Learn how to achieve goals by creating a solid action plan. Accomplishing and achieving goals can become a lifelong habit with these personal productivity tips.
If you want to accomplish your goals, you need to create a step by step action plan to achieve your goals. Please don’t make the mistake of creating goals without making an action plan to achieve them. Wanting something does not a plan make.
Use this list of goal-setting productivity tips to set up a step-by-step plan to accomplish your goals. We have even included a few quotes about achieving goals to keep you motivated!
Related: How to Set SMART Goals
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How to Create an Action Plan for Achieving Goals
Before you can create an action plan for goals, you need to set them. If you have your first three goals ready to go–Follow the step-by-step plan to achieve your goals listed below! Or, get started with goal setting HERE—> How to set SMART goals.
1. Use a Goal Setting Worksheet and Goal Planner
Use a goal planner to help you stay on track to reach your goals! I like to use the goal-setting worksheets included in our Dream Life Tool Kit and the weekly routine planner included in our FREE QuickStart Weekly Planning Guide to help me figure out how to fit my goals into my daily rhythm. I also like to use a large monthly whiteboard wall calendar to literally “see” the goal action steps that I need to take next. 
Related: Household Rhythms: The Power of Routine in the Home
2. Start with one goal
One goal is sure to have risen to the top as your number one priority since you created your “Master Goal List.” (Included in the Rhythms of Play Dream Life Tool Kit) If not, allow yourself a few more days to contemplate which one holds the most meaning and importance for you at this time in your life.
Starting with one of your goals allows you to narrow your focus enough to achieve it. It’s better to start with one goal and complete it than to start with 3 and not complete any.
If you feel confident in your plan, come back, and do this process with another goal that you would like to achieve. Just make sure it is a SMART plan. If not, stick with one goal at a time until you have begun to master achieving goals.
3. Make a Plan of Action to Achieve Your Goals
A “Goal Action Plan” consists of action steps that you need to take to reach your goal. To create a plan to achieve your goals, start by listing the steps to accomplish your goal.
If you want to make an action plan to meet a goal, you must first know what it takes to reach this goal. It’s time to do some research. Your research may involve looking online, going to the library, or speaking with people with prior experience with the end goal.
Once you know the steps that it will take to achieve your goal, create a basic outline of each step that you will take to accomplish your goal before moving on to the next step in setting up your goal action plan.
Related: 10 Reasons to Make Rhythm and Routine a Habit
3. Break Down Goal Action Plan into Manageable Baby Steps
Break the steps to achieve your goal down into the smallest steps possible. Each step should have only one action associated with it. If there is more than one action to take for each step, continue to break it down until there is only one thing to do for each one action step.
Related: 15 Ways to Raise a Helper
4. Create List of Goal Action Steps
Finalize your plan of action or the list of actions that you must complete to reach your goal. Follow the step-by-step directions below to create your “Goal Action Plan.” Start by getting out a blank piece of paper or Use the Printable “Goal Worksheet” and “Goal Action Plan” in the Rhythms of Play–> Dream Life Tool Kit.
How to Create a List of Action Steps to Achieve Your Goal
- Organize the action steps you made in step #3 above by priority.
- Place the most important step first, followed by the next most important step, and so on.
- Find a place to write each goal action step down in your calendar
or weekly planner so you can stay on track to achieve your goals. Check off each goal action step as you accomplish it.
or 5. Set a Due Date
Setting a due date is necessary to keep your goals SMART. The steps you need to take and the time you will have to dedicate toward reaching your goals will help you determine how long it should take you to accomplish it. After completing these tasks, you should have a pretty good idea of how long it might take to accomplish your goal. Make the due date an attainable one based on all factors needed for its completion, so you don’t lose faith and give up.
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6. Set Interim Goals
Interim goals or deadlines are due dates created for some of the action steps you need to reach your goal. Setting interim deadlines can help keep your plan SMART by assisting you in measuring your progress toward reaching your goal.
For example, if your goal is to lose 25 pounds in 6 months, an interim goal would be to lose 3-5 pounds in a month. If your goal is to start a business and earn a full-time income in 2 years, the interim goal might be a part-time income after 1 year.
7. Post Your Plan
Post your action plan somewhere you will refer to daily. Focus on completing the goal action tasks each day, week, and month to make your goal, or dream, a reality.
Personally, I like to keep the goals and action steps I need to take in my face to stay motivated and on track to accomplish them. I like to use a large wall calendar
with wet-erase markers
for this purpose. Maybe they can help you too!
If your curious, we prefer to use wet-erase markers
over dry erase markers
on our whiteboards and laminated weekly planning sheets because they don’t rub off when you are writing with them, and all you need is a wet cloth to wipe it clean. Give them a try!
8. Don’t Take a Detour to Procrastination Station, Eat That Frog!
!Procrastination station is working on another task that you need to accomplish instead of completing the necessary action steps to achieve your high-priority goals. Procrastination station can fool you into thinking that you are productive. Unfortunately, no matter how productive, any form of or procrastination will steal your focus and keep you from reaching your goals.
There is not enough time in our day-to-day lives to complete everything on our to-do list, and there never will be. Successful people don’t try to do everything. They learn to focus on getting the most important tasks done first. “They eat their frogs.”
There’s an old saying that if the first thing you do each morning is to eat a live frog, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you’re done with the worst thing you’ll have to do all day.
Eat That Frog
Use these tips to organize each day so you can zero in on the most critical tasks needed to reach your goals and accomplish them efficiently and effectively. Whatever you do, don’t take a detour to procrastination station. Instead, Eat That Frog
by completing your goal action steps first.
9. Complete a Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, or Annual Goal Review
If you want to achieve your goals, it’s a good idea to revaluate your plan regularly. Performing a goal review is a great way to learn if you need to rework any actions or due dates and keep yourself motivated. Use the “Weekly Review Worksheet” included in the RoP Dream Life Tool Kit and the goal review tips found HERE—> How to do a Goal Review.
Don’t give up on achieving your goals just because you fall behind in completing them. Instead, make a plan to rework your “Goal Action Plan” every week to review your goals and keep yourself on track to accomplish them. This is how you create the life of your dreams–one goal, habit, or rhythm at a time!
Create an Action Plan for Achieving Goals
Create an action plan for achieving goals today! Setting goals, creating an action plan, and sticking to it is a surefire way to attain your goals and live the life of your dreams.
Simply follow the steps listed above and you will be well on your way to achieving your goals. Don’t wait… do it today!
Next, turn your goals into affirmations. Just click on the link to find out why and how to turn your goals into positive affirmations!
Learn more about Rhythms of Play HERE!
thanks a lot. i will try this plan
You’re welcome Youg. So glad you found this information useful 🙂
Great article, you are right about interim goals. I break all of my goals down into mini goals (interim goals), and have a date due to have the mini goals accomplished. I find this works very well. Thank you for your article
You’re welcome, Douglas. Thanks for the vote of approval 🙂