The Connection Between Daily Goals and Building Resilience
A couple days ago I shared my three rules for high quality goal setting. My #1 rule was to use daily goals as the foundation for the goal setting process. The best example of me implementing this rule in my life is this blog.
My daily goal is to publish an insightful or inspiring article each day. As a result, I have achieved this goal each day for over a year. 395 days in a row to be exact. One of the things people ask me about this streak is what’s the point. Why tax yourself everyday to achieve this daily goal?
There are two main reasons…
1) Daily Goals Help You Level Up Faster
First, by writing everyday, I have 365 days a year to practice my writing. If I was to only write every week, I would have only 52 chances to practice. If I was to only write monthly, I would now only have 12 practice days per year. Therefore, by working every day towards a goal, I can get better faster.
Obviously, this approach doesn’t just apply to writing. It applies to a wide array of skills and competencies. Clearly not everything done daily can speed the time to mastery. However, odds are there is at least one goal in each of our lives we can level up using a daily routine.
2) Daily Goals Build Resilience
The second reason for using daily goals as my #1 rule for high quality goal setting is the resilience factor.
The American Psychological Association list achieving goals daily as one of the 10 most important factors for building resilience. Specifically they state:
Move toward your goals. Develop some realistic goals. Do something regularly — even if it seems like a small accomplishment — that enables you to move toward your goals. Instead of focusing on tasks that seem unachievable, ask yourself, “What’s one thing I know I can accomplish today that helps me move in the direction I want to go?”
Being resilient is critical for success over the long run. Resilience is all about one’s ability to bounce back from adversity. Furthermore, research shows that 90% of individuals will experience some sort of trauma in their lifetime.
That’s practically everyone. In my mind, that percent may as well be 100%. We all must prepare to fight back from some type of adversity at one point or another. So why wouldn’t you do something everyday to make you more prepared?
Achieving daily goals builds your self-confidence, self-efficacy, and self-awareness. All three of which play critical roles in building resilience.