![8 Ways To Embrace Minimalism And Find Independence [Thoreau]](https://i0.wp.com/www.effluo.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/0055-39.png?fit=768%2C1152&ssl=1)
10 Tips on How to Follow Through with Goals from Benjamin Franklin
By Effluo | Published | No Comments
Have you ever decided to do something only to give up a month or so into the new goal? At Effluo, we study great historical figures’ habits and goal achievement success secrets. When looking into the steps of how to follow through with set goals, the lessons from the life of Benjamin Franklin became very appropriate and relevant.
Who is Benjamin Franklin, and Why Study Him?
Benjamin Franklin played an integral part in creating the United States and paving the way for an independent nation. If that wasn’t enough, he also developed and ran a successful publishing business and built a personal empire. Needless to say, Franklin knew a thing or two about goal achievement.
When studying the life of a historical figure, it is essential to understand what individual steps they took toward self-development and personal growth. Benjamin Franklin is especially interesting to study because he provided a personal account of his life in his autobiography.
The quotes used in this analysis were taken from the writings of Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography, and Poor Richard’s Almanac.
What Is and Isn’t a Goal?
Before jumping into goal setting and achievement, let us look at what is and isn’t a goal.
Goal Is Not:
- Mission Statement. Mission Statements create a focused direction for your life. It is a valuable tool to reference when setting goals since your goals and your mission statement should be aligned.
- Dream. There is a long-standing truism. A goal is a dream with a deadline. A dream will remain a dream if no action is taken.
- Resolution. A resolution is a decision to do or not to do something. It is on a same wavelength as a dream. A resolution without a plan is not a goal, it’s a dream. Often resolutions are made at the beginning of the year. Therefore, many new year’s resolutions never come to fruition at the end of the year.
- An objective. Objectives are the steps taken to reach a specific goal.
- Habit Development. Habit development differs from goals in that habits should assist with goal achievement. Developing a specific habit typically accompanies a goal you need to achieve positive changes. Let us say you would like to get into better physical shape. You can specify the goal and set a time frame. In addition, you can also begin developing a habit of regular exercise and any other habit that would support the goal.
Goal Is:
- Specific and time-sensitive. The most effective goals are clearly defined and put in a specific time frame.
- Big in nature. Dream big, and do not get sidetracked by small goals. Great things can’t happen in your life without large goals.
- Aligned with your vision. Creating a vision board is an important step to determining what goals you need to focus on in the near future. It is the first step to putting your dreams into reality and will serve as a constant reminder of your goals on a regular basis.
Why Set Goals?
Goals help you achieve success in your personal life and professional development. Many people can dream about a better life, but successful people use goals every step of the way. They build their own future by setting career goals, personal goals, stretch goals, and other important goals to help them reach their definition of success.
Summary of reasons to set goals:
- Give a sense of direction
- Keep you focused on the big picture
- Help you prioritize your to do
- Gives you control of your future
10 Tips on How to Follow Through with Goals from Benjamin Franklin
1. Create a Visualization Board
2. Identify Your “WHY”
3. Write Down and Prioritize Your Goals
4. Make Your Goals SMART Goals
5. Break Goals Down Into Objectives and Create a Plan
6. Break Down Objectives into Daily Goals
7. Take Action
8. Develop Supportive Habits
9. Identify and Resolve Obstacles and Impediments
10. Reflect and Review
1. Create a Visualization Board
Tip one on how to follow through with goals is to create a visualization board that will remind you of your goals on regular basis. Keeping the visualization board is an excellent way to begin your goal achievement journey.
Industry need not wish, and he that lives upon hopes will die fasting. – Benjamin Franklin
Some people go through their entire lives hoping for something good to happen for them, while others create an action plan and make things happen. The beauty is that you can decide what path you want to take.
Franklin points out that you will die hungry if you live on hope. In other words, hopes will not come to realization if you keep hoping. If you stop wishing and start planning, the best action you can take is to identify what it is you want to achieve. Manifest your vision into a tangible object. Create a visualization board.
Identify what you want to see in your life, and go through magazines and the internet for inspiring pictures to help you visualize these goals. Print and paste these pictures into your planner, on a large board, or keep the pictures as a reference on google drive.
Our Effluo Planners help you organize your visualization board into different life categories.
The important thing to remember is to keep this visualization board close so you can easily reference it.
2. Identify Your “WHY”
Tip two on how to follow through with goals is to understand the driving force behind the goal. In other words, identify your ‘why’.
So convenient a thing it is to be a “reasonable” creature, since it enables one to find or make a reason for everything one has a mind to do. – Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin pointed out that you are a ‘reasonable’ creature, and as a result, if you have a reason for completing something, you will achieve it.
Another way to look at this is to identify your “WHY.” Take a look at your vision board and look beyond the goals to determine why you want to achieve them. If you cannot find a reason to complete a goal, eliminate it immediately. There is no point in pursuing something you have no reason to pursue.
An excellent way to look at this is determining if achieving a specific goal will make you: happier, healthier, wealthier, give you peace of mind or improve your relationships.
3. Write Down and Prioritize Your Goals
Tip three on how to follow through with goals is to write your goals down, and prioritize them. Realize that it is not realistic to attempt to complete all goals simultaneously.
He that pursues two hens at once, does not catch one and lets the other go. – Benjamin Franklin
Once the goals have been identified by creating the visualization board and finding the reason behind each goal, you will probably want to start on them right away. Here, Benjamin Franklin cautions us that you will accomplish nothing by pursuing everything.
Therefore, it is essential to write down your goals and prioritize them. Tackle the goals that will be most impactful to you. Do not go after too many new goals and set yourself up for failure.
You can download a free Goal Prioritization Matrix to help you prioritize your goals.
Our Effluo Planners provide a layout for determining your priority using the Life Balance Wheel and Goal Prioritization Matrix.
4. Make Your Goals SMART Goals
Tip four on how to follow through with goals is to convert the big goals into SMART goals.
The next step in successful goal setting is converting your goals into SMART goals. This acronym stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.
S – Specific
Write down “WHAT” you want to complete and “WHY” you want to complete it. Be specific in defining the ‘what’ and ‘why’ you want to complete the goal.
M – Measurable
Once you write down the specifics behind the goal, it is vital to identify what it means to have the goal completed. If you can write down the specific items you would like to measure, that is great, but often it is not easy to do for goals that may not be data-oriented. Another great way to make your goal measurable is to identify completion criteria. Specifically, what it means to have the goal completed. This determines what the finish line looks like.
A – Attainable
At this point, ask yourself if the goal is within reach. Check if the goal does not conflict with any other goals you are already pursuing. Also, check if the goal is for everyone concerned. Specifically, check the impact of the goal on resources such as time and finances.
R – Relevant or Realistic
Determine if this is your goal or if you are pursuing someone else’s goals. Is it relevant to your mission statement and overall vision of your life? Ensure that you are on the right path to living out your mission statement. Realistic goals also mean that you can see yourself reaching the goals and can commit to finishing your goals.
T – Time-Bound
Finally, your goal needs a specific time frame, a start, and an end date. Having a set deadline creates a sense of urgency. There is nothing better to combat a lack of motivation than an approaching deadline.
5. Break Goals Down Into Objectives and Create a Plan
Tip five on how to follow through with goals is to break big goals into smaller objectives. This makes the goals achievable and more realistic.
One man of tolerable abilities may work great changes, and accomplish great affairs among mankind, if he first forms a good plan – Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin reminds us that you can have ambitious goals and work on significant changes with a detailed plan. It is not about your abilities, but you plan on achieving your goals. Your abilities will grow with each step that takes you closer to the goal.
Objectives
Determine what steps you will need to take to complete the goal. Whether they are professional goals or personal goals next step is to break goals down into objectives. In Effluo Planners this is called the High-Level Steps.
The best part is that you don’t need all the answers at this point. Many expected and unexpected external factors will come into play as your goals begin to come to fruition. Therefore, there is no need to stress over the details.
Create a rough outline of the high-level objectives you believe you need to achieve at this point. No one expects you to have all the answers right away. There will be time to revise as you begin to get closer to goal achievement. Your abilities will grow through your journey.
Create a Plan
Identify any dependencies. Once the objectives have been identified, prioritize them. If some cannot be completed without prior steps, prioritize them appropriately. This plan will be your starting point.
With a big goal, you will have an extensive list of objectives you believe you must complete. Therefore, remember to go back to the list and refine it regularly. Keep in mind you will get smarter and better as time goes on.
Effluo Goal Planning Framework recommends this review of objectives quarterly, every three months.
6. Break Down Objectives Into Daily Goals
Tip six on how to follow through with goals is to break down the objectives into actionable daily goals. This will allow you to have daily focus and taking these small daily steps will bring you closer to the goal achievement.
Constant dropping wears away stones – Benjamin Franklin
Once the objectives or high-level steps have been identified, it is time to break the top priority ones down even further. Take the top one or two objectives and divide them further into daily goals.
The daily goal should be completed within a day or two. These will become your priority every day.
Benjamin Franklin kindly reminded us that it is the constant dropping that wear away the stones. Likewise, the small daily goals will chip away at the big goal and bring you closer to success. Having these smaller goals completed daily will progress you toward your goal achievement.
Seeing results is the true motivation behind goal completion.
7. Take Action
Tip seven on how to follow through with goals is most critical, take action. Begin taking the steps towards goal completion.
Well done is better than well said. – Benjamin Franklin
Up to this point, a lot of hard work has gone into setting a plan. Once it is set, it is time to take action. As Benjamin pointed out, well done is better than well said. This applies to many situations, including goal achievement. The best plan in the world will be worthless if you do not take action.
It is so essential that Franklin had quite a few things to say about this part of goal achievement.
Be Diligent
Diligence is the mother of good luck, and God gives all things to Industry. – Benjamin Franklin
Diligence is another word for persistent effort. To paraphrase Franklin’s quote, persistent effort is the mother of good luck, and God helps those that help themselves. In other words, do not rely on good luck, but show perseverance in your efforts, and you will be lucky and industrious.
Avoid Procrastination
Never leave that till to-morrow which you can do to-day. – Benjamin Franklin
Do not put things off until tomorrow. If you can complete tasks related to your daily goals today, do so. Your future self will thank you for your efforts.
Make Daily Advances
Human felicity is produced not so much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen, as by little advantages that occur every day. – Benjamin Franklin
According to Franklin it is not the great achievements that will bring happiness to your life, but these small daily advances towards your goals. Staying persistent in your efforts and avoiding procrastination will make small advances toward your goals. Great pieces of good fortune rarely happen when small advantages occur every day.
Make sure to take the time at the end of each day to reflect on what went well and what accomplishments were made.
Do Not Be Idle
Be ashamed to catch yourself idle, when there is so much to be done for yourself, your family, your country, your kin. – Benjamin Franklin
Do not avoid work and do not waste your time is another way to paraphrase this statement from Benjamin Franklin. This does not mean that you continually pursue something just to stay productive; that will lead to burnout. Listen to your body and your needs. Take rest when needed. Taking a rest is very different from being idle.
Being idle literally means avoiding work, doing something without purpose or effect. Being idle means avoiding your tasks and procrastinating. Resting has a specific purpose: avoiding burnout and all adverse health side effects.
Pursuing your dreams and focusing on them will give you fulfillment in your personal life. Pay attention to how you spend your time, find that work-life balance, and pursue your dreams responsibly.
8. Develop Supportive Habits
Tip eight on how to follow through with goals is to develop habits that will support the goal you are trying to achieve.
Contrary Habits must be broken and good ones acquired and established, before we can have any Dependance on a steady uniform Rectitude of Conduct – Benjamin Franklin
Habits are automatic actions we do in our daily lives. Habits can be good or bad. The important thing is to know your habits and actively work on acquiring and strengthening the ones you like and eliminating the ones you do not like.
Benjamin Franklin states that bad habits must be broken and good habits acquired. Select habits to focus on that will support your journey to goal achievement.
Be realistic; tackling multiple new habits at once will set you up for failure. The right thing to do is take small steps to develop the habits. It takes time, be patient.
Habit took the advantage of inattention; inclination was sometimes too strong for reason. – Benjamin Franklin
Franklin pointed out that habits take advantage of inattention. Because habit by definition is something you do without consciously thinking about, sometimes the bad habits will come through. This does not make you a failure, this makes you human, and that is absolutely normal.
Keeping a journal of your habits is a great way to bring attention to them. Effluo Planners have specifically designed habit trackers to assist you with staying mindful of your habits.
9. Identify and Resolve Obstacles and Impediments
Tip nine of how to follow through with goals is learning how to identify obstacles and taking steps to overcome them.
Work while it is called to-day, for you know not how much you may be hindered to-morrow. – Benjamin Franklin
Franklin cautions us against procrastinating and leaving tasks for the next day. You never know what tomorrow will bring and what obstacles or impediments may be in your way.
Identifying any obstacles or impediments that stand in the way of goal achievement is vital. Once identified, you can find ways to overcome or resolve them.
If you did not complete all your tasks in a day, take a moment to reflect on why the tasks were not completed at the end of the day. What stood in the way, and what you can do in the future to avoid this.
Likewise, when setting a plan for the day, anticipate what obstacles you may face and work on resolving or removing them before they arise.
10. Reflect and Review
Tip 10 on how to follow through with goals is practice regular reflect and review.
I was surprised to find myself so much fuller of faults than I had imagined; but I had the satisfaction of seeing them diminish. – Benjamin Franklin
Franklin famously created a list of habits and virtues he wanted to attain and reviewed these daily. In addition, he was a proponent of regular reflection.
When reflecting on your progress with the goals, it is essential to reflect on a daily basis and then at a higher level. A daily review will give you an overview of the progress of your daily goals, while a higher-level review will give you progress toward your long-term goals.
Effluo Goal Achievement Framework recommends daily reflections of your daily-goals, three-week interval reflections of high-level steps, and quarterly three-month interval reflections of your overall goal achievement.
This provides for consistent checkpoints of your achievements.
Summary Of The 10 Tips on How to Follow Through with Goals from Benjamin Franklin
1. Create a Visualization Board
2. Identify Your “WHY”
3. Write Down and Prioritize Your Goals
4. Make Your Goals SMART Goals
5. Break Goals Down Into Objectives and Create a Plan
6. Break Down Objectives into Daily Goals
7. Take Action
8. Develop Supportive Habits
9. Identify and Resolve Obstacles and Impediments
10. Reflect and Review
Following these ten steps will ensure your success with any goal achievement. The key is to invest time into making a plan. Avoid jumping straight into the goal execution without a plan at all costs. This will only lead to disappointment and failure. Yes, it does take time to set a good plan, and Effluo Planners can make the process easier and streamlined. But it will pay off as you see your goals completed.
Latest posts
![Negative Environmental Impact of Housing and Solutions [Thoreau]](https://i0.wp.com/www.effluo.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/0054-42.png?fit=768%2C1152&ssl=1)
![The Negative Environmental and Personal Effects of Fashion [Thoreau]](https://i0.wp.com/www.effluo.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/0053-41-1.png?fit=768%2C1152&ssl=1)
![7 Steps To Elevate Your Life by Embracing Minimalism [Thoreau]](https://i0.wp.com/www.effluo.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/0052-33.png?fit=768%2C1152&ssl=1)
![7 Tips on How to Find Purpose in Life [Thoreau]](https://i0.wp.com/www.effluo.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/0051-32.png?fit=768%2C1152&ssl=1)
![7 Hidden Dangers of Excess Consumerism and How to Avoid Them [Thoreau]](https://i0.wp.com/www.effluo.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/0050-21.png?fit=768%2C1152&ssl=1)
Leave a Reply