Achieve Your Goals With 1-3-5
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Well, here we are in February and I’m finally getting around to writing about goal setting. Can you tell that timeliness wasn’t a new year’s resolution for me? In reality, I don’t really do ‘resolutions’. Instead, I like to set achievable and detailed goals using the 1-3-5 method. Come along as I describe my method, share some personal goals and help you achieve your goals with 1-3-5!
What is the 1-3-5 Method?
I first heard of this method in a real estate training class. It’s very popular among real estate agents, due in part since it’s flexible for the self-employed. Essentially, the 1-3-5 corresponds to three main items: 1 main goal, 3 priorities related to that goal, and 5 strategies to support the priorities. Pretty simple right?
Why use the 1-3-5 method instead of New Year’s Resolutions?
I personally don’t like ‘resolutions’ very much. I think that they are somehow too vague and too binding all at once. You choose a lofty goal (like “Get in Shape”). Then when you don’t achieve it or make progress quickly, you give up completely. And then you feel guilty! What we should do instead is create clear, achievable steps. This allows you to make progress and measure that progress, taking a lofty goal and breaking it into bite-sized pieces.
How I Use the 1-3-5 Method
So all of that is well and good, but how does it work, right? This year, in addition to using this method to plan my business goals for the year, I created two extra plans. So now I have one for my personal life, one for my ‘side hustles’, and of course my real estate plan. I figured if it helps my business, why wouldn’t it help my personal goals? Here’s how to get started:
Choose 1 Big Goal
Go ahead – pick one! Now this may come easy to you, or it may not. If you have a big project or idea you are working toward, that can be your big goal. The important thing here is to choose something specific. It can be tempting to choose a resolution-type goal here, like ‘get in shape’ or ‘get a new job’. Instead, narrow it down to something you can measure and reasonably achieve. For me, I wanted to close a certain number of real estate transactions in the year. I considered how much I want to work, how much money I would like to make (self-employment is fun!) and then did some number crunching to see what I came up with. If you are aiming for a fitness related goal, maybe the big goal would look more like “Run My First Marathon” or “Qualify for Weightlifting Regionals”.
Identify 3 Priorities
So with your big goal in mind (woohoo!), it’s time to outline the priorities that will help you to achieve that goal. This is where you get into the nitty gritty of goal setting – don’t be afraid to adjust your big goal as you go through these priorities as well. I like to treat these as my focus items. Instead of just crossing my fingers and hoping I achieve my goal, these priorities are what I will focus on to make it happen. For me, this looks like keeping in touch with my contacts, keeping up my social media presence, and utilizing tools provided by my company. For our weighlifter, it might be bulking up their diet, following a new workout routine, and meeting with a professional trainer (clearly I’m not an accomplished weightlifter). These should be clear but they don’t have to be hyper specific – yet.
Create 5 Strategies
Now depending on your goal and priorities, creating 5 strategies for each of your 3 priorities may end up being a bit tedious. This one I give the most room for interpretation: you will know what things need to be done achieve the priorities. It may be 5 things, it may be two things – just write them down. Here’s where you really should be very specific. I find the more specific I am here, the more likely I am to actually do these things. Just like with our New Year’s resolution, if I say ‘talk to people’ but I don’t specify who, and with what intent, then I’m likely to skip it. Be clear and concise. By doing this work now, you are setting yourself up for success! It’s cliche, but it’s true.
Download a 1-3-5 Goal Template
I know for me having tools that are nice to look at can help me stick with it. So I put together a pair of pretty templates for you to try! Just sign up below and you can download the templates to achieve your goals with 1-3-5 and have them look cute too.
Some Final Tips
Once you’ve got your plan all put together, print it out! Having your plan somewhere that you can reference it often is so helpful. I like to have a copy hanging near my desk so it catches my eye when I’m wasting time on Pinterest. 😉
With all of this talk of goal setting and success, I want to add a word or two on acceptance. It’s important for all of us (me too!) to know that achievement and success isn’t what makes us valuable. I love checking off lists and getting a pat on the back as much as the next guy, but there’s a lot of value in knowing your own limits and giving yourself grace. So as you create your plan, make sure to be considerate to you. One of my personal priorities this year is self-care. It’s easy to be busy-busy-busy, but there is so much value in caring for yourself. Check out my post on communicating confidently for more thoughts on how to treat yourself well.
Do you set goals or resolutions each year? I think its a great way to reflect on the year past and gear up for a new one. Will you achieve your goals with 1-3-5 this year? If you use my template, tag me! I’d love to see how it works for you.
