7 Types Of Habits That Will Help You Achieve Your Personal Goals

I’m forever setting goals for myself.

This time next year, I’m going to be…. and so on.

But, often these goals remain just that – dreams, not real life achievements.

Achieving your personal goals can be tough – even for the most motivated and organised people. You’re only human after all!

Many of us have fallen victim to an ever-growing list of tasks and responsibilities that hampers our dreams, leaving us with no time or energy left to devote toward achieving them.

So, how do we make sure our goals become reality?

The answer is simple – habit formation.

Adopting certain habits will help pave the way for success no matter what kind of goal you’re trying to reach – whether it’s starting a business, getting more fit, becoming more financially literate, or just generally improving your quality of life.

In this article, I’m going to outline 7 types of habits that you can start right now to help you reach your goals.

You might also like:

Table Of Contents

Importance of Habit Formation
How to Form Habits
7 Types of Habits

Importance of Habit Formation

Habit formation is incredibly important for the success of any goal because it allows us streamline tasks, creating an easy-to-follow and comfortable routine that can be repeated on a daily basis.

Putting these habits in place will help you progress towards your goals without having to think too much about what needs to be done each day – your actions become second nature!

Whether it’s exercising regularly, improving your diet, reaching financial goals, or even developing a hobby like drawing or painting – creating routines can help you reach the outcomes you desire.

By forming positive habits and sticking to them, you’ll be able to make progress in the direction of your dreams.

It’s all well and good to introduce good habits into your life, but bad habits are also just as important to break – like excessively eating unhealthy snacks, watching too much TV, or not getting enough sleep.

The key is to replace your bad habits with good ones! And a great way to do this is by setting small goals for yourself along the way. This will help motivate you and keep you going in the right direction towards achieving larger goals.

How to Form Habits

As with most things in life, habit formation doesn’t just happen overnight. It takes time and effort to build a daily routine into your life. Here are some steps you can take to ensure that your habits stick:

Start small – Don’t try to change everything all at once. Sudden changes will be hard to stick with, so take small steps and build from there.
Track your progress – Use a journal or a monthly habit tracker to track your progress and hold yourself accountable.
Reward success – Celebrate when you reach your goals! This will keep you motivated to stick with it. Plus, who doesn’t love a pat on the back?
Stay consistent – Habits are formed by repeating behaviors regularly over long periods of time. Stick with your new habits every day until they become second nature to you.

7 Types of Habits

1. Health Habits

In the convenience culture we live in, our physical health can often take a backseat to other priorities. We eat fast food, don’t get enough sleep, and don’t find the time to exercise.

But our health is incredibly important for success, and that starts with forming healthy habits.

It’s important that we prioritise our health and make sure we are taking care of ourselves. Making time for yourself each day to take care of your physical and mental health will make a huge difference in your overall wellbeing, and the progress you make towards achieving your goals.

Here are some healthy habits to help get you started:

Regular exercise routine

Exercise not only helps with our physical health but also our mental health. Aim to move your body at least 30 minutes each day, either through working out or by finding activities that you enjoy such as walking, running, biking, swimming or yoga. One of my favourite ways to get exercise doesn’t even feel like exercise – dancing!

Eating a balanced diet

Healthy eating has been linked to increased energy levels, better concentration, and higher productivity. So fueling your body with nutritious foods will no doubt help you stay focused and energised throughout the day. Aim for a balanced diet that includes all the essential nutrients your body needs throughout the day.

Staying hydrated

The recommended amount of water for an adult is around 8-10 glasses of water a day. It’s the minimum amount we need to keep our bodies functioning optimally. Staying hydrated helps to improve your concentration, memory recall and focus – all essential components towards success!

Getting enough sleep

The majority of people don’t get enough sleep on a regular basis. Our sleep schedule has a big impact on our productivity, energy levels and performance. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night and make sure to follow a consistent sleep schedule. Get yourself to bed before midnight! This will help your body adjust to the same rhythm every day, resulting in more restful and productive nights.

2. Emotional Habits

Our emotional wellbeing is just as important as our physical health. It’s all too easy to focus on all the things that need to get done and forget about how we are feeling.

But, managing your emotions is an important factor in achieving your personal goals – after all, if you’re not feeling good, it’s hard to keep motivated.

These emotional habits will help you stay focused and achieve your goals:

Express gratitude

Taking a few minutes each day to acknowledge all the things in your life that you’re grateful for can have a huge impact on how you feel. Even little things like being able to work from home and having your family around you, or having sunny weather can bring about an emotional shift. Recognise these things you’re grateful for when they happen.

Practice mindfulness

Mindfulness is the practice of bringing your attention to what you’re feeling in the moment. It’s about being aware of, and accepting, your emotions, rather than trying to suppress them. Mindfulness helps to gain clarity on how you’re feeling and makes it easier for you to manage any stressors in your life.

Positive self talk

We all talk to ourselves. The only difference is that some of us have more supportive conversations with ourselves than others! Pay attention to your self-talk and try to use it as a way to boost your confidence and morale rather than putting yourself down.

Be empathetic

Empathy is all about understanding and connecting with other people’s emotions. Practicing empathy can help you to build better relationships, increase your emotional intelligence, and even become a more effective leader.

3. Productivity Habits

Moving onto habits which keep us productive. Productivity isn’t an easy feat when there are so many distractions around, but forming habits that help you to be more productive, and adding them to your daily routine, can keep you focused so you get more done.

Here are four productivity habits you should adopt:

Time Management

Managing your time is one of the best habits you need to achieve any personal goals. Start by time-blocking and planning out your day. When you know what tasks you need to get done and when, it’ll help you stay on track and make sure your time is used in a more efficient manner.

Delegating tasks

You can’t do everything yourself so it’s time to stop trying! Passing on tasks to the right people will help to free up your time so that you can focus on tasks that need your direct attention.

Limiting distractions

It’s easy to get distracted by all the social media notifications, work emails, and messages that keep popping up on our phones. There’s a ping every few minutes! Learning to limit these distractions so you can focus on the tasks at hand will help you stay productive.

Scheduling breaks

Taking regular breaks throughout the day can help is important to refresh your mind and boost your productivity. Take time to yourself and use this as an opportunity to recharge, de-stress and get some perspective.

4. Positive Habits

Positive habits are the cornerstone of a happy and fulfilling life. They lift us up when we need them and give us a sense of joy. When we adopt these kinds of habits and incorporate them into our daily routines, we can begin achieve our personal goals easily.

Here are some positive habits to help you get on track:

Avoid negativity

Focusing on the positive aspects of life can be a challenge, especially if you’re feeling overwhelmed and stressed. But, it’s important to stay away from negative people and situations that stress you out. Instead, give yourself self-care and kindness – these conscious habits will help to keep your spirits up.

Celebrate successes

Achieving your personal goals can often be a long and difficult process. That’s why it’s important to remind yourself of the little successes along the way – celebrate every milestone! All these little milestones will keep you motivated and focused on reaching your ultimate goal.

Practice self-care

Self-care should be an essential part of your daily routine. Doing nice things for yourself and spending time with people who uplift you can make all the difference. Set aside some time each day to focus on yourself – even if it’s just for 5 or 10 minutes a day. This could be anything from reading a book, taking a walk, or simply just having your morning coffee out in the garden.

Surround yourself with the right type of person

The people you spend your time with can have a huge influence on how you think, act and feel. Surround yourself with positive, supportive and encouraging people who will motivate and inspire you to be the best version of yourself.

5. Social Habits

The kinds of habits you have also extend to your social life. Social habits play a crucial role in helping you achieve your goals, whether these involve networking, developing relationships or even just making friends.

By incorporating these positive habits into your daily life, you can create an environment conducive to achieving your goals.

Here are some social habits will help you make the most of your personal and professional life:

Scheduling time with friends and family

It’s important to make time for the people who matter most to you. Scheduling regular meet-ups and catch-ups with your friends and family will help you stay connected and build strong relationships.

Make time for networking

Networking is a key part of any successful career, no matter what direction you want to take. Making sure you have time to attend industry events, meet new people and make contacts is essential in making important connections and opening up new opportunities.

Be generous with your knowledge

Sharing what you know and helping others out can be a great way to build strong relationships. People will appreciate your generosity and it may even open up opportunities for you in the future. If you have the chance, offer your help and advice to those who need it.

Be open to new experiences

Having a positive attitude towards trying new things can lead to some exciting opportunities. Meeting new people, exploring different cultures, and discovering new skills can all be beneficial in helping you reach your goals – so don’t be afraid to take the plunge and give it a go.

6. Spiritual Habits

Spiritual habits are rituals that help us connect with something deeper than ourselves. While spiritual habits are often associated with religious beliefs, they can also be independent of any particular faith and can provide a sense of purpose, meaning, and direction to our lives.

By developing and incorporating spiritual habits into our daily routines, we can greater our understanding of ourselves and the world around us, connect with our inner selves, and foster a sense of peace and well-being.

Below are some examples of spiritual habits:

Meditation

Meditation is a great way to relax, destress and gain clarity. Taking some time each day to sit quietly and focus on your breathing can be incredibly beneficial for calming the mind – allowing us to view our thoughts and feelings from a place of non-judgement.

Creative expression

Getting creative can be a wonderful way of expressing ourselves. Whether it’s painting, writing, playing music or something else – creative expression can help us explore our feelings and emotions in a safe and meaningful way.

Journaling

Writing down our thoughts and feelings can be a great way to help us process and make sense of what’s going on in our lives. Taking the time to reflect on your day can bring clarity, insight, and understanding – helping you to move forward with more confidence.

Spending time in nature

Spending time in nature is the best way to connect with the world around us and appreciate the beauty of the natural environment. Taking some time each day to go for a walk or sit quietly and observe your surroundings, can provide a sense of peace and calmness – helping you feel grounded and present.

7. Growth habits

Growth habits refer to the intentional and deliberate actions we take to enhance our personal and professional growth.

Growth habits are essential for building confidence, resilience, and a sense of purpose in our lives. By developing and incorporating growth habits into our daily routines, we can unlock our full potential and achieve our personal and professional aspirations.

These habits can include:

Learning new skills

Constantly expanding our skills and knowledge is essential in order to stay ahead of the game. Taking the time to learn new skills, whether it’s online courses, reading up on industry trends or talking to mentors – can all help you to develop and advance your career.

Stepping out of our comfort zone

Pushing ourselves to take on new challenges can be incredibly beneficial in helping us to grow. Learning from our mistakes and seeking out unfamiliar experiences can help us to see things from a different perspective – allowing us to gain valuable insights into our lives.

Setting SMART goals

Creating SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound) goals is a great way to push yourself and ensure you are on track to achieve your ambitions. Setting achievable goals helps focus our efforts, gives us something to strive for and encourages ongoing learning.

Seeking feedback

Feedback is one of the most powerful tools to help us assess our progress and identify areas for improvement. Asking for direct feedback can be uncomfortable and intimidating – but gathering honest insights from others can provide invaluable guidance in helping you reach your goals.

We’re all creatures of habit. And that’s a good thing! Because our habits have the power to make or break us.

By incorporating these seven types of habits into our daily routines, we can set ourselves up for success and achieve our goals.

Building good habits does take time and consistency, but don’t get discouraged if you don’t see results right away. Keep at it and eventually, these habits will become second nature to you.

To keep track of your progress, download my Monthly Habit Tracker using the form below!