This month, we’re focusing on helping you track your progress. When it comes to reaching our goals, it is easy to hit hard at first and then fall off the radar. One way to combat trailing off on your progress is to continuously measure your accomplishments.
Tracking techniques to measure your progress along the way to a big goal is a simple yet extremely effective tool for boosting determination.
Tools to Track Your Goals
Here some ideas we’ve put together for you when it comes time to measure your accomplishments:
Develop Specific Metrics
Before you begin tackling your goal, be sure to make specific and numeric (if possible) targets. In business, this is easy to do. Develop a specific sales quota, percentage, number of customers served, amount of money to save, etc. When you have a specific target, you’re better able to track and measure your progress by using percentages or fractions. For example, if you give yourself a month to meet a sales quota, try to be at least 50% of the way there by the 15th of the month!
Download an App
There are tons of applications available in the app store on your smart phone. Take advantage of them! After all, our phones have practically become the one thing that we tend to stare at the most. Why not have a goal tracker right there in front of you? iDoneThis is a fantastic goal-tracking app that allows you to keep track of what you’ve done and count your achievements. It’s great for kicking bad habits, keeping track of to-do lists, and more. And it’s only 99 cents!
For those of you whose goals involve exercise and fitness, there are great apps out there for you, too. Try MyFitnessPal or MapMyRun.
Quality over Quantity
You should always try to measure your progress based on quality, not quantity. Don’t fall into the multitasking trap. Many of us think we’re expert multi-taskers and that we’re getting so much done, but in reality, our focus is scattered and the quality of each job done may be suffering. Focus on getting one job done at a time, thoroughly. When you’re measuring your progress, don’t think about how many things you got done. Think about how many things you’ve done well.
Keep a Goal Journal or Spreadsheet
In addition to keeping track of progress on your smartphone, write your accomplishments down in a journal or on a spreadsheet. You can do this in one of two ways: 1) jot the accomplishments down as they happen, or 2) write your goals down and cross them off as they become accomplishments.
Compare and Contrast
The famous “before and after” picture is one of the most effective ways for you – and others – to admire your progress. This method is especially popular in exercise and fitness, but it can also be used in home improvement projects, business, etc.
Be Subjective
One thing you must stop doing is comparing your progress to others. When it comes to measuring your accomplishments, measure YOUR accomplishments only navigate to this site.
When we say compare and contrast, we mean compare yourself to yourself. If someone else saved a thousand dollars, and you only saved five hundred, so what? Maybe their goal was different from yours. Remember, your circumstances are always different from others’.
Write a Personal Review
Take time at the end of each month to write a personal review. There are several templates around the web that you can use to answer certain questions about yourself. What were your three biggest accomplishments? Did you kick any bad habits? How much profit did you make? What can you improve on next month? Remember, no comparing yourself to others.
Don’t let your goals stay inside your head! Write them down, track your progress, measure your accomplishments, and eventually, make them a reality!
An Invitation
Join me, Debbie O’Grady, for a complimentary Get on Track Conversation. We will talk about your Dreams and Goals and in just 30 short minutes, I will help you get on track towards accomplishing the most important one you have. Schedule your call here.
The post Track Your Goals: 7 Effective Ways to Measure Your Accomplishments appeared first on Accountability Squad.