc. It really is about baby steps.

Never the Same River Twice Says:

March 10th, 2008, 21:34 pm

I am definitely striving to have more time in my life for the Important rather than the Urgent - especially as that relates to my larger life goals.

What I’ve realized is that I can hack some of the principles of the 4-Hour Workweek to streamline my personal tasks and free up more time for writing, spending time with friends and family, and playing music. Those are the things I enjoy and get the most fulfillment from right now.

Charles Says:

March 10th, 2008, 21:40 pm

Hey Leo,

I’m a regular of yours.

Based on my own experience and the general gist of previous comments, I’d like your thoughts on #2 (desire).

I’ve often found that my REAL desire simply isn’t strong enough to sustain motivation to goal completion.

It seems from the comments others have similar problems. If you’ll notice, many give the impression that they must “force–discipline–coerce” themselves into maintaining goal focus.

The things I’m REALLY interested in and have a REAL BURNING DESIRE FOR do not require any kind of forced discipline, planning or scheduling. I just simply can’t wait to take the next step.

So, my test for desire is: is this something I really want to be-do-have? Am I really willing to do what is necessary to realize it? Or is it something I just feel I SHOULD do based on conscious or unconscious values, beliefs or what others may say, think or do.

What say you?

Dini Dangerfield Says:

March 10th, 2008, 21:41 pm

True as always! What is going to be different when you plan to quit cigarettes tomorrow? If you really wanted you would do it now. Just do the damn thing!

Tim Moore Says:

March 10th, 2008, 22:25 pm

Leo,

First, thanks for the blog, I really do find it motivating, but my problem is this:

As a working college student, each day has a different schedule. This makes it hard to set up a routine that I can consistently follow. To make things more challenging, If I do manage to find something that works, by the time I am adjusted it is either the next semester or break and my schedule changes completely again?

Any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Tim

Mike OD - IF Life Says:

March 10th, 2008, 22:39 pm

I think most people need to start with a clear defined vision or goal. As specific as possible. The more specific it is, the more we will know exactly what steps to do to get there.

Saying “I want to be rich”….will get us nowhere. Saying “I want to make $100/hr doing (insert your dream job here)” then at least gives you a plan to start taking action on.

We all need to take time out to get specific visions…..we all need reminders to do it to and this is such a reminder. Thanks!

banji - LessonInLife.com Says:

March 10th, 2008, 22:43 pm

Tim - Personally I think the keyword is flexible. Never try to make a schedule that will bind you to the floor. And to always have some room for changes (which will happen everyday in our life). As long as you’re on your way to achieve your goal, you’re already on the right track.

I believe there’s a post from Leo on how to go with the flow. We can never really control what happen to us, we can just control how we reacted to it.

Leo - A very nice piece as always. I am actually trying very hard to reduce my commitment :) Wish me luck

Jeff - Science Says Says:

March 10th, 2008, 22:44 pm

You know, I’ve also found that these always take the back seat - time just slips by so quickly. Thanks Leo!

fathersez Says:

March 10th, 2008, 22:55 pm

This post carries a very useful message.

Having clear goals and scheduling our goals into our daily calender should do the trick. By default the time wasting activities should start getting squeeezed out.

Too many people get up in the morning and then do whatever strkes them that day, more reactive than proactive.

Thanks for sharing

Scott Says:

March 10th, 2008, 23:25 pm

One Goal at a Time!

I stumble on number 1 so many times. There are so many things I want to do and attempt, and I tend to get de-focused.

I know you’ve done this before, but maybe its worthy again. a Post just about one goal at a time. How do you break it down to just one goal? For example, lets say you want to lose weight. Well, the goal could be lose 2 lb this week.
—It could be eat only 1600 calories today.
—it could be exercise 30 minutes today.
—It could be weigh myself everyday to track a trend.
—It could be track what I eat each day.
—It could be to do strenth training 3 days this week.
—It could be eat every 3 hours.
—It could be mindful of my macro-nutrient combinations (protein-fat-carb ratios).
—It could be a lot of things…
All of those smaller goals comprise the larger goal of lose 2 lbs this week. — Yet, concentrating on just one and building habits.
== The question becomes what goal to concentrate.

I am reminded of Golf. The exceptional golfers don’t think, they just act. It’s just there. The recreational golfer goes out to golf and has too much thinking: keep my elbow straight, knees bent, smooth slow back-swing, ball straight, swing through the ball, etc… Too much thought and not enough mindless habitual action.

How do you focus on one goal in such a way to create mindless habitual action?

That’s what I’d like to see more of. this is zenhabits. How do I build habits for your fabulous posts of ideas? :)

Thanks again Leo, Peace to you.

CindySense Says:

March 10th, 2008, 23:50 pm

Hi Leo,

Great Post. I just found your site the other day and I love it!
Goals are so necessary in our lifes to keep moving forward in the direction we want to go.
I believe you need to truly desire your goal on a personal/selfish level. You can’t want it for your spouse, kids, parents, or boss. You have to truly want it for yourself - only then will you continue to be motivated to see ti through to completion.

Eugene (Editor, Varsity Blah) Says:

March 11th, 2008, 1:51 am

The best investment I ever made for my personal goals was Get the Edge by Anthony Robbins. I recently wrote a review and one of the things he talks about is using anger and pain to push you to the next level:

“Get angry. This may seem like a step in the wrong direction, but anger can be a great motivator. In fact, feeling a sense of frustration and dissatisfaction with our lives is often exactly what’s needed to push us to the next level. It all comes down to the fact that everyone is driven by a combination of pleasure and pain, i.e. the proverbial carrot and stick. Focus on the pain of where you are and the pleasure of where you want to be. Decide that it’s about time you raised your standards and refused to accept mediocrity any longer. Decide that things absolutely have to change and that they absolutely have to change right now.”

Ardi Says:

March 11th, 2008, 2:51 am

wow…there’s always a nice and useful articles in this site. And this is one of it.
I really need this to change my life.

Thank you so much Leo…
You da men… ;-)

Leo Says:

March 11th, 2008, 2:51 am

Thanks for the comments, guys! I appreciate the thoughts and encouragement.

@Scott: You’re right, I have written about that kind of stuff before, but I realize that I should go over it again. Sometimes I feel like I’m repeating myself too much, but I think it’s always good to focus on the basics, especially for new readers.

I’ll try to do some habits-related posts in the coming weeks. Thanks for the suggestion!

Khürt Williams Says:

March 11th, 2008, 6:37 am

This is the best blog I have ever read. Excellent!!

karina Says:

March 11th, 2008, 8:54 am

thx for the nice posts. There are always so interesting to me. and usefull

Brett Legree Says:

March 11th, 2008, 9:46 am

Leo,

Excellent post. I like to think of it this way:

What if you only had 6 weeks to live? What would you be doing? And don’t say, “yes, but I’m healthy”. You could die right now reading this comment from me. And assuming you have a traditional job, your boss won’t miss you. You can be replaced at work.

But your family, and your friends, they will miss you.

It sounds very simplistic. But isn’t that sort of what Zen Habits is telling us?

So get out there and start living your dream. You’ll thank yourself later.

humberto Says:

March 11th, 2008, 10:08 am

i’ve been reading your blog for a couple of weeks now, and I enjoy it a lot

about #6 I read a few months ago on lifehacker a nice technique used by Seinfeld to stay focused or at least try to stay focused on a particular activity and some kind of motivation, it’s about using a big calendar, here is the link for anyone that is interested

http://lifehacker.com/software/motivation/jerry-seinfelds-productivity-secret-281626.php

michael Says:

March 11th, 2008, 10:16 am

Ha! He pulls out the yoda quote at the end. I chuckled.

Mark Says:

March 11th, 2008, 10:45 am

Great advice. Personally I am not a big goal setter, however for many setting goals and haveing a method to achieve them is key to success.

Mark Says:

March 11th, 2008, 10:49 am

Another great post!

I know for me, in order to really get into the habit and move towards any goal I set, I need to make it part of my routine (#11) as fast as possible. I also make sure to block off time (#7) for any goal I set.

For example, I just started meditating using the book “8 Minute Meditation” (a great book by the way). I decided to meditate right before bed. That way I really have no excuse to not meditate. I have been meditating for only 2 weeks and it is already a part of my routine. I really look forward to it and am sure that I will be meditating for a long time to come.

tracey m Says:

March 11th, 2008, 10:50 am

About eliminating those time wasters…
Here’s a great metaphor for using your time in life:
A guy had an empty jar (your time - your life) and some rocks (important stuff) pebbles (less important stuff) and sand (filler - time wasters). He said if you fill your jar with the pebbles and sand first, there won’t be room for the rocks. We have to put the rocks in first (make time for the big stuff) then the pebbles (work, chores, etc.) and the sand goes in last.

You can see the rocks as steps towards big goals, or daily basics, like spending time with your family…
Get ‘em in there first!!

--Deb Says:

March 11th, 2008, 10:58 am

Thank you for this. This is one of my most-challenging things–not allowing myself to be distracted when I’m trying to focus on getting something DONE.

Chris Austria Says:

March 11th, 2008, 11:57 am

Leo–What would you say to people who disciplined themselves so that they can reach their goal and then ended up not achieving this goal?

Thanks.

Wendi Kelly Says:

March 11th, 2008, 12:42 pm

Great post! I feel like printing it out as a map for success.
I think my problem in the past is that I have too many goals at once, several in each catagory of life, and get overwhelmed trying to make them all happen.
I am now just trying to work on one from each of the main categories in my life ( family, health, spiritual and business) and see if that improves my chances of success.

David Parker Says:

March 11th, 2008, 12:56 pm

Great post Leo. I think for me personally, I need to work on #4, #7 and #8. Oftentimes, I make too many goals, and then I make their priority times. These times end up being way too short, due to too many goals, and nothing gets accomplished so then I end up frustrated. Thanks for the advice; it’s good to hear it reiterated!

skyz Says:

March 11th, 2008, 12:59 pm

i read somewhere once ‘life is won in inches’ so i figure as long as i am doing something in the direction i want to go that is the single step that begins the journey of a thousand miles - so once i start i get into it and then i refine it (i love refinement) and then i find the cosmos starts to help me by bringing me people and information inspiration and validation and then i find one day with no trumpets blaring that i have achieved my goal - i invest myself in myself and my dreams come true - un bel di - one fine day

Laurel Says:

March 11th, 2008, 13:04 pm

Just wondering–what if one really needs to start with more than one goal at a time–say, starting a business and starting an exercise routine? I know it’s important to focus, but without the exercise, the energy for the business won’t be there, etc. I’m in the midst of a large life transition, and multiple goals are on the table, and it feels impossible to prioritize as they are all commanding my attention. I most likely need to look around on the site more for more about this–and thanks for posting this, as I am new and it’s good to see some down-to-earth things right off the top.

Klaus Says:

March 11th, 2008, 13:41 pm

Excellent points!
However, implementing them is the hard part… Traditional calendar tools do not really help, as they do not support the notion of goals or of time budgets to reach them. DAISHO fully integrates these concepts and could help to reach your goals…
Well, as I said: implementing is the hard part, but with the right tool, it gets a little bit easier.
Klaus

Brett Legree Says:

March 11th, 2008, 14:08 pm

@ Laurel - I’d say just start anyway, but pick the one that is most important as your “do not fail” goal, and work at the other one too.

No matter what we do, we always stumble in my experience (I’ve learned by watching my four children - you can learn a lot from children). But, if you do stumble, get back up again.

What works for me is to journal my progress daily, and review it regularly. Leo suggests doing that here as well. It really works - you can track your progress, and review your private victories on your way to success.

I know you can do it. Myself, I’ve recently set forth on a course to improve my physical fitness, write two books, and start a blog. I am making good progress on each of these.

Yes, I stumble, but I get right back up again. And I am getting better at it.

Good luck!

Laurel Says:

March 11th, 2008, 14:15 pm

Thanks, Klaus and Brett, for your responses, esp. Brett, your empathy about the multiple goals which sound a lot like mine. It’s nice to be “heard.”

Brett Legree Says:

March 11th, 2008, 14:41 pm

@ Laurel,

You are very welcome, I find it helps to talk with like-minded people. I am certain that you will succeed.

By the way, your web page and blog are great! They are warm and welcoming, and complement each other very well.

I’ll stop back in to your blog soon to have a look around - until then, have a great day!

Jonathan Mead Says:

March 11th, 2008, 14:55 pm

I think one of the most important aspects of goal achievement is writing your goals down. Put them somewhere where you’ll always be reminded of them. Then start making action-lists. Commit to completing at least one of those actions each day. If the action is too big, simplify it or break it down.

Paul Kimmel Says:

March 11th, 2008, 15:33 pm

One more thing (I haven’t read all the responses, so I hope it hasn’t been mentioned) is to get things done quickly. Learning to work quickly (especially with everyday chores and other non-goal related but still necessary tasks) is good for your brain, and it really does put more hours into your day. I’ve started challenging myself with arbitrary time limits on things like food prep and housework, and it really does make more time for the things I love.

Chris Says:

March 11th, 2008, 16:07 pm

Totally embodies Thoreau, “Simplify, Simplify.” I needed this today because I’ve been overwhelmed with all of my dreams and goals to the point of standstill. Now I can finish the year stronger by taking on one per month and expanding it to two, if I want to go deeper or require more time for things like reading, research or field trips to learn more.

Good stuff, Leo.

Zenator Says:

March 11th, 2008, 17:00 pm

Thank you so much for this. Your site is incredible!

Timothy Hyde Says:

March 11th, 2008, 17:39 pm

I try not to put anything on the To Do list that is not in reality going to get done on a particular day. For years I kept a page that listed way to many things, projects, grand plans, big dreams.

Now i’ve learnt to “chunk” the big things down, and most days end up with everything crossed off. Feels nice.

Mr Hyde

skyz Says:

March 11th, 2008, 18:00 pm

through the miracle of minimalism i have brought my life to the point where other than keeping things together the pursuit of my dreams and my pleasures are the greater part - i stopped ‘giving it all way’ - i feel extremely blessed - there are billionaires who would envy me my life - my motto is from the i ching ’simple grace no blame’ - as pythagoras said ‘choices are the hinges of destiny’ - make every choice work for you !

Ralph Says:

March 11th, 2008, 19:54 pm

this is a useful post, thanks :)

…for me, when I get overwhelmed/disoriented I am always glad to remember what I feel is the most important thing, the only one true priority, which is to be as fully present to this moment as possible, not to make it a means to an end to get into that next BETTER now, then, I get to wake up again, and again, to this life I have refused again and again, until now …. (my last words here I am quoting a very powerful poem from David Whyte, in full it reads ->

Enough by David Whyte

Enough. These few words are enough.
If not these words, this breath.
If not this breath, this sitting here.
This opening to the life
we have refused
again and again
until now.
Until now.

peace my friends,
ralph
http://www.beyondthemind.org/

Eileen Says:

March 11th, 2008, 20:13 pm

I have a personal goal to build my own websites and online business. I have the idea for the product I want, but right now I have too many activities. I have my day job, the side job that I committed to even though the money is not significant or essential, and the hobbies that I really enjoy and don’t want to give up. The other obstacle is that I really like sitting around and doing nothing or surfing the Internet. I enjoy this more than working on my personal goal or on my day job. I think my best options are to get the side job out of the way and cut down on the sitting around until I make enough money to sit around as much as I want. Being more efficient would also make my day job go easier.

Mike Says:

March 11th, 2008, 20:16 pm

Love this post. I have personally done the step of writing down the 5 most important things in my life and focusing on them. It is amazing to see how good those 5 things become and everything else just falls into place.

Keep up the great work.

Colleen Says:

March 11th, 2008, 20:36 pm

Hmm… 53 comments so far. I shouldn’t be surprised. It is a great post, Leo.

And it reminded me that I purchased your Ebook a while ago and have been focused on other things… until reading this post.

So, despite the fact that it may not get seen by many, here is my first public statement of intent about my new habits:

1. Today is the first day of writing in my farm blog everyday
2. Today is the first day of ubiquitous capture and downloading to a master to do list.

So, anyone who wants to offer encouragement or to hound me if I miss a day on my blog, please do!

Faz Says:

March 11th, 2008, 22:48 pm

Hi again Leo,

For me, your post here links directly to your answer to my question in your 100question extravaganza. My own inner voice had been telling me to make time for my personal goal, but my conscious mind decided not to listen. Ever since I graduated from my NLP training last year, my conscious mind and subconscious mind are happily talking and listening to each other. On top of that, your blog posts help me to refresh my intention to continue living in inner harmony.

Thanks for mentioning the time wasters in #10. In December ‘07, I canceled my satelite TV channels. I thought that I’d be crippled without them. My intention was to eliminate that extra cost - fees got hiked. I got re-acquainted with my bookshelves and their contents, my DVDs, my fav music collection, and many times when I’m lounging on the living room carpet, I can even hear the gentle tinkling of my windchimes from the balcony. The bit of extra cash I have, I add it to my savings. The un-intended outcome: a clearer path to turn my home into my own harmonious space.

One step at the time, every time :-)

Take care of each other,
Faz

Laurie Says:

March 11th, 2008, 23:34 pm

I cut TV out of my life. I will occasionally watch it with my kids but I don’t turn it on. One of my friends asked me how I found the time to read all that I do and I said, “I don’t watch American Idol.” the ladies I was with are all addicted to it.

I am focusing on starting my own business. I will be quiting my current job at the end of June and will be diving into my new business. I’m a science teacher and will be developing a company which sells science assemblies to schools. I am so pumped. It’s a risky move but will provide more out of life that I thrive on. I keep hearing that you have to risk in life so I’m jumping in the water! :O)

Thanks for the encouragement Leo. Reading your blog and SImple Marriage Project blog are both on my list of things I like to do. They give me perspective.

Edwin Says:

March 11th, 2008, 23:48 pm

Another great post! This post really got into me and reminded me of my goals. I found out that I had way too many commitments and I wasn’t serious about them. Now I guess its time to reconsider.

Thanks for the reminder

Russell Says:

March 12th, 2008, 0:10 am

Another Fantastic Post Leo! I have to give you bonus points for the Yoda quote! Brilliant!

Kevin Says:

March 12th, 2008, 0:51 am

Lots of great stuff in here to consider…..Thank you!

blogrdoc Says:

March 12th, 2008, 2:10 am

I found that the two hours I spend awake in the evening after I put the kids to sleep were better spent if I would just go to bed early and wake early. At 5:30am, I’m much less likely to waste time and much more likely to act on my inspirations.

Neal Says:

March 12th, 2008, 2:50 am

I’m a big fan of cutting big to-do items into smaller pieces that take about 20 minutes each. Then I can work for 20 minutes, take a break for a minute or two, and get back to work. Getting started is the hardest part, but after I complete the first small item I usually find myself on a roll. If I’m doing computer work, going to a library or an empty room helps eliminate distractions and forces me to be productive.

Magneto Says:

March 12th, 2008, 6:39 am

Just wanted to congratulate you for this terrific website you are maintaining here. Truly motivating articles about tackling life’s hassles that everyone can relate to.

Wish you all the best in life…

Mindful Mimi Says:

March 12th, 2008, 7:04 am

I just came across your site and like your posts a lot. Thanks for zenning my life a bit today.

My Daily Thoughts Says:

March 12th, 2008, 7:27 am

Reasonable goals is achievable. Staying focus can turn something into gold. Thanks for sharing

Petar Says:

March 12th, 2008, 8:17 am

From #10

>going to bars, etc.

I don’t go to bars but I used to really enjoy cafes because they used to let me relax and unwind as well as socialize… and socializing is rarely a “waste of time” as stated above.

I’d still be going but I too have to “find the time”… it’s funny (or sad) how life can get busy/complicated in a short period of time…

Otherwise, I’d agree 100% on the rest of the post. :)

Amir | Passion-Based Learning Says:

March 12th, 2008, 10:57 am

One of your best posts so far Leo. :)

Ignacio Says:

March 12th, 2008, 12:32 pm

Hi Leo,

thank you very much for this post. It was very useful for me and my wife.
We used to have so many things in our heads and don’t know where to start that we always get tired before we start…

What I do now is a huge list of things; and then start to prioritize them. When I get 3 of them, I plan myself.

See you!

Katie Says:

March 12th, 2008, 12:44 pm

Thank you for your blog. I’ve only been reading it for a short time but you inspire me. Keep up the good work!

Joe Says:

March 12th, 2008, 14:02 pm

I can’t agree with you more, especially about finding your time wasters. My teenage kids say they don’t have time for a certain activity and I will tell them to write down everything you do tomorrow with a time next to it. Sure enough, things such as email, telephone and goofing off are at the top of the list that is not necessary or excessive. My next question is what are your priorities?

It is the same advice I give to people when they want to start a budget. Keep track of your expenses for a pay period and see what happens. People are truly shocked when they get the total.

Joe

oakling Says:

March 12th, 2008, 18:39 pm

These are all really important! I think that it’s really true that “Finding the time to take the steps necessary is the problem, of course, as we all lead busy and complicated lives, and when we do have time, we’re too tired to do anything that requires energy or thought. We want to veg out in front of the TV, or take a nap.” Addressing that directly is really important too though - I mean, we can use all the rest of those points to try to override the fact that we are too tired to do anything, to try to simplify a little. But making sure our basic needs for sleep and relaxation are being met, in and of itself, is a really powerful way to free up energy for our goals. It’s all about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs!

Bill Says:

March 12th, 2008, 20:16 pm

I’ll finish this article tomorrow.

Rajesh Says:

March 13th, 2008, 5:40 am

Keeping up the intensity in acheiving the goal is as important as setting up the right goal…

Overall a good article

Rick Says:

March 13th, 2008, 7:54 am

Reward yourself with a “present” when you reach your goal. This present can be something that you would like to buy/do, for example buying an iPhone or another gadget, or bicicle, car, take flight lessons or whatever.
Make an agreement with yourself to only get it when you finish your goal.
If you don’t finish your goal connect it to another goal.
This way, the push to finish the goal will grow as time goes on.
It is also good therapy for gadget-addicts :-) and could
save you money!

groetjes
Rick

Diane Says:

March 13th, 2008, 9:17 am

I really liked your article. I have to agree with your point about telling as many people as possible. I know that usually helps me. Then they ask you about how its going and you feel guilty if you have no good news to tell them. Keeps me motivated so I have positive news to report to my friends.

Sandeep Meher Says:

March 13th, 2008, 20:28 pm

And my website is called ‘The Shifting Goalpost’ :-)

John Says:

March 14th, 2008, 0:33 am

Make it a part of your daily or weekly routine, that is one of the hardest one for me. It is so easy to get side tracked

Mr Positioning (Stanley Bronstein) Says:

March 14th, 2008, 11:50 am

Finding time for goals is the key

I remember 20 years ago when I started law school. I spent the first 7 weeks making lists of everything I needed to do and trying to figure out how to get it done.

It was only when I realized that I was spending so much time planning AND THAT I NEEDED TO JUST START DOING, that I figured out how to accomplish my goals (getting good grades and graduating from law school).

While planning is nice (and necessary), sometimes we get stuck in the planning phase and we need to just start doing it (realizing that we can always adjust our plans later as we go along).

Take care

Mr Positioning (Stanley F. Bronstein, Atty, CPA, Author and Professional Speaker)

merlotmom Says:

March 16th, 2008, 20:54 pm

Again, fabulous post and one that is sorely needed in my life. Thanks again. Love your blog.

Trin Says:

March 17th, 2008, 9:09 am

Leo-
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my question at length.
You make excellent points! It’s difficult sometimes, as parents, to remember that our needs are just as valid as those of our children, and that making time for them is not only permissible but necessary.

Eddie Says:

March 18th, 2008, 2:34 am

Hi Leo,

I’ve been reading your blog for a few months now and finally plucked up the courage to ask a question.

I am STRUGGLING with this point. I want to lose weight, keep a minimal desk, eat healthy, have better QT with my loved ones … it goes on and on.

I intellectually understand the ‘work on one goal’ at a time wisdom… but what about when, like me, you are actually doing a few of them by accident? A few years ago, I decided to learn Japanese - I really wanted it. And now we are two years into the degree and I’m struggling at keeping it going. So that’s my work, but it crosses over into both a work and personal goal.

Do I stop working my personal goals because I’m working on too many at once? I know I need simplification, because I over-whelm myself by taking on too much.

What do I do?

Eddie Says:

March 18th, 2008, 2:39 am

I was so frazzled I didn’t take the time to read your advice properly. I see the answer was right in front of me. I’ve got to sit down, take the time and decide what is important.

But it is so hard. So hard saying no to something. I don’t know if I’ve got the courage. But I can’t keep living this crazy lifestyle. I’m too damn tired and frazzled.

Leo Says:

March 18th, 2008, 19:51 pm

@Eddie: I totally hear you — we get very enthusiastic about making changes and have a hard time choosing.

However, don’t look at it as saying “no” to any of your goals. Just look at it as prioritizing — you’re only going to work on your top goal right now, but when you’ve got that one under control, you can focus on the next one, and so on.

It also helps you to build a sense of anticipation for the other ones, so that when you do start on them, you’ll be very enthusiastic and ready to go.

Good luck!

Harmony Says:

March 25th, 2008, 7:43 am

I totally agree with oakling on this one - particularly if your goals are creative. It’s practically impossible to do any good creative work if you’re tired.

I’d also caution against cutting out too many fun habits to make time for your goals. I mean watching hours and hours of tv is probably not the best use of your time, definately, but some things *are* just pure fun (like surfing the net, watching movies, playing games) and you need to have fun (or a nap!) before you can find the energy to tackle those goals.

All things in moderation I guess, goals *and* fun :)

I’ll also share my strategy for making time for my personal goals incase it’s helpful to anyone. I’ve tried working time into each day but it just didn’t work for me - morning’s weren’t possible (I’m a night owl) and by the time I got home from work I was zonked and really needed to chill out not work on goals.

So what I do which works really well for me is I set aside until lunchtime every Saturday to work on my goals - which I document in advance in a Word doc. When Saturday morning rocks up I open my Word doc, see what’s on the list for today, and proceed to churn through it knowing I only have until midday to get through everything on the list.

The reward of “free time” works well here too, because my rule is if I finish the things on the list early I get to spend until lunch working on a creative project. This also encourages me to get up earlier on Saturdays too instead of sleeping half my day away ;)

Then when midday comes around I’m done for the weekend! It’s a wonderful feeling knowing that I’ve accomplished my set goals for the week, I’m a step closer to achieving my overall goal, and now I can veg out guilt-free for the rest of the weekend :)

kc govens Says:

April 10th, 2008, 12:55 pm

It is funny to stumble across your site, because i have
officially been working from home completely as of 4-01-08
and goal setting and time management are my top priority
also staying positive, as i go towards my goals. Your
ideas and suggestions about identifying the time wasters
we all have in life are a big help in setting up and operating
on a daily basis. Thanks

Dan Says:

April 26th, 2008, 2:49 am

How you can implement these great ideas with:
[www.gtdagenda.com]

1. Set up your goals in a category named “Personal”.

2. Make these goals priority 1. Priority 1 goals are clearly separated by all the others with a line.

3. Set up some projects inside the goal, that are smaller goals that can be completed so you get a feel of working towards your bigger goal. These projects should also have priority 1.

4. Block off time. Use the Schedules section to insert activities at specific times, and associate them with the goals above.

5. Make it a part of your daily or weekly routine. Use for this the Checklists section. Insert any repetitive tasks that you know are important and check the boxes each time you do them.

6. Have the system with you all the time. You can use it on your PC browser, on your mobile phone at gtdagenda.mobi, or you can print your goals.