7 stupidly simple ways to achieve a goal successfully
Now this is a story all about how… to achieve a goal successfully in 7 simple steps.
So you’ve clicked on this article because you want to know the easiest and straightforward way to achieve a goal. No fluff, no long-winded explanations about productivity systems, tactics and processes, just a simple 7-step guide that’s going to get you from A to B.
If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably scoured the internet looking for the best way to achieve your goal successfully and have been met with blog posts containing over 5000 words of waffle.
You just want to achieve your goal and go.
Don’t worry, I got you!
This is the stupidly simple way to achieve a goal successfully.
Before you start working towards a new goal, I want you to first consider whether or not this goal aligns with your personal values. When your goals resonate with your value system every step towards achievement becomes more natural and fulfilling. Somehow everything gets easier and you begin to get excited about the journey towards the goal and not just the goal itself.
Therefore, there’s no point grinding towards a goal that is incongruent with your beliefs and value system. You’re just wasting time and energy because every task is going to FEEL harder than it actually is.
So top tip, make sure you WANT to achieve this goal.

1.Visualise your success
You need to picture what success looks like for you by using visualisation techniques. When you create a mental image of success it gives you something to work towards.
Consider these questions:
- What does success look like?
- What does success feel like?
- What do you hear yourself saying (in your mind or to others) when you achieve this goal?
- What will this goal allow you to achieve?
- Why are you working towards this goal? / What meaning are you applying to this goal?
You must engage your senses and connect with your emotions when visualising your success.
I’ve found that when I have a strong emotional link to my goals and I have a clear vision of what success looks like, I am willing to work harder towards achieving them. I just want to achieve the goal so badly that I am willing to push myself and sacrifice more to do so.
In contrast, when I don’t have a clear vision for my goals, I find it a lot easier to lose interest and motivation because I don’t really know what I am working towards.
I love this quote:
All things are created twice; first mentally; then physically. The key to creativity is to begin with the end in mind, with a vision and a blueprint of the desired result.
Stephen R Covey
Related post: Start living a values based life to be successful

2. Write it down
This is such a simple step yet so many people forget to do it: WRITE YOUR GOALS DOWN!
Seriously, just write it down. Make it a concrete goal by putting pen to paper.
When you write down your goals you are forced to articulate them in a clear and concise way. It helps you to understand exactly what you want to achieve and brings clarity over your objectives.
Try to make sure your goals are: SMART
- Simple
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Relevant
- Time-bound
Writing your goals down helps you to organise and structure your goals in a way you wouldn’t be able to do in your mind alone. All of a sudden, the brain fog is cleared and you have space in your mind to create a roadmap for your success.
No more waking up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat trying to remember the amazing plan you thought up during the day but subsequently forgotten.

3. Set a deadline
When setting a goal, you must include a time limit for when you want this goal to be achieved. If your goal is a SMART goal, then you would have already accomplished this step.
Deadlines create a sense of urgency to your goal which will encourage you to make quick decisions and motivate you to take immediate action because you know there is a clear endpoint.
There’s nothing worse than working towards a goal that just never ends. At some point, you’re going to ask yourself ‘What’s the point?’.
Furthermore, setting a deadline will allow you to work backwards from your goal and plan out what needs to be done and by when. Which in turn will give you a schedule to measure your progress against and assess whether you’re moving in the right direction.

4. Break down your goal
Next, you will need to break down your goal into smaller, more manageable chunks.
Breaking down your goals stops them from feeling like overwhelming impossible tasks which will in turn reduce your stress and increase your motivation. It allows you to focus on one step at a time and allows you to develop strategies to overcome problems before they become major roadblocks.
Here are some tips to help you break down your goal
- Work backwards from the end goal to figure out the steps that need to take place
- Categorise your tasks/objectives by type, effort, time and complexity
- Prioritise your tasks based on dependencies, deadlines or logical sequencing
- Set milestones for each category to help you track your progress
- Delegate responsibilities, if needed
When you break down your tasks right from the start, you are more likely to achieve a goal successfully. Moreover, it also reduces the amount of stress and anxiety you will feel when working towards your goal. And it allows for greater adaptability during the process of working towards a goal.

5. Start small to achieve a goal successfully
Starting small when working towards your goal helps you to build momentum and provides you with a quick win.
If you know me, you know I LOVE a good quick win, especially on days when I just can’t be bothered.
Building in quick wins to your routine will keep you on track and encourage you to keep going even when you don’t feel like it.
Also, it is wayyyy easier to be consistent and stick to a routine when you start small because you’re not putting so much pressure on yourself to achieve unrealistic tasks.
Furthermore, when you start small and stay consistent you will slowly start to build trust in yourself. You will start to believe in your ability to achieve your goal because you have EVIDENCE of sticking to your word and of your ability to complete a task fully.
Remember that progress is progress, regardless of its size. Even if you complete a 5-minute task towards your goal you still would have made progress because you are one step closer to getting the outcome you desire! You’ll also gain confidence in your ability to handle increasingly complex tasks as you move along your journey.

6. No ZERO days
This might be a controversial take but I truly believe in the power of no zero days. If you asked me what I thought about no zero days a couple of years ago, I probably would have told you it is a toxic productivity technique that has no place in a healthy mindful productivity routine.
And to be honest, a part of me wants to still agree with that viewpoint.
HOWEVER, I have personally used the no 0 days technique and have seen significant improvements in not just my ability to achieve big goals but also my ability to stay sane while achieving them.
So let me explain what ‘no zero days’ even means.
Put simply, it means that every single day you need to do something that brings you closer to achieving your goal. It doesn’t matter how big or small this task is as long as it is a step forward.
For example, reading a couple of pages of a book, doing a 5-minute yoga video (I’m guilty of this!), or working on a project.
It is a technique to helps you build consistency into your routine and encourages you to develop discipline and self-control.
No more wasting a whole day binge-watching Netflix. Instead on your lazy weekend, you can waste most of your day binge-watching Netflix while having spent a small part of your day working towards achieving your goal.
For me, this mindset shift helped me to ease off of perfectionism and allowed me to overcome procrastination.

7. Celebrate your wins
Here comes the fun part!
Celebrating your wins is an important part of achieving a goal successfully. I’d be lying to you if I said the journey to achieving your goal is all sunshine and rainbows which is why you must celebrate your wins when you get them.
Seriously, sometimes life gets hard so celebrate everything and anything. Be your own cheerleader and pull out all the stops to motivate you to continue on your journey to achieving your goal.
From a wellbeing perspective, celebrating your wins regularly helps to prevent burnout because you will be focusing on the great things you have achieved rather than all the things you haven’t achieved. In order, to achieve a goal successfully you need to be consistent and motivated and this is one way to do it.
You don’t need to have massive, high-production celebrations for every win. It can be a small acknowledgement or a big celebration with friends and family, it is up to you.
Here are some examples of how you can celebrate your wins:
- Go out for a meal
- Treat yourself to your favourite snack
- Go to the cinema
- Have a spa day
- Give yourself a pat on the back
- Have a mini one-person dance party in your room
- Watch your favourite movie
- Reflect on your accomplishments
- Express gratitude
- Write a thank you note
- Meditate
- Create a celebration ritual
One final tip to help you achieve a goal successfully
If you want to consistently and sustainably achieve your goals, then you will eventually need to set up a productivity system. It doesn’t need to be complicated or even an ‘official’ system, it just needs to be something that works for you.
For example, I like to use my bullet journal to help me keep on top of my to-do list and track my progress in all 7 areas of life. On top of that, I use my Google Calendar to keep on top of my events and help me plan my weeks. Lastly, I use Google Keep to help me keep on top of random miscellaneous notes e.g. book recommendations, holiday destinations, shopping lists etc..
Yours can be as complicated or uncomplicated as you want it to be. I just recommend that you start small and see what works for you.
Related post: The ultimate minimalist bullet journal for busy people

Since you’ve made it this far down the article, let me introduce myself.
Hey, my name is Teresa and I am a Mindset and Productivity Coach specialising in Values Based Living and Digital Minimalism.
In my signature coaching programme ‘Life by Intentional Design’ I help high achieving men and women move from feeling stuck with life to feeling empowered and in control.
I am a big believer in healthy non-toxic productivity and everything I teach my clients is based on research and my own personal and professional experience.
As well as being a Coach, I am also a PRINCE2 Practitioner and APM accredited Project Manager so trust me I KNOW about organisation and productivity.
If you would like to find out more check out my services page!
Book Recommendations to help you achieve a goal successfully
- 7 Habits of Highly Effective People – Stephen Covey
- Deep Work by Cal Newport
- Get Things Done – Robert Kelsey
- Atomic Habits – James Clear
I hope you enjoyed this post giving you 7 stupidly simple ways to achieve a goal successfully.
Drop a comment down below if you have any questions or drop me an email at teresa@thevaluedlife.co.uk