Welcome to the third and final post of my goal-setting series! If you’ve stuck with me through each post, way to go! You are setting yourself up for a productive and effective year! And if not? That’s okay, too. You can refer to these posts anytime you want or need. There’s nothing magic about starting on January 1st! This week we will talk about how to create an action plan for your goals. We’ll break our goals down into objectives and steps, and we’ll decide how to check in on them and how often. 

To recap, in Part 1, we learned WHY we might consider setting goals. We looked at the benefits of goal setting and saw how it can help us use our gifts and skills as God desires. We also picked our word of the year. 

In Part 2, we learned HOW to set goals. We talked about three different kinds of goals (Object-oriented, System, and Progress Goals). We also talked about a couple of different goal-setting strategies (SMART Goals and Compass Goals), and we set a few goals of our own. 

Now, in Part 3, we’re going to take your goal(s) and turn them into plans that will set you up for good things.

Think back to a couple  weeks ago, when we talked about the four parts of goal setting: Areas of Focus, Goals, Objectives, and Action Steps. Today, we’re dealing with the last two steps, and we’re talking about how to keep tabs on it all. Ready?

The key to this part of goal setting? Detailed action steps which you are regularly seeing and updating. 

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How to Create an Action Plan for Your Goals

Step 1: Break Your Goals Down

Some goals can feel big and intimidating until we break them down into smaller action steps and objectives. This is important because very few of us can only focus on the finish line and be successful. We need objectives and smaller action steps to know what we should do and to see that we’re making progress. 

Start by brainstorming the action steps that may help you reach this goal. Jot down every single one you can think of. 

For example, one of my mini-goals is to hang a gallery wall of family photos. I’ve had that on my project list for a couple years and whenever I think of it, I get overwhelmed. It seems huge and hard. But when I brainstorm all the things . . . yay! Easier! 

1. Pull out every photo I might want to use on the wall.
2. Choose a few frame styles to use.
3. Research images of gallery walls and figure out what I like.
4. Learn how to hang a gallery wall.
5. Put the photos on my dining room table in some sort of arrangement.
6. Watch a video about how to layout gallery walls.
7. Go through photo albums to find any pictures I’m forgetting about.
8. Print digital photos.
9. Find photo albums.
10. Enlist my daughter to help.

Clearly, these are not in any order. I just jotted them down as I thought of them. So next, I need to put them in chronological order. Like finding the photo albums should go first. 

Once that’s done, I need to set up mini-goals or objectives so that I can work on each one of these things little by little. With the gallery wall example, my first mini-goal is to find photos.

Here are a few more concrete illustrations:

GOAL: You want to create a safe and cozy home for friends and family.

Here’s what the start of your goal plan might look like:

• Move back into the kitchen after the remodel. (Objective)
  • Decide how to organize cabinets and drawers with post-it notes. (Action Step)
  • Unpack kitchen utensils. 
  • Layout and hang photos and artwork. 
• Create a cleaning schedule so the house is always (somewhat) clean and tidy, and I can welcome people in on short notice.
  • List all of the cleaning activities that need to be done on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. 
  • Assign tasks to kids and husbands. 
  • Research ways to track chores and whether they get done.
• Set up coat hooks near the door, so everyone has a spot to hang their hats.
  • Research options.
  • Purchase coat hooks. 
  • Hang coat hooks. 

GOAL: Read 50 books this year.

Fifty books in a year is a little less than one book per week, or a little more than 4 books per month. I’m usually reading a few books at a time, so I might make it my objective to finish four books per month. Action steps might look like this: 

• Create a list of the books I might want to read this year. 
• Decide how I’ll keep track of what I’ve read and what I hope to read.
• Decide where I’ll get the first few—the library, a local bookstore, as an audiobook, or on Kindle.  

GOAL: I want to lose inches off of my waist. 

• Habit: Exercise 3x/week.
  • Decide on an exercise program. 
  • Purchase the right equipment. 
  • Find an accountability buddy. 
• Prep healthy snacks on Sundays.
  • Start a list of healthy snacks and ingredients. 
  • Make sure I have enough tupperware or zip-locks to store the snacks.

These examples just show the beginning of creating a goal action plan. You’ll probably want to dig even deeper and separate out small tasks. That way, if you are like me, you can check things off your list and smile. 

Next, you’ll estimate how much time each of the steps will take so you can realistically plan when you’ll do them. 

Finally, you’ll schedule it in your calendar or planner.

This might feel like a lot of work, but trust me, it’s the best way to set yourself up for that finish line. A goal without an action plan is just a dream.  

Step 2: Decide How You’ll Track Your Goals

Now you have your goal, and you created your action plan! But wait! How do you keep track of it all? The options here are endless, but I’ll give you a few ideas. 

A Notebook 

You could use the note pages in the back of your planner or get a pretty notebook just for goal-setting. All you need is a pen and paper to write down your goal, your action steps and your due dates. You might want to use an erasable pen or pencil, so you can keep things flexible.

Here are my favorites, in case you’re in the market!

• Pilot Frixion Erasable Pens, Fin Point
• Pilot Frixion Erasable Pens, Color

A Goal-setting Planner 

Lots of planners have Goal-setting sections–designated places where you write your goals and keep track of your habits. Depending on the size of your goal, these might be too small. 

Another option is to use a tool like Cultivate What Matters Powersheets or the MakseLife Goal Planner. I’ve used Powersheets for the last five years, and I found them helpful as I was getting adjusted to the goal-setting process. They walk you through how to pick your goals, create action plans, and track and check in regularly. They’re beautifully designed and come with stickers, so–if that’s your thing–you can make goal-setting a fun process! 

I also learned a lot from Michael Hyatt and his company’s Full Focus podcast. His materials are definitely more business-friendly. 

A Digital Tool

Digital tools are great because they allow you to seamlessly edit and update as needed. But they’re only helpful if you’ll remember to use them. You can keep your goal action plans in the Notes App on your phone, or use a more sophisticated tool like Asana, Trello, or Notion. Using a blend of paper and digital tools works best for me!

Remember, the best tool is the one you’ll use!

Step 3: Decide When You’ll Check In

With your goals and action plans carefully outlined in your notebook of choice (physical or digital), the last step is to decide when you’ll check in. This might be the most important part of goal setting. We can put all of the work in to set goals and create detailed action plans, but if we never check in, we’ll forget about them. Yes. This is what happens to me too often. I start the process with great expectations, and then life happens and poof!  

It’s important to assess your progress and update your action plan on a consistent basis. Researchers recommend weekly as a sustainable and effective rate.

What does this look like? 

1. Refer to your goal tracking tool (your notebook, planner, or laptop). I like to do this on Sunday afternoon or first thing Monday morning. 
2. Check off whatever progress you have made. If you’re making progress, give yourself a pat on the back! Cognitive rewards are very important in maintaining motivation to work towards our goals. 
3. Review your action plan. Is it working? Do you need to make any adjustments for the coming week? Note whatever you decide. 
4. Record your action steps for the coming week in your planner, so you know how to keep moving forward! 

And that’s it. You’ve learned how to create an action plan for your goals, and you’re ready to make it happen in the new year! What’s next? Implementing your plan by planning your time.

In case you’ve missed a post, here are the other posts from my Goal Setting Series: 

Part 1: Why Set Goals? (Plus, Pick Your Word of the Year) 

Part 2: How to Set Goals

Part 3: How to Create an Action Plan for Your Goals (You are here!)

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