The Backwards Way Of Achieving Your Goals

When we say backwards way of achieving your goals we don’t mean getting into your car and driving in reverse everywhere you want to go, or learning the difficult art of backwards speaking. What we mean is beginning the process of achieving your goals by starting with a very clear, tangible idea of exactly what the accomplishment of that goal will look like. How it will make you feel? How it will influence the way you are perceived by others?

The way to make a goal tangible is to include all your senses in the way you describe the goal. If your goal is to build a freelance graphic design business then when you write down the description of the goal (and you need to write down a description of the goal) write it out as if the business is already up and running.

I’ve built a successful freelance graphic design business with a stable of ten regular clients. At least two new clients contact me a week for work they need on the spot. The business is generating an extra $3,000 a month. The bulk of my business comes through referrals because people really like my work.

Okay, so now that you’ve started at the end, it’s time to start the work to get yourself there.

Create a weekly action plan

Figure out all the things you need to do to get you to your end goal. Write down everything. Courses you need to take, people you need to speak to, research you need to do. Prioritize those things. Before the week starts write out what you need to accomplish by its end.

Be realistic with your plan. If you demand too much of yourself you’ll be too overwhelmed to do it all. If you don’t challenge yourself you’ll lose motivation. You want to see tangible results every week to keep yourself on track.

When creating your action plan be sure to block out time for the rest of your life. Time with family and friends. Time for yourself to do what’s important to you, whether that be exercise of off road motor biking. Time to assess where you stand at the end of each week and plan for the next one.

Reassess, revise as necessary and keep moving forward

At the beginning of each week go to the end again. Experience your life as having accomplished the goal. How do you feel? How are you perceived by others? What has changed about your life?

By checking in every week you will keep your goals tangible and real in your mind. If what you’re doing is keeping you on track, then keep doing it. If not then revise your action plan. There is no straight line to your goal. You’ll get there on a path that’s cut with one eye on your daily efforts and the other at the finish line. e