Index Cards for Reaching Goals

There are few things in life I find more satisfying than meeting a goal. Visualize the end game. Make a plan. Set a time frame. Work towards the accomplishment. Reach the mark. But it isn’t always easy to stay on track. I set goals easily but have a hard time staying focused!

Goals were easier when I was in school because someone else broke them down, held my hand, and told me what to do in what time frame. Out on my own, I was a little lost. I wanted to set and reach goals, but life got distracting. There were extra hours at work, problems to solve, new responsibilities, a Netflix show to binge watch…

Enter the index cards! These little pieces of paper revolutionized my way of setting goals. I was inspired by a book called Sidetracked Home Executives by Pam Young and Peggy Jones. This is a modification of their system, but I find it works very well!

To get your goal moving, you’ll need a stack of index cards, a sheet of paper, and an envelope. At the top of the paper, write down the long-term goal you want to achieve. For example, your final goal may be: Learn to give strong presentations in front of colleagues. 

Brainstorm what it takes to reach that goal. Divide your paper in four columns and write down daily, weekly, monthly, and final goals. For example:

Daily goals:

• Speak affirmations. (I am confident. I communicate clearly. I am improving.)

• Read practice speech aloud and record it.

• Listen to recording.

• Evaluate speech (pronunciation, timing, clarity).

• Evaluate posture and appearance.

Weekly goals:

• Write new practice speech.

• Practice speech in front of a friend. 

• Write down peer feedback.

• Write down self-evaluation. 

Monthly goal: 

• Give speech in front of mentor or teacher. 

Final goal: 

• Successful presentation before colleagues!

After brainstorming, write one goal on each card. At the top of each card write whether the goal is a daily, weekly, monthly, or final goal. Write your final goal on the envelope and put the cards in it. You can get several envelopes going at once if you’d like!

Every day, set aside a certain amount of time free of distractions and interruptions. Set a timer. Remove all index cards from the envelope, review them, and envision the final goal. Work through the daily, weekly, and/or monthly tasks as appropriate. As you complete the activities, put the card back in the envelope. When the appropriate cards are back in the envelope, you’re done for the day!

You don’t have to reach the big goal immediately. That’s kind of the point! It should be a challenge. Why set a goal you’ve already mastered? 

I like this modified version of John Bytheway’s quote:

Inch by inch, it’ll be a cinch. 

Yard by yard, it won’t be hard!

Small steps add up quickly, and with index cards in your hand, you’ll be reaching big goals before you know it!

Challenges/Points:

• It can be challenging to set goals for yourself without anyone else’s guidance. 

• Use index cards to set daily, weekly, and monthly goals and move towards your big goal.

• Small, consistent steps add up quickly.

Questions:

• Do you struggle to keep the goals that you set? 

• Do you avoid setting long-term goals because the distance seems overwhelming? 

• Have you thought deeply about three long-term goals that you really want to accomplish?

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