Goals begin with intentions. So first, what are you intentions for the year? Find what you are passionate about and create goals that align. You are more likely to achieve goals when you have intention around them. If I say I want to make 1 million dollars, I can set goals on how I might achieve it but I can get overwhelmed or distracted if I am not intentional about how I am setting this goals or plan to achieve them in my life.
Check in with yourself weekly on your intentions and evaluate if things need to be changed or let go of in order to move forward with out difficulty and struggle. Don't get me wrong struggle and challenge can be a good thing but be able to know the difference in the impact it has on your mindset and your life in all things.
Identify your passions
Set goals that are within your control
Use a vision board or something similar to image the outcome.
Brainstorm
Set your intentions and understand your why.
Use SMART goals.
Create actionable goals and take ACTION
Identify barriers and obstacles
Find ways to be accountable
Reflect and adapt
1. What are your passions?
Every heard of passion projects or passion planners? This is where we take something we are passionate about and invest ourselves in it. Most of us won't find success in things we are not passionate about. Keep in mind, success is a subjective term. So when I say success I mean not only the outcome desired, but the journey along the way and what it teaches you, that you feel happy within yourself, that you have grown as part of the experience, and you can appreciate the whole (good, bad, and the ugly) of the sum of the experience.
2. Setting goals that are controllable
What does this mean, as I have often said most things are outside of our control? This mean to look at what is relevant to you. So I can control that I spend X amount of hours a week creating content for a book I want to write, I can control the way I engage with others who I might be collaborating with but I cannot control how others support me, I cannot control if others will buy my product, I cannot control if the weather. So depending on your goals, look at how might you change them to meet intentions and controllability. You will not be able to make EVERYTHING fully within your control but adjust where you can and create a mindset around when things may change.
3. Visualization
Being able to see in either picture format, a little of goals and intentions, a Trello board, or written on a piece of paper somewhere can help you make progress and feel connected to the goals and intentions you were putting out in the world. Everyone processes differently, utilize the format that works best for you, utilize multiple formats if you would like to create different ways of looking at the desired outcome you are wanting.
4. Dump it all
Brainstorming or brain dumping can be a FANTASTIC way to get out of your own way. Often we don't start, can't narrow down goals or intentions because we feel overwhelmed by all the ideas we have floating around in our brains. Pull out a piece of paper or a list on a Trello board and just write/type out everything you are thinking without judgement, expectations, or reservations. Once everything is out, walk away for a little while and come back. Now, with fresh eyes review what you wrote down. Begin to organize it in a way that make sense to you (categories of similar ideas or thoughts, into what makes sense to work on now vs. later, etc.). Because to organize the chaos in your mind so that you can spend that energy elsewhere.
5. Understanding your why
It is important to understand why you desire these goals. Understand your intentions behind them. Find your authenticity within them. This will help you maintain your momentum and feel connected to the work that you are doing. If you are in the wrong niche or doing something for someone else or with poor intention it will be a challenge to maintain it all the time as you are not where you need to be.
6. Use SMART goals
S.M.A.R.T. goals - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. When making goals utilize this acronym to guide how you are setting yourself up to success in achieving the outcomes you desire.
Specific - identify with detail what your goals are. The devil is in the details, meaning if you give yourself vague goals you will struggle to find the outcome you are in search of and unlikely to feel fulfilled if you find any success.
Measurable - Find ways to identify how you are going to KNOW you have achieved your goals.
Attainable - Know if it is REALISTIC to meet this goal. Does it need broken down more, does adjustments need made? Don't set yourself up for failure. Be honest with the overall ability to attain but also in timelines you are establishing for yourself.
Relevant - are your goals relevant to your passion or your purpose? If not, why?
Time-Bound - your goals need to be time relevant and time bound. Don't tell yourself it is be done when I finish this or that. Doing this creates opportunity to push back and never feel the motivation for completion. Set realistic and attainable time bound expectations for each step of goal and overall outcome.
7. Create ACTIONABLE goals
When you are creating your goals make sure you can take action on them. And then TAKE ACTION. Things aren't going to take action for themselves, you must be present and intentional in the actions you take to achieving your goals. No action means no movement towards the goal.
8. Identifying obstacles and barriers
Most likely your goals will have normal and unpredictable obstacles and barriers. Identify those obstacles that feel more predictable and then think outside the box for the unpredictable ones. How are you doing to react when you face each of these obstacles or barriers to achieving your goals.
9. Accountability
Know how you are going to remain accountable for the goals and intentions you have set for yourself. Are you capable of holding yourself accountable? How are you doing to do that? Do you need outside accountability and where might that come from and in what form?
10. Reflect and adapt
Don't simply assume, as previously stated, things will go as planned, or maybe that they do but along the way you have identified changes you want to make or don't like what you thought you would. Set aside times to reflect on the progress and change what is needed to change.
Until next time... Stay Motivated!