First thing’s first… I don’t think you need to wait until the New Year to set goals. That’s why this post is coming at you a few months before the “new year, new me” posts start pouring in. I believe determining goals and a plan of action to achieve them for the new year, starts now.
Do you start your year fired up to achieve your goals and then fizzle out by February? I’ve been there. In fact, I got so tired of letting myself down that that I stopped setting them altogether. Please don’t do that. There’s nothing like the feeling of keeping a promise to yourself and I know you can do it. I want to help set you up for a year of crushing your goals. And what kind of friend would I be if I didn’t share my tips on how I determine my goals and tips on how to actually achieve them?
I have not crushed every goal I’ve set myself. But I think starting to brainstorm goals and a plan of action right now is the best way to set yourself up for success!
Achieve your goals by calling your shot
Knowing exactly what you want is the first step. Do you already have some New Year’s goals in mind? If you answered yes, let me ask you… Are they goals? Or are they dreams?
Meaning, are you dreaming about owning a house some day? Are you fantasizing about eventually getting healthy and feeling confident in your body?
If you don’t call your shot and proclaim what it is you are actually going to do, then you’ve just got a dream. And of course you HAVE to dream. But, if you don’t have any plans or habits in place to go make it a reality, then a dream it will stay. So call your dang shot. Set goals that will become a road map to achieving those dreams. Decide this is the year you are actually going to achieve the goals you set out for yourself.
Your goals don’t have to have a time limit (You can read more about that here.) However, try to make them as specific as possible. Also, it’s important to note that for fitness goals, it may be more beneficial to say “I am going to workout 5x a week” rather than saying “I am going to lose 20lbs.” You can control how much you work out, you can’t control exactly how much weight you will lose.
If you don’t have any goals in mind for the New Year, then let me ask you this…
What is something you’ve wanted for a long time that you keep giving up on? Is it getting in shape? Is it not living paycheck to paycheck? What does your best self look like? Do you feel confident in who you are? Do you feel like you’re always striving for growth? Are you financially stable? Those are just a handful of questions to make you really think about what you want and who you want to be.
Now… Tangible tips to actually crush ’em
1. Write them down.
Write them all down. It may seem like you wouldn’t forget something so important, but you will. These are goals to work towards that are not yet ingrained as a habit so they’re likely not something you’re currently thinking about every day.
2. Prioritize them.
You can have multiple goals to work towards. However, if you’ve got quite the list, it may become overwhelming. Ask yourself what you want most. If you didn’t complete anything else but this one particular goal, you’d still be so proud of yourself. Now, move that goal to the top of the list.
My best example of this is, “Being consistent with my health and fitness routine” was number 1 last year. Brushing the dogs teeth consistently was much farther down the list…. And it didn’t get accomplished. Be honest with yourself as you prioritize them. While I am bummed I didn’t achieve my goal of making their dental health a priority this year, I feel amazing that I accomplished my number 1 goal.
3. Now re-write them as if they’ve already happened.
This idea comes from Rachel Hollis and her concept behind her Start Today journals! If you haven’t heard about it, you need to listen to episode 72 of The Rise podcast to hear her explain it.
Writing the goals down as if you’ve already achieved them forces your brain to figure out how to make what you’re telling it, true. For instance, I write “I am confident in every room” in mine every day. It is a daily reminder of exactly who I want to be. Write down “I workout 5x a week” or “I have $5000 in my savings account.” Be specific.
4. Start right now.
Don’t wait until January. As soon as you have your goals written down, start. When this blog is posted, we will have over 2 months left in the year. Use this time for messy action. Take the first step.
If you want to be someone who workouts 5x a week, you have to start right now as someone who does not have routine exercise as a habit. It will be hard, which is exactly the reason to start building the foundation now. Imagine signing up for the gym and you make it 3x this week. And then 5x the week after. But then 2x the week after that. You won’t have gone 5x a week consistently yet, but you WILL have started to overcome the gym anxiety. And you WILL have taken the first steps to become someone who keeps promises to themselves.
Same goes for any of your New Year’s goals. If you want to be someone who doesn’t care about other peoples opinions, start finding content right now that will teach you how best to become that person.
5. Watch your language.
Watch the language you use around your goals. Our brain does whatever we tell it. Don’t say you’re going to try to go to the gym 5x a week. Don’t say you’re hoping to save $5000. Cut try and hope out of your vocabulary when it comes to achieving your goals. When you talk to yourself and others, say “I am going to the gym 5x this week” , “I am saving X amount of dollars. “
We tend to say we are trying to do something because it gives us an out if we fail. I used to do it a lot around my fitness goals. But eventually, I called my shot. I decided what I wanted and who I was going to be. Watching your language is as much a habit as waking up early. It takes intentional effort to change. I still catch myself using words like “trying” or “hoping” around my loftier goals. It’s not an immediate switch but it is something that has been proven to be worth my effort in working on every day.
6. Put your list somewhere you can see it every day.
Mine is taped on the wall in front of my desk. It’s the perfect spot because I spend a ton of time at my desk AND because most of my goals surround work and blogging. If your goals are predominantly fitness related, you might want them taped to your mirror. If they’re savings related, you might want them taped to the fridge. You cannot write them down in a notebook somewhere and hope they stick with you.
*Side note* If you’re a very visual person, it may be better to do a vision board rather than a list. My mom had one taped inside her closet when I was growing up. Figure out what will best serve you and do that.
7. Include your motivation and/or a reminder.
For awhile, I had my goals taped on the wall in front of my desk and next to it I had another list that coincided with the goals. This list had reminders of why I wanted to achieve that goal so much.
This past year for example, one of my goals was to double my savings from the previous year. On the reminder list I wrote, “It’s worth skipping a dinner out here and there for financial stability.” One of my other goals was to work on patience with Matt and the dogs. Next to it I wrote, “Tomorrow isn’t promised. Have grace.” On the hard days, it can be a great reminder (or kick in the ass) of why you’re reaching for more.
8. Reassess monthly.
At the close of each month, take a good look at your list of goals. What have you done to get closer to achieving your goals? Every day is a new day to make a better decision for your future self. If my goal is to save $5000, I need to be putting away $417/month. If an emergency came up or we had a tight month and I couldn’t put away that amount, I am going to have to make up for it this month to meet my goal. Reassessing reminds me where i’m at and where I am going.
Your goals may change over the course of the year which is another reason to reassess. I started blogging in March this past year so when the year started, obviously none of my goals included blogging. I reassessed and added in some blogging related goals mid year.
Do not change your goals just because you’re afraid you’re not going to achieve them. Don’t play small because of a fear of failure. Be honest with yourself and what you want. Then step up your game if you need to! Remember, you don’t have to achieve the goal in 12 months. Big goals take awhile and that’s okay.
This is your year!
You know what you need to do and you’ve got over 2 months left of 2019 to start taking action. Call it a trial run. Imagine looking back on 2020 and thinking about how it was the year that changed your life. It was the year you were able to achieve your goals and keep the promise to yourself. You’ve got this! I believe in you.
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