Do you feel too overwhelmed to believe goal setting will work for you? I hear you! But what if you had some simple tips — that work — for setting powerful goals that were written just for you by a fellow overwhelmed overthinker?
Setting challenging goals — and achieving them — is something you can absolutely do.
Keep reading… Have your best planning and goal session ever… And then get ready to achieve your goals and Build Your Best Life.
First Steps for Simple Goal Setting
Overwhelm and overthinking mean you have to slow down a little when it comes to setting goals. You may want to do all. the. things. You may even be inspired. But you also know what happens when you try to do too much at once.
Everything falls apart and you quit.
Here are some ways you can start planning your goals — and know they’re the right ones for you.
How to Use a Dreams and Goals Worksheet to Begin Goal Setting {Free Printable}
First, start dreaming. Goals begin with dreams, and it's important to allow yourself the freedom to dream and believe in possibilities. Here is how to use a Dreams and Goals Worksheet.
The Brain Dump -- An Overthinker’s Secret Weapon
One of the best ways to clear your mind is to do a brain dump. Getting all those tasks and thoughts and lists out of your head gives you space to think and plan your goals.
The Ultimate Getting Your Life Together Checklist
When it's time for a reset, this checklist is your first step toward building a life that feels truly together and intentional.
Stop Thinking and Start Doing: A Goal Setting Starter Plan
How to create your own goal list and action plan. Download the free printable '5 Steps to Achieve Your Goals' to help keep you on track with the goal setting and planning process.
How to Make This Your Best Self-Improvement Summer Yet
You really CAN practice self-improvement this summer! Keep reading for practical advice to enhance your personal growth plan and achieve personal development this season.
Kick Start Your Goal Planning for Next Year
Next year is just around the corner. Here's how to start planning NOW so you're ready to tackle your goals.
Seeking Simplicity in a World of Hustle
Keeping up with a busy life and trying to conquer all of the goals we're 'supposed' to have is a recipe for disaster. Here's how to scale back our expectations and set boundaries so that we can concentrate on the truly important goals.
Building a Life - A Manifesto
When you strip life right down to the basics, you realize that you can build anything you want. This is a very personal post about choosing to make the right things count and setting extremely intentional goals.
3 Steps to Build Your Best Life EVERY DAY
Keeping life simple and focused will help you keep your mind clear enough to concentrate on your goals.
Pursuing Your Passion: Recognize the Spark and Let It Ignite You
Goals without passion simply don't work. Even if you achieve the 'goal' -- it feels empty. But when you allow yourself the freedom to pursue that spark... amazing things happen.
In addition to the ideas above, you’ll want to make use of goal journal prompts for nailing down all the details of your goals, what to work on first, how you’ll overcome challenges, etc.
Prompts are great, but you’ll also want to learn about how goal journaling can help overthinkers in more ways than just using prompts.
Once your mind is in the right place, you can get down to work…
Focus on Your Goals
I’m going to be extremely blunt here…
If you’re an overwhelmed overthinker, you need to have ONE FOCUS on ONE GOAL at a time. You’ll want to keep this in mind as you do Sunday planning for the week — you don’t want to plan too many tasks!
Maybe after you have a few victories under your belt, THEN you can think about working on a small goal and a large goal. But don’t put that kind of pressure on yourself when you’re just learning how to do this!
Something that will help you succeed at any goal you set is action starters. Here are the 5 actions starters for goals that you need to ALWAYS do. Along with the action starters, framing your ideas using action words for goals will build your positive, action-oriented mindset.
I want you to succeed. That means doing one thing, and learning to do it very well without distraction.
Of course ‘without distraction’ doesn’t mean you don’t need breaks. Make sure you incorporate some of these fun productive things to do into your daily routine planning or when you’re feeling the pressure of burnout.
How To Start The New Year Right: 5 Positive Things To Do Today
If you’re wondering how to start the new year right — but you need to keep things SIMPLE — you’re in the right place. In this post, we’ll talk about five positive actions you can take today to set the tone for a year filled with purpose, peace, and personal growth.
7 Ways to Clear Your Cluttered Mind in About 15 Minutes
Breaking the cycle of overthinking is rarely easy. So when it’s time to get down to work and we find our minds churning instead of focusing, what can we do?
Here are 7 ways to take a mini-break from the cycle of overthinking so you can accomplish at least a few tasks from your daily list.
Using Motivational Phrases as Part of a Positive Daily Routine
I will always recommend doing anything you can to help yourself focus on what's important.
Motivational phrases AND daily routines are part of that. Here are some phrases you can use to keep striving toward your goal.
10 Simple Habits That Just Might Change Your Life
We all need ideas for simple habits that can help us make REAL changes in our lives. This is my personal list of the small daily habits I believe can help overwhelmed overthinkers every.single.day.
ACTION: My Personal Motivational Word for 2017 + Why You Need One!
Choosing goals that align with your personal motivational word will ramp up your chances of success.
Here's how to choose a meaningful word that you can use to focus on proper goal setting and propel your efforts to reach your goal.
Struggling With Perfectionism
Overthinkers often struggle with perfectionism. We don't want to do anything unless we can do it 'right.'
Here's how you can begin to get past that feeling and take action even if you don't feel like you're ready. Because let's face it, we could tweak things forever... but that doesn't always make the outcome better.
Sometimes good enough is good enough.
Mono-Tasking -- Be More Productive By Doing Less
Here is one of my best tips for goal planning and achieving.
Mono-tasking is where the magic happens. Setting a timer and NOT trying to do 5 different things at once will seriously change your life.
Give it a try!
Keep Your Life on Track with a Printable Daily Planner Page
Action planning for your goals is all about doing the right things at the right time. Using a planner helps you remember what those things are. 😉
Here is a printable planner page you can use if you don't already have a planner that works for you.
Why You Need a Sunday Recharge Every Week
Recharge and refocus, my friend. You'll burn out if you keep going at full speed.
This simple Sunday routine will help you get yourself ready for the week ahead so you can continue to work on and achieve those priority goals.
6 Powerful Life Hacks You Need to Stop Being Lazy
Hey, it happens. Sometimes we just don't WANT to do anything toward that big goal we've set.
Here are some ways to regain your focus on regular life AND your goal when you know you need to get back on track.
Why Unplugging From Technology Will Make Your Life Better
Yes, I know you're probably reading this on your phone. But I simply can't emphasize strongly enough how important it is to take time out from the digital world.
Your goal focus will increase, your productivity will increase, your relationships will improve... and a few other things that you can read about in the post.
5 Ways Overwhelmed Overthinkers Can Beat Procrastination
This is the kind and gentle way to ease yourself into the higher productivity it will take to reach the goals you have so carefully set.
I know it's easy to get distracted, and these tips will definitely help your focus!
Eliminate Decision Fatigue -- 5 Life Areas to Streamline for Less Stress
When we constantly have to decide every. little. thing, our productivity goes right down the drain.
Here are some simple ways to make life easier and less fraught with having to make those neverending decisions.
How to Develop Your Finishing Instinct: The Magic Final Step to Real Productivity
When I say 'magic final step' -- I mean it! A while back I heard the term 'finishing instinct.' It has stuck with me ever since, and it has made a HUGE difference in how I approach tasks, projects, and goals.
I know it can do the same thing for you...
More Goal Setting Resources
This post may contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase through an affiliate link, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. You can see my full disclaimer here.
Seasonal changes can bring a lot of overwhelm and all.the.feelings. To help combat that, I like to make lists. Give it a try and see how it works for you! Start with these 10 lists to make every August.
The One Focus Method — This book contains expanded versions of my most inspirational posts on goal setting and achieving. It also helps you work on building the motivation to follow through on completing projects in short periods of time.
If making decisions feels impossible, you need to read this post on how to make decisions faster without regret. There are lots of tips in there which you can start using immediately.
This post about productive things to do on your phone will give you some great ideas for how to use your phone to help you with the things that can actually make a difference in your life. And no, social media and email are NOT on the list!
Passion Planner — This is my current planner, and I’m sure I’ll buy it again for next year. There are areas for goal setting, tracking goals, and figuring out what’s most important to you.
The Passion Planner is available in several sizes, academic year or calendar year, and a weekly format with either a Sunday start or Monday start. Check the website, as I’ve heard they are releasing a daily format very soon! The cover feels amazing to the touch — I pretty much just want to hold and plan with this thing all day. The paper is nice and thick, which makes planning and writing an absolute pleasure.
I use erasable Frixion pens for all of my planning… it’s that perfectionist thing in me… 😉
Concluding Thoughts on Setting and Planning Goals
Dream
Plan
Believe
Focus
Achieve
While they may SEEM like words people just say, these are actually incredibly powerful actions.
Learn to accomplish them one step at a time, and you really can do anything you set your mind to.
Build Your Best Life.
You’ve got this!
Get the FREE 5-Step Checklist to Reach Your Goals
You CAN reach your goals! Grab your FREE printable 'Stop Thinking & Start Doing' checklist and get started TODAY.
Choosing to join the Filling the Jars email list means you will receive regular emails with tips and recommendations to help you on your journey to Build Your Best Life.
Filling the Jars Privacy Policy