Do you want to create a self-improvement plan that works?
I’ve got 6 easy steps to creating a self-improvement plan that will bring you great results in any category.
In the journey to improving ourselves, a plan for self-improvement is necessary because it provides structure toward achieving our goals and is a crucial step in making our dreams a reality.
How To Make A Self-Improvement Plan
Have a Vision. Have a Why.
What is the purpose of a Why?
A Why is your reason for wanting more out of life. It serves as the reason why you are achieving what it is you want to achieve.
What is the purpose of a Vision?
A vision allows for clarity and direction in planning for your future. It allows you to see the end goal before it is reached. Your vision and why will keep you going when times get tough. There may come a time when you will question your journey when it gets hard, but keeping your why and vision in mind will help you to stay on track.
Ask yourself What does self-improvement look like for you as an individual? What are your desired results? Why is it important for you to achieve this goal?
Goal Dump
The goal dump process is where brainstorming, categorizing, and writing happen. The first step is to list the goals and ideas you want to accomplish. Get creative, be honest with yourself, and limit limiting beliefs. After listing all of the goals you’d like to work on, assign them to categories. Brainstorm different categories in your life that you would like to have goals within. A few examples of categories can include personal, financial, health and wellness, social, environmental, and then some. If your categories are different than the ones listed above, research different categories and add and reduce the categories as you go.
Set Clear Goals
After brainstorming the categories you would like to focus your goals on, you will need to define your goals. A great way to do so is to follow the SMART outline for your goals. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-based. The SMART goals outline allows for clarity in your path and provides a clear understanding of how to achieve your goals. Below is an example of how a SMART goal can look :
Category: Finances. Goal: To save $5,000 by December 31st, 2023.
For me personally, writing my goals within the span of 6 months to a year is helpful because I have more time to achieve my goals and it allows for the habits I’ve learned to sink in.
Get clear on the steps needed to achieve each goal, whether it be big or small steps. If you don’t know which steps to take toward achieving each of your goals, take the time to research and see what is necessary for that goal. Once you are done setting your goals with the SMART goal outline, prioritize the ones you will work on first and put them at the top. The other important goals will follow in order of importance to you.
After defining your goals, brainstorm what habits are needed to sustain these goals, and take note of the habits you’ve mastered or struggle with. Forming great habits will help you to achieve your goals easier because once your habits become routine for you, the less resistance it will take to continue achieving your goals. Habits such as discipline and consistency are examples of great habits to include in your lifestyle.
Tip: When achieving your goals, focus on one goal in each category at a time. Trying to accomplish too many goals at once will result in nothing getting done. You want to be consistent, so take your time mastering and familiarizing yourself with each goal before moving to the next. Start by focusing on the goal or goals that you feel are the most important and need your attention right away.
Pro Tip: After defining your goals, visualize them for yourself and consider putting your goals in plain sight, for example, a vision board, for a lasting impression on the mind.
Take Action
Taking heavy action to make your goals a reality is crucial. No action, no results. Create an action plan of how you will tackle your goals. I personally like to tackle my yearly goals by breaking them down as much as possible into monthly and or weekly goals. Each month, I will choose one goal from each category and break them down into actionable weekly goals. For example, the categories that I would like to work on are health and finances.
Health: To be a healthy overall weight of X amount of pounds by December 1st, 2023.
Finances: To have X amount saved by December 1st.
Now that I have my overall goals, I will break them down to be more manageable. So for example, for January, I will focus on gaining X amount of pounds and saving an overall X amount of dollars for the month. Every week, I will focus on gaining X pounds and saving X amount a week to meet my monthly goal which will get me closer to my yearly goal. This way it’s less overwhelming than just trying to focus on achieving all of my goals at once. Once I get in the momentum of achieving one goal or have accomplished one, I would go ahead and add another goal. Take on however many goals that feel comfortable for you.
Track Your Progress
Habit trackers and calendar planning are great ways to track your progress and keep yourself accountable to get the job done. A Habit tracker is a fun way to track your progress and keep you accountable. You want to see your goals every day so that you can remember to work towards them. Invest in a wall calendar and or google calendar so it’s easy for you to stay on top of your goals.
Tip: Set milestones along your journey and reward yourself for your efforts when those milestones are reached.
Self Evaluations
Along your journey, hold frequent check-ins with yourself to track your progress. Revise and edit your action plan to help you achieve the best results. Analyze what is working and what isn’t and rearrange deadlines and milestones as needed. Also, make it a priority to check in to how you are feeling mentally and emotionally.
Perfecting your habits and achieving your goals will take time. Resistance will come throughout the journey but remember to give yourself grace when you stumble and fall off. Becoming your greatest version takes time but it is worth it!
Keep going when the going gets tough and do not give up. You’ve got this!
This article is about creating an effective self improvement plan.
