Studies show that putting your SMART goals into writing and reviewing them regularly will increase your chances of success. Some studies show that you are as much as 42% more likely to follow through with your goals if you write them down. Writing your goals down will help you get a clear picture of your plan and what you want to accomplish. Logging your goals will also help motivate you to complete the tasks needed to achieve your goal. Frequently reviewing what you’ve written will aid in reminding you of your plan, as well as remind you of your “why,” in turn, boosting your motivation to keep progressing toward your goal.
Writing your goals down as you set them; will help your brain encode the plan, further solidifying your goal. The mere act of writing an idea down makes it more likely you will remember it. This is why college students take notes in lectures. Note-taking provides a much higher probability of retaining the information. Similarly, when you draft your goal in writing, you have a better chance of success. After writing out your goal, be sure to place it somewhere that you can see it easily. Places like on the fridge, on your phone, on a mirror, at your desk are all excellent areas where you can easily visually access your goal. Seeing the words you wrote out serves as a reminder and motivation to continue with your efforts.
Not only will you be reminded of your goal by visually seeing the words written, but you should also take the time for an active review of your plan. Regularly, actively reviewing your written goal will increase your chances of success. A diligent study of your goal should include contemplating the reasons behind your motivation for the goal, your “why.” Thinking about the reasons you set the particular goal will boost your motivation by reminding you why the goal matters to you, why you set it and what you expect to gain from it. Reviewing your goal will aid in renewed purpose and incentive, ultimately bumping up your likelihood of success.
Countless studies find that writing out your goals produces higher success rates. Placing the words you’ve written in an easily accessible spot and reviewing them often will also help ensure that you follow through with the SMART goals you set for yourself.
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