Practical strategies for achieving your desired outcomes.

Do you find it challenging to turn action plans into tangible results?

What strategies have you previously tried to implement your action plans?

Would you like to discover strategies to enhance your chances of achieving your goals?

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You've picked a personal goal, figured out the kind of person who can reach it, and made a behavioral action plan to help you get there. This plan includes specific actions to achieve your goal, deal with challenges, and celebrate small successes. Now it’s time to put your plan into action. By doing this, you also strengthen the kind of person you want to be.

A behavioral action plan can include actions such as:

👉 Before each meal, I drink a glass of water to help me feel full.

👉 At dinner, I use a smaller plate to control my portions.

👉 If someone offers me a delicious piece of cake at a party, then I’ll thank them and politely say I’m full.

👉 Right after each small success, I’ll give myself a mental high-five.

How to increase the chances of achieving your goal

Each time you try to change a habit or achieve a goal and don’t succeed, it can make you feel like you’re not capable of change. To improve your chances of success, use the following strategies. Begin with small, easy steps that you know you can achieve, and celebrate each small win. This will help you start to see yourself as someone who can successfully make positive changes.

⚒️ Choose the right moment to start

Choosing the right moment to begin your journey toward your personal goal can make a difference. The "fresh start effect" suggests that starting at a significant date, like the beginning of a week, month, year, or right after your birthday, can feel more motivating. If you have a fresh start date coming up soon, plan to start then. If not, just start turning your plan into action as soon as possible—what matters most is taking that first step when you're ready.

⚒️ Start by building new habits

It’s often easier to start by building the new habits you want, as this can help shift your identity and bring you closer to the kind of person you want to become. Once you've made progress with those habits, you can focus on dismantling unwanted ones or replacing them with more helpful habits.

⚒️ Focus on one habit at a time to avoid overwhelm

To avoid feeling overwhelmed, it’s important to prioritize and not try to change too much at once. Decide which habit is most important for your goals, and concentrate on building or dismantling just that one habit. By prioritizing this way, you can devote your energy and attention to the specific change you want to make, making the process more manageable and less stressful. Successfully establishing or dismantling one habit before moving on to the next allows you to build a solid foundation for lasting change and gradually build momentum in your journey toward personal growth.

⚒️ Start small to build consistency

Beginning a behavior can often be the hardest part due to inertia—the tendency to stay in a state of rest or motion. When a behavior is easy to do, it doesn’t require a lot of motivation. To make beginning your behavior easier, set the bar exceptionally low. Aim to do something small related to your desired habit that’s guaranteed to succeed: write one sentence, read one page, meditate for a minute, or do two push-ups. Then, celebrate your success right away (see next strategy).

If you feel like doing more, go for it—but think of it as a bonus. The goal is to first get used to doing the behavior consistently, which strengthens the type of person you want to become. Once you’re steadily showing up, you can gradually scale up the habit, step by step, until you reach the full habit you’re aiming for. But even when you do more than the minimum, you might want to keep the bar low to make it psychologically easier to get started on the behavior.

⚒️ Celebrate small wins to build momentum

Celebrating small wins is crucial when building or dismantling habits because it reinforces your new behavior and keeps you motivated. Each small success helps you start seeing yourself as the kind of person who can change, which boosts your confidence and creates momentum that can inspire progress in other areas of your life. In your behavioral action plan, you outlined how you’ll celebrate, either in general or for specific actions. Just be sure to celebrate consistently to build your commitment and create a positive cycle that encourages more progress.

⚒️ Never miss twice

Things will sometimes get in the way of your habits, and that’s okay—perfection isn’t required. If you miss an occasion, be kind to yourself and don’t try to compensate for it the next time. Pushing yourself to "catch up" can make the habit feel like a burden, which can lead to stress and negative feelings. Instead, focus on simply getting back on track. Try not to miss twice in a row: one slip-up won’t dismantle your habit, but a few in a row might. Even if you can’t fully complete your habit, showing up in some way reinforces that you’re the kind of person who sticks with commitments, even on hard days.

⚒️ Allow for flexibility

Instead of aiming to do something a specific number of times each week, like three, you could set your goal higher, like five, but allow yourself two misses. This way, you won’t feel like you’ve failed if you miss once or twice. By allowing space for setbacks, your goal becomes more flexible and realistic, helping you stay on track even when obstacles arise.

⚒️ Find what works for you

Experiment with behaviors and times during the day to help you discover what works for you. Try out different approaches and make small adjustments if something isn’t working as well as you’d like. For example, if you’re trying to build an exercise habit, you might find that morning workouts leave you feeling energized for the day, while evening workouts interfere with your sleep. Or, if you want to start reading more, try setting aside time during lunch or before bed to see when it fits naturally into your day. Remember, it’s okay if your first plan doesn’t work perfectly; if something doesn’t work, it's not a failure—it’s just a chance to learn and adjust. By testing different options, you’ll find the habits that help you succeed.

⚒️ Savor the journey toward your personal goal

Instead of just focusing on your personal goal, pay attention to the small steps you take each day and take time to savor them. When you savor the positive moments in your journey, and also the lessons in setbacks, you’re more likely to stay motivated and enjoy the process, even if progress feels slow. By shifting your attention to daily achievements, like completing a workout, preparing a healthy meal, or setting aside time to read, and truly appreciating the sense of accomplishment in those moments, you’ll make the path toward your goal feel rewarding.

⚒️ Be patient

It can take time for a new behavior to become automatic, ranging from one day to several months. The time it takes depends on factors like motivation, the strength of the cue, how enjoyable the behavior is, its complexity, how rewarding it feels, how consistently it is repeated, and social support. Dismantling an existing habit can also take time. The longer a habit has been established, the more challenging it is to dismantle, as it takes time to replace old patterns with new ones.

So, be patient with yourself and don’t give up too quickly. To stay motivated, remind yourself why you’re making these changes and how they will benefit you and the people around you.

⚒️ Adjust your approach when you get stuck

When you set your personal goal, you identified why it’s important to you. For example, you want to lose 10 pounds in 3 months because it will help you build stronger relationships. While setting your goal, you also thought of other ways to meet your why. If you get stuck with your goal, step back, and take a moment to ask yourself why it’s hard to move forward. What’s making it difficult? What’s impeding your progress?

Understanding the reasons can help you adjust your approach or choose another goal. You can refer to the alternatives you thought of earlier or come up with new ideas. Be flexible with your approach and kind to yourself if things don’t go as planned. Adjust your actions as needed, and remember that setbacks are a normal part of the process.

⚒️ Periodically review your goals and habits

Periodically reviewing your goals and habits entails a structured and reflective process that requires only a modest investment of time. This process is essential for ensuring that your habits support your goals and contribute to your desired identity. To maximize the benefits, it’s important to conduct these reviews consistently. Celebrate your achievements and appreciate your progress as you go.

By engaging in regular reviews, you cultivate increased self-awareness, accountability, and adaptability, allowing you to enhance your habits over time and align them more closely with your evolving aspirations. Additionally, remember that your habits can be modified based on the insights gained during these reviews. After each review, take effective action—such as setting specific goals, adjusting your routine, or seeking support—based on your findings to ensure continued progress.

Decide how frequently you wish to conduct these reviews. Depending on your circumstances and preferences, you might opt for a detailed monthly (or weekly/biweekly) assessment alongside a broader annual (or biannual) review. Select specific dates and mark these milestones on your calendar for the upcoming period.

👉 Monthly reviews

At the end of each month, take time to answer reflective questions that focus on the habits you are currently working to build or dismantle. These questions provide a framework for your self-reflection and review process. By documenting the outcomes of these monthly reviews, you can track your progress, observe how your habits evolve, and identify necessary actions. After each review, take specific, effective action based on your findings. Be thorough and honest in your responses.

🤔 How satisfied am I with my progress toward achieving my desired outcomes and becoming the type of person I aspire to be? Which habits are contributing to my progress, and which are not? Which habits fill me with energy and which drain me? What obstacles and challenges are impeding my progress? Reflect on whether your habits are moving you closer to your goals or if any are holding you back, helping you identify areas for improvement.

🤔 Am I spending my time on what truly matters? Which habits no longer align with my personal values and life purpose? Consider if any habits feel out of sync with what’s important to you, so you can let go of those that no longer serve you.

🤔 What mistakes have I made or encountered, and what lessons have I learned from them? How can I apply these insights to prevent similar mistakes in the future? Identify key takeaways from past challenges and think about how to avoid similar issues in the future.

🤔 What are my priorities for the upcoming month, based on the results of this review? What are my next steps and action items?  Determine your next steps and specific actions to ensure continued growth and progress toward your goals.

⚒️ Annual reviews

Once a year (or biannually if you prefer), step back to take a broader view, reflecting on the past year’s progress and insights. If needed, you can conduct this evaluation earlier—particularly if your habit changes aren't yielding the desired outcomes. To inform this review, gather insights from your habits scorecard or habit tracker, or seek feedback from trusted friends, mentors, or advisors for added perspective.

 

Reflect on the past year by answering questions about your personal goals and habits, such as:

🤔 What are my most significant achievements and successes? Consider personal goals reached, progress in becoming the type of person you aspire to be, and how well you are aligning with your  personal values and life purpose.

🤔 What valuable lessons have I learned about myself that I can carry into the coming year? What strengths and qualities have I developed or relied upon this year? Reflecting on the lessons learned helps you understand what’s contributed to your progress. Recognize the qualities you’ve relied on most, as well as those that have grown stronger, so you can continue to build on them.

🤔 What major challenges or setbacks did I encounter, and what were their causes? How can I better manage obstacles or challenges moving forward? Examining the difficulties you faced and their root causes can reveal patterns and areas for improvement. Identifying effective strategies for handling future obstacles can help you build resilience. You may want to add them to your behavioral action plan.

🤔 Who or what has supported me the most in my journey? Consider the people, tools, or resources that have been valuable, and think about how to strengthen or expand these supports.

🤔 What patterns or trends stand out? These may include variations in effort and consistency, a gradual rise or decline in the effectiveness of certain habits, recurring obstacles that repeatedly hinder progress, or cues that reliably trigger specific desired or undesired behaviors.

🤔 What goals or habits no longer feel relevant or motivating? Notice any routines that may have lost their purpose, and decide if they’re worth continuing. What new habits or behaviors could support my evolving goals and identity? Identifying fresh directions can keep your habits meaningful. What actions or routines energized me, and which drained me? Recognizing what boosts or depletes your energy can guide you in optimizing your routines and maintaining motivation.

🤔 What shifts in circumstances or priorities require adjustments to my personal goals, desired identity, habits scorecard, or behavioral action plan? Life changes can affect your habits and priorities, so this question helps ensure alignment with your evolving goals.

Additional tips

👉 Read your plan daily: Take a few moments each morning to read through your plan. This daily reminder keeps both your goals and the plan fresh in your mind, helping to motivate you to take the necessary actions throughout the day.

👉 Seek social support: Share your goals with trusted friends or mentors for added encouragement. Having a support network can make it easier to stay on track and motivated.

👉 Practice self-compassion: Accept that setbacks are part of growth, and be kind to yourself when things don’t go as planned. Compassion helps maintain motivation and resilience.

👉 Manage difficult thoughts and feelings: Recognize and defuse or question challenging thoughts  while accepting the feelings that arise during this journey. Hold your self-stories lightly, and consider practicing mindfulness to respond constructively to these emotions.

👉 Be flexible with your plan: If a goal or habit no longer serves you, adjust it. Adaptability helps ensure your progress aligns with your evolving priorities.

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Regular reflection and a clear plan can be powerful tools in helping you reach your personal goals and align with your desired identity. By reviewing your progress, and adjusting your action plan based on what you learn, you create a path to meaningful and lasting change. Remember, every small step contributes to your journey. Embrace these strategies, adapt them as needed, and enjoy the progress that unfolds along the way.

References

Atomic Habits, by James Clear

Read my summary of this book

 

How to Change, by Katy Milkman

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