“The difference between a goal and a dream is the written word.”
Gene Donohue
When we don’t have dates and deadlines for our goals:
It’s so easy to put other tasks ahead of our goals because we can quickly get caught up in the daily grind of our day-to-day tasks. When we haven’t committed to a date, it can feel like we have lots of time on our side which can backfire when there’s no internal or external pressure for us to take the steps needed to reach our goals. Without a date, we may not be realistic about how long it will take us to knock out each of the steps needed to reach the finish line.
Benefits of creating dates and deadlines for our goals:
Creating deadlines forces us to write down our goals in some way. It may be on a list or scheduled in our calendar or as a journal entry so we don’t forget the date. The written word is powerful in helping us cement our goals in our minds and in our schedules. When we write down our goals and dealines it also makes it easier to share them with others, adding a layer of accountability.
Putting deadlines on our calendar will help us analyze if we have enough time on our side to knock out each task involved in the process of meeting the big goal. A date and time will again help us evaluate if we’re being realistic or if we need to give ourselves more time for unexpected issues. If you need to lose 20 pounds and you make your goal one week out, you know you’re not being realistic for success.
Another benefit of dates and deadlines is to help us evaluate our progress to see if we’re on track, ahead of the game or behind schedule. This gives us an opportunity to make adjustments by changing the date, getting help or just stepping up our efforts.
How to create a timeline for goals:
How do you determine what your deadline should be?
**Write down your goal-be clear and specific.
**Write down the steps required to meet your goal-break it all down.
**Next to each step, jot down an estimate on how long each step will take you to accomplish it. Just give it your best guess. A ballpark is better than nothing.
**Add some wiggle room to your time estimates for the unexpected. Do things always go smoothly and as planned? Usually not so much. So be prepared for the unexpected.
**Decide how much time you feel you can dedicate to your goal daily or weekly.
**Put your final due date on the calendar.
**Add critical tasks and steps to the calendar between now and your deadline.
What if you miss a deadline?
We’re doing all of this planning with our best estimates and our best efforts. But real life proves that unexpected things can throw off our best laid plans. Unexpected critical tasks can come up, health issues can come up and a myriad of other unforseen things can come up. Or maybe some of the tasks just took longer than you estimated with your best guess. Start by acknowledging where you are and how much you’ve gotten done already. It’s easy to quickly forget just how much has been accomplished already. Then re-evaluate what still needs to be done and adjust your dates accordingly if needed. Remember that in the end you will have reached your goal and maybe you wouldn’t have reached it at all if you hadn’t take the time to create a plan with due dates.
Wrap up:
Create accountabilty for yourself to reach your goals with deadlines and due dates. Break down your goals into manageable steps with their own deadlines. Always estimate how long you think each task will take and then add some wiggle room for the unexpected.
Don’t forget to celebrate your successes along the way and at the finish line!
“Crystallize your goals. Make a plan for achieving them and set yourself a dealine. Then, with supreme confidence, determination and disregard for obstacles and other people’s criticisms, carry out your plan.”
Paul J. Meyer
