May 12, 2018

Reverse Engineer your Long-Term Goals into Short-Term Habits

By: Russ Zalatimo

Reverse Engineering Your Short-Term Habits For Long-Term Success

 

When it comes to long-term goals, we’re taught to think bigger picture, though that’s often easier said than done. Whether there are personal milestones that we aim to achieve or entrepreneurial plans that require more extensive timeline execution, it’s important to understand just how the key to long-term success actually works. And that’s through short-term habits. A desired goal is much more than the sum of its parts; it lives in the details of its composition—otherwise known as reverse engineering. These are all the day-to-day habits that ultimately (and hopefully) lead to the goal in mind. So how do you “reverse engineer your short term habits”? Here are some rules to guide you.

 

Speak it into existence; then create the loudest echo.

Chances are, you already have a long-term goal in mind for your business. You’ve casually referenced it and revisit it from time-to-time. Actually getting there can feel like miles away, yet it doesn’t have to be. State your goal and your reasons for having it. Write it down. And once it’s written, remind yourself of it everyday. That spark of recognition alone will exist as a reminder and allow you to amend certain aspects of your day to fit this goal in somewhere. It doesn’t have to be a massive contribution every single day, but every little bit helps.

 

Understand the gift of routine.

They say that repetition of a habit often enough becomes a subconscious routine, and the same can apply to any business with long-term goals in mind. If your goal requires a degree of frequent routine, then commit to that until it becomes second nature. For entrepreneurs, that can be anything from increased productivity to heightened client outreach and business process mapping. Whatever it takes, start it and keep at it. Eventually it will become a part of your everyday life.

 

Check in on yourself.

Sometimes when goals are in the future, we set them aside—and despite creating short-term goals to lead the way, we forget to check back in and see how close/far we are. Monitoring your own process is essential to playing the long game. Even when your habits are routine, you should be checking back in on how you’re doing and where you are in your plans. Don’t just assume everything will fall into place. Sometimes it does, yet other times it doesn’t, and keeping your game plan in the front of your mind will always get you there faster.

 

Celebrate your wins, but be realistic about your losses.

When you’ve reached a short-term milestone, reward yourself. Any move in the right direction is one to commend yourself over, though also understand that not everything results in a win. It’s important with long-term goals to be realistic about achieving them, while being wary of complications and hurdles along the way. None of that should be a deterrent (unless absolutely necessary), but recognizing those issues early on will make it easier to not only celebrate short-term wins, but also have much more of them than you anticipated.

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R M Zalatimo
R M Zalatimo
Inspire. Empower. Transform. Those are the words that NYC Wealth Innovator, Russ Zalatimo, lives by. From tips on leadership, self-help, and growing entrepreneurship Zalatimo provides the trade secrets to leading a well-rounded life.