How To Break Up A Goal to Make It Achievable

Hello! My name is Millie Cauldron, and I am the owner of the blog “Creativity Goals.” I share tips and hacks for creative people and gather all the knowledge and skills I have to help others achieve their creative goals. Today I want to share my tips for breaking up goals into small steps so they won’t scare you and, in opposite, will inspire you to move.

I decided to use this blog as an example because I’ve just started it, have many ideas, and see the clear goal to have 100 first monthly visitors this year but haven’t written any articles for it yet. So I need to find out what steps I need to take to achieve this goal by the end of 2023.

Step 1: define a deadline for the main goal

If you want to divide your goal into small tasks you need to know, when you want the main goal to be achieved. You can’t just think “I want to make it next year” or “I want to have it someday.” Make it clear:

• I want to write a novel of 80,000 words by the end of 2024
• I want to gain 10,000 followers in 6 months
• I want to sell 100 products by the end of summer

So you will know your main deadline and will remember when you need to finish all the tasks and smaller steps.

My main goal is to have 100 monthly visitors by the end of 2023.

Step 2: define the first step that is achievable as soon as you can

Now think about the tasks you need to do to achieve your main goal. It will be better if they are simple, easy to do and you can see the result fast.

For example, you barely gain 1,000 followers in a week (if only the algorithm would make you a gift of 1M views on your reels), but you definitely can achieve 100. So your first step will be to find your first 100 followers.

If you write a novel of 80,000 words, your first step can look like this: “I will write the first 1,000 words this week” or “I will describe my main character using a questionnaire for writers this week.”

Sometimes you need to calculate: if you want 100 sales, let’s say, in 5 months, you need to make 20 sales per month. Start with one sale, analyze it, and replicate it until you have 5 sales per week.

Regarding my case, I need to write and publish the first post to break the ice. Usually, your first step will be about actually breaking the ice.

Step 3: break up the goal into smaller steps with due dates

When you know what to do first, think about what to do next–and define the rest. Keep it simple, achievable fast, and easy to do without overwhelming and burning out. Remember that your main goal will be achieved only if you make all these small steps that could look insignificant, but actually, they are a staircase to your success. Don’t jump–walk and learn!

Your next goal can be “to gain 1,000 followers” since you already have your first 100. Give yourself more time, but not too much: as they say, your task will take all the time you allotted for it. So if you gained your first hundred followers in a week, give yourself a month to gain the next 900.

And yes: always specify the due date! Don’t let your to-do list be too abstract.

So I divide my main goal into these small goals:

1. To write the first post (this one)
2. To write 10 more posts by the end of November’23
3. To create 10 Instagram Reels and TikTok videos so I can direct the traffic to the site
4. To answer 10 questions on Quora with the links to the relevant articles

I have some experience in blog building and I know that these steps are enough for getting the first hundred views for your site, and also they are achievable by the end of the year.

These small steps are important for you to feel that reassurance that you are doing everything right. When you see your first results, you get this dopamine and have the courage and desire to proceed.

Step 4: be sure all of your goals are SMART

You’ve probably already heard about this formula: your goals must be

• Specific – you know exactly what you want to get
• Measurable – you can say what you want to get in numbers (followers, views, amount of money; also, it can be something single like “to get a certificate as an Excel expert,”)
• Achievable – don’t set too high goals if you have never achieved something smaller. Be realistic
• Relevant – your goal should serve your general strategy and align with your values
• Time-based – your goal must have a deadline (and all small steps as well)

So check your goals and smaller steps and be sure they are all SMART. After that, you can start your journey to your dreams!

When you achieve your first big goal, celebrate it and set the next based on your results. Good luck!