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Kirby Ingles | October 25, 2014 | 6 Comments

3 Goal Setting Tools You Will Love! – Kirby Ingles

How do you stay centered around your goals?

Do you often find yourself neglecting your goals in life? Sometimes you get busy, offtrack, distracted, and let the days escape you. Then, you may slowly bring you attention back. Something might even grab your attention and remind you of the goals you set. Suddenly, you get all psyched and make a little progress. Once more, you find yourself drifting. This continuous cycle repeats itself over and over, dragging on and on. Making you consider that your goals are unachievable.

All the research completed on goal success vs. failure points to one thing. Not committing them to writing. Consider these three simple goal setting tools that are fun, convenient, simple to use and keep your focus.

Steve Maraboli said in Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience, “If you have a goal, write it down. If you do not write it down, you do not have a goal – you have a wish.” 

Pen and Paper Still Get Things Done!

When you actually use pen and paper you get focused.

  1. Studies have demonstrated writing activates more parts of the brain than typing. Researchers tested a group and found those who committed to writing were more selective of information they put down and remembered even more than those who typed everything they seen or heard.
  2. Committing to paper your goals reinforces them. Not only are you thinking them, you are writing them and seeing them. You are taking your vision and making it something you can see and touch. It takes on a definite form.
  3. You can review your goals regularly in your favorite moleskin or notebook that you carry. Hang your goals on the wall where you will see them everyday and keep them within your focus.

Need Some Motivation?

Lift is a community support based goal and habit tracking application. If you need a little push or encouragement, Lift has what you need.

  1. The application was the first that I used for goal setting and tracking. Specialized on the B=MAT theory (Behavior=Motivation, Ability, Triggers), Lift has creative plans, so you wont need to put much effort in.
  2. Lift also has an algorithmic reminder, which doesn’t harass you. Rather than reminding you each day and you build a habit of ignoring it. The algorithmic begins to delay the reminder after the first time you ignore it and keeps stretching out the more you snooze.
  3. Lift is a positive community based on support. You receive comments and props, which give you that needed reward (praise or encouragement) so you crave it and repeat it the next day.

Need Something Measurable?

Strides is a flexible application that allows you to easily track anything and provides beautiful charts on your progress.

  1. I currently use Strides to track all my goals. Strides boast over 300 ideas and formatted for SMART goal setting.
  2. Its re-occurring reminders and beautiful graphs keep you motivated and craving more. I love the ability to see graphs and data. I’m addicted to the figures, averages, percentages and charts.
  3. Strides utilizes four types of goal trackers; targets, habits, milestones and averages. The trackers can be measured in several different types of units and time-spans. The trackers are surprisingly flexible in their ability to measure.

Author Karen Lamb said, “A year from now you may wish you had started today.”

Don’t permit yourself to become separated from accomplishing your goals. Pick one of these three goal setting tools which are entertaining, convenient, simple to use and hold your focus. Break the cycle and improve your success rate by simply committing them to writing and tracking progress.

 

What goal setting and tracking methods do you use? Please leave your comment below.

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Filed Under: Focus

Kirby Ingles

Kirby is a Husband, Father, Christian, Life Coach and Veteran who has 18 years experience leading, coaching and mentoring young people. With a pioneer spirit he helps you spearhead an intentional life of growth through purposeful living and finding fulfillment. He currently lives in the Washington D.C. Metro Area. You can read more about him on his blog at kirbyingles.com, connect on Twitter @iKirby79 or email him at [email protected].

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Adam Smith says

    October 25, 2014 at 7:38 am

    Great post, Kirby. Pen and paper. I use a goal tracking tool from a life coaching program that I used to go through. The tool still works. It breaks everything by week and then day, so that things actually get done.

    Reply
    • Kirby Ingles says

      October 25, 2014 at 2:25 pm

      Thats great Adam. As long as you have a system your increasing your chances for success! Not every system works. Sometimes we have to go through a few before we find the one we want. I generally do my initial mind-mapping on paper, and then transition my final version to my digital tools. I love to see results and measure progress. Smart phones have made that easy and efficient for me.

      Reply
  2. Jed Jurchenko says

    October 25, 2014 at 11:01 am

    Great post & the second article that I’ve read on goal setting this week. This is, of course, making me realize my own need to write my goals down 🙂 What made you transition from Lift to Strides & is one better for beginners?

    Reply
    • Kirby Ingles says

      October 25, 2014 at 2:21 pm

      Jed,
      I first started using Lift because I just wanted to build habits. It was simplistic and easy. It was also another social media application. I didn’t have a system and wanted to form some habits and goals. Eventually I transitioned to Strides after seeing a few reviews. I actually found it for free on appsgonefree application for iPhone. I gave it a shot and been hooked. I think both have pros and cons as I mentioned in the post. I don’t want to say its for a beginner. I enjoyed both but I wanted to analyze my habits and goals more than the need for community motivation.

      Reply
      • Kyle Richey says

        November 10, 2014 at 9:57 am

        Hi Kirby, Kyle from Strides here. Just read your post and wanted to reach out. Thanks so much for trying Strides! I’m really glad to hear you’re liking it so far.

        Also, we’re putting the finishing touches on a huge update with iPad & Web apps, so it won’t be limited to the iPhone for much longer. 🙂

        Keep in touch! If there’s ever anything you’d like to see, let me know. Have a great week!

        Reply
        • Kirby Ingles says

          November 10, 2014 at 7:52 pm

          That’s great new Kyle. Can’t wait to see the new updates and see what capabilities iPad and the web app have. I’m salivating for more.

          Reply

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Hi, my name is Adam Smith and welcome to asmithblog.com. I am the author of the new book, The Bravest You. Because of my work as an entrepreneur, consultant, writer, and speaker, I have been named a top industry influencer by American Genius. I live with my wife, Jasmine, and three children in Shenandoah, IA.

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