6 Simple Secrets to Setting Achievable Goals

How do you set achievable goals?

What’s the formula for setting goals that you will actually accomplish?

Like practically speaking, what are the how-tos of slaying your goals day-to-day?

How do you set goals that you can ya know – achieve? Not just write down or dream about endlessly.

We’ve all set goals, but we definitely haven’t all achieved them. So, what exactly makes a goal achievable, and another a failed goal?

Granted, setting a goal is just one step of many towards achieving it. Whether you take action on the goals you’ve set is all up to you.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t set yourself up for success from the get-go by making sure you’ve set the best possible goal. A.k.a. the most achievable goal for yourself.

I’m Nadalie, author of Conquer Procrastination, and the goals I’ve actually crossed off my list all had one thing in common: they were built to be doable.

Whether you are just starting out on a new journey to build your dream life, or you are a seasoned goal slayer, these 6 simple secrets to setting achievable goals will help you have the best chance of reaching it.

What Makes a Goal Achievable?

Achievable can mean reachable, realistic, within your abilities and something you can actually do. It’s the “A” in SMART goal setting for a reason.

Challenging, but within reach: Research on goal-setting theory by psychologists Edwin Locke and Gary Latham found that specific, challenging goals lead to higher performance than vague ones.

The sweet spot is a goal that stretches you without being out of reach.

Broken into steps: A big goal becomes achievable when you break it into smaller goals. That’s also where measurable objectives come in, since they turn a broad goal into steps you can actually check off.

Built for your life: Whether it’s a personal goal or a goal for your business, it has to fit your real time, money, and energy. If you’re a visual thinker, add a creative spin on setting goals.

Be sure to get your Achievable Goals Workbook (it’s below) to help you work through all 6 secrets with your goal.

What’s Your Achievable Goal for This Year?

Before we get to the day-to-day business of setting and achieving your goals (or slaying your goals, as I like to call it), the first question is, what’s your goal for this year?

Just an FYI, a year doesn’t have to start in January, it can start whenever you decide, like today. You can always decide to start again – no matter what day it is.

Have you even thought about what you want to accomplish and where you want to be?

Maybe there’s even a New Year’s resolution you’ve already given up on?

As you may know, one of my biggest goals was to get free from the 9-5 life I’d narrowly escaped. I’ll be using this goal as an example to illustrate exactly how you make a goal like this achievable.

Ever since, my goal has been to stay free (umm… no pressure, right?) and to constantly expand my reality of freedom.

Savings only go so far, and building up a sustainable income stream is an entirely new challenge for me.

The reality is that just selecting a goal isn’t enough to make it happen this year (or any year for that matter).

So, I’m doubling down on setting achievable goals and re-committing myself to the daily fundamental basics of goal setting. I encourage you to do the same!

I hope like me, you choose to not leave achieving your goals in life to chance or waiting for luck to strike.

How to Set Achievable Goals

Here are the six simple secrets you need to know to go from just setting any old goals, to setting achievable goals.

The emphasis here is on making your goals doable, but also as actionable as possible.

It’s very important when setting goals to always focus on the actions, the how-tos as you’d have it, NOT on the outcome.

As much as we would all like to reach our goals, to arrive at our destination and to be successful, we need to accept that achieving our goals is a journey.

You’ve got to enjoy the process, or you’ll end up giving up. That’s the reality, the hard truth about goal setting. If you’re good with that, then let’s do this.

#1. Focus on One Main Goal

Focus on one, yes only one, #1 goal you would like to achieve in one year (or another time period if you like).

Personally, I like the timeframe of one year as it’s a workable time period and not so far in the future that I’m unable to vividly visualize where I would like to be.

Please note, we are not talking about your ultimate goal in life, just one main goal or transformation you can commit to.

What should your goal be? Take some time to contemplate where you want to be one year from now.

“Where” can be a place, a feeling, a monetary or business goal. You decide “where” where is.

Write it down, describe it as clearly and as simply as possible, you’ll work out the specific details in the next few secrets.

Example: “In one year, I want to be in a secure financial and emotional position, where I am ready to quit my full-time job.

I will be free to build my dream life, as a creative entrepreneur from the comfort of my home.”

#2. Set “Mini-Goals”

Deconstruct your main goal by setting four “mini-goals,” one for each quarter of the year.

If you prefer to give yourself a bit more time, you could set 3 goals, one for every four months (rather than a quarter).

With the extra month, this could be a more realistic timeline for your expectations or to adjust due to having to overcome obstacles to success (if you didn’t know, something always goes wrong).

Then, decide which of your “Mini-Goals” you will tackle in your first 3-4 month period.

How do you select your mini-goals?

There are a few ways you can determine your mini-goals:

• Think of your 3 smaller goals as crucial way stations on your journey to your 1-year goal. Where do you have to go before finally arriving at your “where”?
• Secondly, you could identify three separate components or realms of your main goal, such as financial, emotional and business life.
• Thirdly, you can also set three specific projects for yourself that lead you to your goal.

Example:

• #1: Saving 4-6 months of my cost of living and expenses, so that I can survive the difficulties of being self-employed.
• #2: Starting a profitable side hustle or business.
• #3: Building up my self-confidence, and emotional and mental strength to handle the challenges of being self-employed.

#3. Figure Out “The How”

With your first mini-goal set, create your list of “how-tos” by brainstorming every possible idea or necessary step to achieve that particular mini-goal.

Then, repeat for each mini-goal as you achieve them.

What should your list of “how-tos” include?

Think about the particular “mini-goal” in terms of what is required. What do you need in order to achieve this?

Possible requirements could include making more money, getting training or mentorship, saving up for essential business tech, time investments, the participation of others, and researching a business idea.

They can even include less tangible needs like emotional support, confidence building or higher self-esteem.

Example: #1 Mini-goal ideas: financial literacy on saving or spending less, creating a budget, cutting expenses, opening a high-interest savings account, consulting a partner or spouse, moving to a cheaper apartment.

Also DIYing instead of buying, cooking more meals, staycation instead of vacation, seeing a financial planner, taking on a side-job or more hours and so on.

#4. Choose Your Priorities

Setting your priorities is key to achieving the goals you’ve set.

You now have a hopefully healthy list of ideas as to how to achieve your first mini-goal.

You need to know the difference between what’s absolutely necessary and what would be nice to get done. Sort your ideas by priority level: what’s important and urgent!

How do you know which tasks are priorities?

There are a few ways to determine the priorities for your goals.

• Firstly, which how-tos can you absolutely not do without, or which are essential to achieving your goal?
• Secondly, which are both urgent and important – if you don’t complete this key task by a certain time, you won’t achieve your goal on time.
• Thirdly, which tasks need to be completed before you can do another.
• Alternatively, you could think of your priorities in terms of which is the best use of your time for the greatest possible benefit (the closest thing to a sure path to your goal).

Example: Creating a budget, determining current spending habits and halting all unnecessary spending are priorities for achieving the mini-goal of saving 4-6 months of income.

These tasks are the linchpin on which other tasks like saving depend.

#5. Commit Time Every Week

Now that you have your priorities in line, it’s time to schedule them.

Look at your weekly planner and select at least two specific days and times each and every week you will commit to your goals.

One will be your backup time in case your week gets derailed. It happens all the time!

Your aim here is to create a routine that enables you to develop a habit of achieving your goals.

You could also tie your goal slaying time to an existing routine or activity, like while the kids are at tennis or before you go to the gym on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Whatever time(s) you select, set an alarm, block it off in your planner and calendar, and write it in your bullet journal.

Also notify your partner/spouse or family members that you are now busy at these times.

Take this commitment seriously – make no exceptions for not working on your goal.

How much time should you commit to your goals each week?

Honestly, it’s completely up to you and how much you’re willing to give to achieve your goal.

I would recommend just committing an hour or so to start each week, then in a few weeks commit more.

You need to build up your tolerance and get used to your commitment. Try not to over-commit and end up burning out in the first month of goal setting.

Example: Every Sunday for two hours after dinner, and Thursdays before my favorite show comes on, to update my budget and bookkeeping or research ways to save money.

#6. Always Take Action Now

Yes, right now! No more planning, all action!

No excuses either, you had time to read this, so you have time to do one tiny task for your goal.

The time is now. No more waiting for the perfect moment or planning every other step between where you are now and where you want to be.

You need to take action!

These six simple secrets are all you need to set your goals and start achieving them.

Achievement happens in the action you take in the now, in your day-to-day. This is the only action plan you need to get started.

Remember it’s an action plan, not a business plan. It’s called action because the important parts happen off the paper.

But, what can I even do right now?

Don’t overthink it, progress is progress no matter how small.

Do some online research, reach out to a contact, sketch out your ideas or write a hundred words of that novel you’ve been putting off. Just do something, just get started.

Get motivated! Remember it’s about progress, not perfection.

Example: Create a budget for all my spending (scary, I know) and cut spending immediately by canceling my paid subscriptions, even Netflix if I have to.

Get Your Free Achievable Goals Workbook

Ready to put all 6 secrets to work? Sign up below to get your FREE Achievable Goals Workbook and work through each step with your own goal.

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Set Your Achievable Goal and Take the First Step Today

The ultimate secret to setting achievable goals is to just get started.

You can plan and overthink your goals for months, years and maybe even your entire life, without actually taking action. Goal setting is easy, but setting goals that you achieve is the next level.

It’s a combination of making sure your goals are doable and bite-sized, so you can take action. ALL the emphasis on that action.

Be specific with your #1 goal, break it down into smaller achievable goals and then take those steps.

Because the honest truth is that without taking steps to make it a reality, you’re just goal setting, not goal slaying. And goal-setting alone gets you nowhere (well, it gets you frustrated and discouraged about your goals).

Goal setting is the map, but unless you set out and go on your journey to reach your destination, you’re just always planning that trip you never take.

How sad is that? You deserve to go on the adventure of your life and reach your end goal. Before you start, skim these expert-shared goal traps to sidestep, and keep a few goal-setting quotes nearby for the hard days.

Set achievable goals, then get up and achieve them!

It’s all you, boo.

Last Updated on October 9, 2026

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