Goal-Setting Boards
Posted by Katie Forsythe on Mar 12th 2020
Goals can be as ambitious as a career change or as simple as planning tonight’s dinner. Whatever you’re working toward, writing it down can help you clarify what you want, stay focused, and decide what to do next.
Why Handwritten Goals
Since computers have come along, they have increased the functionality of putting words on paper. While keyboards help with writing speed, some studies show that the longhand form helps with writing retention. Seeing what you wrote down in your penmanship creates a more meaningful connection to the copy, therefore making it easier to remember. In regards to goal-setting, this practice likens your objectives to be completed since they are always at the forefront of your mind. Writing goals out by hand can also make them seem more achievable. When you process words that are in computer font or someone else's lettering, it makes them seem impersonal. It's easy to think of them as a script that is meant for that other person and not yourself. Writing down these goals in your own penmanship and phrasing tricks the mind to believe it is more achievable. Putting the objectives down on paper is the very beginning, and if you can accomplish the first step, you can feel inspired to fulfill them all.
Phrasing
How you write your goals matters. One simple approach is to connect a new habit to something you already do every day. This is called habit stacking.
For example, if you want to drink more water, write: “Before I eat lunch, I will drink a glass of water.”
Use this formula: Before/After I [existing habit], I will [new habit]. Linking the two gives you a clear reminder and a small, practical step toward your goal.
Goal-Setting Boards
Ever hear of a vision board? Many goal-oriented people will have an erasable board somewhere in their house where they can see it every day. On these boards, you write your goals down and usually a game plan for how to achieve them. If the goal is to increase your income by 20%, you write down the exact amount you want to earn and the steps it will take to get to that point. Sometimes goals are more qualitative too. For instance, if the goal is to live a happier life or to enrich the relationships closest to you, then it would fall under this category. Write down the target, whether qualitative or quantitative and make sure to keep it in front of you.