Everyone has goals. But few people accomplish what they want.
Here are the steps to achieve any goal you want, 95% of the time.
Step 1. Have a goal!
At least having a goal is essential. You should have a clear idea about what you want! It can be “Having a body fat % of 14” or “Learning Spanish to have a 10-minute conversation with a stranger.” This step 1 alone, can enable you to achieve the goal, 15% of the time.
Step 2. Create a system
You should create a system to achieve the goal. To create the system, remove the numbers from your goal statement. Example: “Having a body fat % of 14” becomes “Low body fat %.” This step 2 can enable you to achieve the goal, 30% of the time.
Step 3. Create a plan and jot down contingencies
Creating a plan can enable you to achieve the goal, 45% of the time. Example: For system “Low body fat %”, a plan can be –
- Follow “No Willpower Diet“
- Fast for an extended period [16:8 or 20:4 or ADF (Alternate Day Fast)]
Contingency plan:
- If you are travelling, then fast.
- If you are not able to fast and ate crap, then use the 2-day rule.
- If you are not able to exercise, do a 2-minute workout. Do burpees or pushups or anything.
Step 4. Reward
After following the system, you defined, reward yourself. It can be anything that you like. It can be a small piece of chocolate or a cup of coffee or a protein shake with bananas or watching an episode of your favorite TV show. Sometimes you can reward yourself while doing the system such as listening to music you like! By paying yourself, you will have a 60% probability of achieving your objective.
Step 5. Accountability with check-ins
If you and your accountability partner do regular check-ins, then it increases the odds of achieving your goal by 75%. Instead of a person to do accountability check-ins, if you employ a site like Stickk.com, that will do the deed as well. If you are using Stickk.com and you are on the honour roll, then have systems so that you cannot cheat.
Example: You have a Stickk.com goal of “Waking up every day at 4 a.m.”. To make sure that you don’t cheat yourself, you take a snapshot of the internet clock every 30 minutes after waking up at 4 a.m. and put it on a document. That is taking a picture of the internet time server at 4 a.m., then at 4:30 a.m. and finally at 5:00 a.m. and then putting them on a document. If you fail to do that, consider the day as a failure to achieve your objective.
If instead of you on the honor roll, someone else is checking on you then the probability of achieving the goal goes up.
Step 6. Accountability with check-ins and Loss aversion
If you introduce an element of loss to check-ins [Loss aversion], which is on not following your system; you forfeit an amount of money to a charity that you hate, then the probability of achieving the goal skyrocket to 90%. The amount of money that you lose has to be significant. People usually put the total rent on the line or 10% of their take-home pay.
To summarise:
The percentage probability of achieving your goal ->
- 15%: Clear purpose.
- 30%: You have converted the goal into a system.
- 45%: You have created a plan and taken into account various contingencies that can prevent you from following your system.
- 60%: You reward yourself whenever you follow your system.
- 75%: You are accountable to yourself or someone else for following through your system.
- 90%: You have put on the line a significant amount of money such as the whole rent or 50% of take-home salary or reputation.
Bonus Tips:
- To increase accountability, keep your system in front of you. Preferably, read it every morning before the day starts.
- Write 1 to 30 or 31 on a piece of paper and paste it beside the system on the wall. It would be best if you cross off the days with a colored pen when you have followed your order. Crossing off is a visual reminder, and it will motivate you not to break the chain of crosses.
- Power of association: If some people are trying to achieve the same thing, find them and try to get in their group. The probability of achieving the goal can go up significantly.
- Focus on one thing or goal at a time until it becomes a habit or achieved.