Goals: without them, we feel aimless! Is it a promotion at work? Buying a house? Fitting into those jeans again? Creating (and keeping) a meditation practice? Goals can be exciting, but they can also be intimidating and overwhelming. It’s easy to feel aimless, especially if you don’t know how or why you want to accomplish them. We want to make sure that you feel confident in your goals, as well as going after them. That’s why we’re talking about setting EPIC goals today!

Most of us go about our daily activities with that one goal always on our mind, but sometimes that goal can slip into the background. Life gets busy and loud – most days are overwhelming: work, school, friends, family, errands, housekeeping, planning for the holidays while trying to maintain a healthy, balanced lifestyle. It adds up and adding onto that can seem so daunting! It’s easy to get caught up in a never ending rat race and forget about the steps needed to reach our goals. Or worse, we forget about the goal altogether and never achieve it.  

It’s time to get back to the basics and implement proven best practices to achieve any and every goal you have. Let’s turn those dreams into realities by implementing EPIC goals!

“A goal without a plan is just a wish” –Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

EPIC Goals

EPIC stands for Elevating, Practical, Impactful, and Clear. This goal setting tactic ensures that your goals are meaningful and effective. When these elements are combined with action steps and accountability, you see immense results. Using each piece effectively will provide you with a compass as you navigate down your journey to accomplishment.

Elevating

Your goal needs to be inspiring, motivational and true to you and who you are. This goal cannot be influenced by others and must feel uplifting and right to you. It should connect with your Why and align with your purpose

I want to be healthy, feel good, and be able to go on hard hikes at the drop of a hat without feeling insecure.

Practical

Your goal needs to be reasonable and achievable. It might be a stretch goal, but it can be feasibly achieved in the near-term, barring a drastic change of events. Think about what skills you need to develop in order to achieve your ultimate goal.

In order to feel equipped and not insecure, I need to work on my endurace as well as strength training 2-3 times a week.

Impactful

Your goal needs to be meaningful and life changing. Accomplishing this goal will bring you tangibly closer to your future vision. Set short term goals that will move you closer to achieving your long term goals!

I will go on easier hikes 2-3 times a month to work myself up to the challenging ones. 

Clear

Your goal is definable and measurable. It is time-boxed, specific, and it is very clear if and when the goal has been accomplished. Set deadlines for yourself! 

I want to be able to go on hard hikes at the 6 month mark.

So we are left with: I will work on my endurace as well as strength training 2-3 times a week and will go on easier hikes 2-3 times a month, working myself up to harder hikes. By 6 months, I will be able to go on hard hikes at the drop of a hat without feeling insecure.

Take some time to reflect on your goals and determine if they really reflect this model. 

Action Steps

Now let’s talk about how to move your goal forward. Once you’ve ensured that your goals are EPIC, you need to develop a game plan that will help you stay on track, because as we’ve established, life is chaotic! Once you’ve outlined your EPIC goals, write out clear-cut action steps to implement as you stride toward achievement each week.

It’s helpful to look at your goal and create action steps by working backwards. If I hope to be able to go on hard hikes at 6 months, what will I need to have accomplished by 5 months, by 4 months, etc.? Create your action steps by working backwards and check in to see where you’re at at the end of each month.

Accountability

Accountability is so important! Especially when it comes to achieving your EPIC goals and maintaining your action steps. This could look like having someone participate in your goal with you, sharing your goals and steps with a friend or partner, keeping track in a journal, rewarding yourself for small and big goals achieved, or working with a coach. Figure out what you need to stay accountable and on track so that you can achieve what’s truly important to you. 

EPIC goals combined with clearly defined action steps and accountability will have you moving towards your goal in no time! Of course, there will be times you’ll stumble. During those times, it’s important to remind yourself of the big picture, what you’re working towards, and why it’s important. It’s normal to stumble, what’s important is getting back up. You’ve got this!