爱华网在你一生中，也许你有一个大目标，那是一些既让你兴奋又害怕的事情。
You might have been thinking about this goal for months, years, even decades. And, even if you’ve made a start on it, you might not have got very far.对于这个目标，也许你会想上几月、几年、甚至是十几年。而且，即使你开始为实现这个目标行动起来，但是你可能坚持不了很久。
Your goal might look something like this:
你的目标也许会是诸如以下这些：
Run a marathon跑一场马拉松，
Write a novel写一部小说，
Pay off the mortgage还清欠款，
Get a PhD获取博士学位，
Become self-employed自己经商，
All of these are big goals – most of them would take years to achieve. And if you really want to reach them, you need to break them down into manageable chunks.以上所有这是都是大目标，且大多数你需要花费几年的时间去实现。而且如果你真的想实现他们，你必须将他们分解成为一些易处理的小目标。
Here’s how.下面便是如何去分解大目标的方法。
#1: Define Your Goal1.给你的目标一个明确的定义
First, you’ll want to come up with a clear description of your end goal. Too many big goals are so vague that it’s hard to start and impossible to finish.首先，你必须对你的终极目标有一个明确的描述。许多大的目标就是因为太模糊了以至于难以开始更难以实现。
For instance, if your goal is “write a novel”, what would finished look like?例如，如果你的目标是“写一部小说”。那么完成后的目标会是怎么样的呢？
A first draft?是初稿？
A novel that you’re happy with?是你很满意的一部小说？
A published novel?还是一部发表了的小说？
If you want to run a marathon, what exactly does that mean?如果你想跑马拉松，其中的意味究竟是什么呢？
Would walking the whole marathon be okay?是跑完了整个马拉松路程就算完成？
Or do you want to finish under a certain time?还是你想在规定的时间内完成全程？
Get clear about your goal. Decide what you’re aiming for, and write it down. Once you’ve done that, you can start on the next step.弄清楚你的目标。决定好你的目的是什么并记录下来。一旦你做好这一步，你便可以开始下一步了。
#2: Break Your Goal into major milestones2 将你的目标分解成几个重要的里程碑
Most goals can be divided into clear milestones. For instance, let’s say you’re planning to become self-employed. Your milestones might be:大多数的目标都可以分解成明确的事件。例如，我们假定你打算自己经商，你的重要点可能是：
Get everything ready to start the business (plan, funding, tools)做好一切开始经商的准备（包括计划、资金、工具等）
Make $500/month from the business每月从经商中赚得500美金，
Make $1000/month from the business每月从经商中赚得1000美金
Make enough to quit your day job and go full-time赚得足够可以让你辞掉白天的工作的钱，全心全意的做生意。
…and so on.诸如此类的一些里程碑。
These are still quite big steps, but they’re easier to grasp. You can start to imagine what’s necessary in order to achieve each milestone – and that’s what we’ll be covering in the next step.这样，目标虽然还是很大，但是却更容易控制。你可以从要实现每个里程碑的必须事项开始想起，这也是我们在接下来的一步中要提到的。
#3: Come Up With a Task List3 写一个任务单
You don’t need to map out your entire goal – just your first milestone.你不必制定出你的整个目标，只需要写出第一个重要事件即可。
Come up with a clear task list: what exactly do you need to do? Try to phrase these as action items like “write proposal” or “ask John about tools”.写出一个清晰的任务清单，这包括：你究竟需要做些什么？试着用诸如“写建议书”、“问约翰工具的事情”这些具有行动性的项目。
Here’s an example:以下是一个例子：
Goal: Run a marathon目标：跑一场马拉松
First milestone: Jog for thirty minutes第一个重要事件：慢跑三十分钟
Task list:任务清单：
Buy kit – trainers and loose-fitting clothes买运动鞋和宽松舒适的衣服
Get an exercise plan – ask for Sue’s help putting this together制定运动计划-----请休帮忙将这些整合到一起。
Jog three times a week and gradually build up to thirty minutes每周慢跑三次，渐渐培养成跑三十分钟。
Your task list doesn’t need to be long or complicated, but it should be clear. If any items are vague, then break them down further.你的任务清单不必很长也不必太复杂，但必须清晰。若还是有些模糊的项目，便继续将他们细分。
By now, your big goal has been divided into little steps. You know what you need to do during the next week or two – and you can see the milestones mapped out for the next few months or years.现在，你的大目标已经被分解成很多小步了。在接下来的一到两周你便知道你该做些什么了，而且你也可以了解已经列出的接下来几月或是几年的重要事件了。
“Run a marathon” is daunting. “Buy trainers” isn’t. But all those little steps really do add up – and in a year’s time, you could have achieved something amazing.“跑一场马拉松”会让人畏缩，但“买运动鞋”不会。但我们做得所有这些小步骤对大目标的实现真的会有所助益。而且一年下来，你会收获一些令人惊奇的东西。
