Break It Down: From Resolution to Daily Tasks

In our last post, I touched upon the idea of taking small steps each day toward achieving your goal. The thought of this may seem to be taking the idea of baby steps a bit far or to be kind of silly. However, instilling little daily tasks into your routine can have a really big impact on your achievements in life. It's worth giving a try. Join me as we look at ways to break it down and go from resolution to daily tasks. I promise you this is worth a shot and can make any looming obstacle seem easier to tackle. 

Go for Tiny 

Even the most minuscule actions can move you closer to your goal. Just ask the researcher, BJ Fogg, who created a movement based on just that concept. Tiny Habits is a worldwide phenomenon based on Fogg's own research that has helped thousands of people achieve their goals by starting out in the absolute smallest of ways. The research and noted experience of participants have shown that such actions truly do have an impact and can take you to places you may never have dreamed possible.   

Make a List 

To get started, begin by brainstorming a list of all the little things you can think of that might help you reach your bigger, overarching resolution. If we're talking about writing that book, jot down small steps like generating five ideas for character names, free-writing a plot summary for a half hour, or outlining potential chapter titles. These are all very doable actions that are necessary to the process of writing a book. Doing one each day will certainly move you closer to attaining the once-unattainable goal of becoming an author.  

Set It in Stone 

Once you've written your list, begin to put it in an order that makes sense. Then take your tentative outline and transfer it to your daily agenda. Whether that's in paper form in a book you carry around, on a large calendar hanging on your wall, or in an electronic app, it doesn't matter. The point is to solidify your action plan for each day so that you're continually moving forward and making small-step progress toward your bigger goal.  

Review It 

Notice that I used the word "tentative' when I advocated transferring your outline to a daily planner. That's because sometimes we need to tweak our goals a bit. You'll want to check your progress occasionally to make sure you're on track. You may find that some of your tiny action steps are redundant or not very efficient. If that's the case, simply remove them from your calendar and replace them with tasks that make more sense for where you are at that moment.  

See how much sense breaking it down into daily tasks makes? You honestly can accomplish giant things through tiny steps. Give it a try and see for yourself.