Is it just me or can goals be intimidating?

When I set them for myself I feel like I have to stick to them which is probably a good thing but then I also don’t want to be the one to let my self down. Which I guess can also be a good thing. But often I feel like I set goals that are either totally unachievable or become hard to achieve due to life circumstances.

I mean seriously, I went into this year with big hopes and dreams for what I wanted to accomplish for both myself and my family and then 2020 happened. Timelines and deadlines all shifted. What I once thought was important now wasn’t so much. And of course things that I almost took for granted became super important and moved up the priority ladder fast. After all, for our family and similar to many others our whole day to day life altered.

After having some meltdowns, shedding some tears, and heck even just full blown vegging out and doing nothing, I decided I was not about to let this year take control over me. I was going to embrace the change, adapt to it, and refocus those goals of mine. I mean wouldn’t it just be awesome if in the end this turned out to be the best year yet!? Well I am here to tell you it’s not too late and totally possible. After all, often times with change good things do come about and what better year than now to make some of those dreams and wishes come true.

So where do we begin?

Set up a plan & hold yourself accountable.

Sounds easy enough. Because really it is. What becomes hard is sticking to it. But no worries, I have ways to help you do that too.

Start by asking yourself some questions & write down your answers. When we write things down we retain it more and we create a record of what we are working towards. Make it fun too. Buy a new notebook or create a vision board, something that you will be proud of and want to keep. Something you will be excited to look at and watch how your goal and plan are developing. Click here for some worksheets that I created that can help you get started brainstorming.

Ask yourself, where am I today?

Is this where I want to be? If yes, great! How will I maintain it?

If not where do I want to be?

It can sometimes be scary to look at the big picture right away or even hard to imagine. Through looking ahead though at what you want your end result to be, you can then break it down into smaller, bite-sized ways to make the bigger picture more achievable.

Let’s start identifying your goals.

Start by identifying what main goal you would like to work towards and when you would like to achieve it by? For our example we will say it’s paying off a credit debt by the end of the year.

Now it’s time to brainstorm how you can make this goal turn from a wish to reality. Identify 3 main steps you will need to do to help you achieve this goal.

In this example of paying off a credit debt we will;

• Budget the highest amount we can to paying towards this bill each month. This will need to be done by paying the minimum on our other bills and taking what remains in the budget to pay towards this bill.
• Not use this credit for anything so that we do not add money to the debt we are working towards paying off.
• Take any extra money earned throughout the year and put it towards paying off the bill.

Keep in mind that often times these steps may need to be broken down further. For example, in my first step I will need to now reevaluate my budget for the month. I will write it down so that I can create a plan that I will remember and be able to easily implement each month. Writing it down will also help hold me accountable.

Another great accountability piece is a support team or person. In this case I would chose my husband. I would share my main goal with him and my steps to get there. I would give him my credit card to hide so I cannot access it even when I may be really tempted to take advantage of a great deal or sale. I would also ensure that he knows to check in with me each month to see how I am implementing my steps into action.

When we have someone else cheering us on it helps to motivate, to share progress, and celebrate wins. It will also help in reminding us how much this was something at one point that we really wanted. It can be easy to allow other life events interfere and deter us. Having someone help you refocus and set your eye on the end result when life gets in the way will help hold you accountable and keep you moving in the right direction.

Maintaining momentum will be one of your most important factors in working towards your goal. Give yourself “mini” deadlines. The best part about this is it gives you chances to celebrate wins along the way instead of having to wait all the way till the end. In our example here, if I want to achieve the main goal of paying off the credit debt by the end of the year, with six months left in the year I should have half of it paid, ideally then, within the next 3 months. This is where I love to use a planner to highlight dates and know when I need to take an accountability check with myself. Now when I reach that 3 month mark not only do I get to celebrate achieving that mini goal but I start to see how possible it will be to meet that final goal.

We all know we love a reward system. We use them with our kids, or at work, so why not when setting our own goals too? What will you treat yourself with when you reach that goal, because you will! For our example here, paying off that credit debt might mean having the funds for a trip or a new renovation around the house. Write this down, have a picture of it somewhere. Keep your eye on the prize and know that you are in control of making it yours one day!

Some things to keep in mind

Sometimes it can be best to start small. When you achieve a goal and see that it’s possible to stick to it and make it happen it can be so rewarding! But most importantly it shows you that it is possible. Check out this quick outline for 5 Easy Tips To Keeping Your Goals. On the flip side, do not be afraid to go BIG. I have recently started setting life goals, click here for a template, and I don’t know why I didn’t take time to really focus in on them sooner. I would say I always had dreams & hopes for things in my lifetime but I didn’t always turn them into goals that I strategized a plan for. Either way the biggest thing to keep in mind is that no matter what life throws at you…hey 2020 talking about you…YOU have control over YOUR goals. They are after all yours! So while everything else may feel crazy and like we don’t have control, regain it here. Make that dream, that wish, become reality. Envision that celebration at the end. The reward. It will be here before you know it!