I've been guilty of setting overly ambitious goals for myself, only to fall short and get discouraged. How do you balance setting challenging goals with being realistic about your abilities? Do you have a system for breaking down big goals into smaller, manageable chunks? Share your strategies. I'm particularly interested in hearing about how you handle the mental aspect of goal-setting - do you focus on progress over perfection?
I'm a fan of setting realistic goals, but I also think it's important to push yourself. If you're not uncomfortable, you're not growing. I don't have a system, per se, but I do break down big goals into smaller tasks. And mentally, I just try to focus on the process, not the outcome. If you're too focused on the end result, you'll get discouraged when you don't hit it. Just put in the work and let the results take care of themselves.
I like your approach. Focusing on the process helps to stay grounded and motivated. I also find it helpful to set both outcome and process goals. That way, you're working towards a specific target, but also focusing on the daily habits that'll get you there. It's a balance between pushing yourself and being realistic about your abilities.
I'm a big fan of setting SMART goals - specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. It helps me stay focused and avoid setting myself up for disappointment. I also break down big goals into smaller, weekly tasks to make progress feel more tangible. Mentally, I try to focus on celebrating small wins rather than beating myself up over setbacks.
I set goals that are just out of reach, so even if I fall short, I've still made progress. It's all about progress, not perfection. And yeah, breaking it down into smaller chunks helps, but let's be real, sometimes you just gotta wing it and hope for the best.