January flew by, once again. Have you been struggling with the resolutions you set for yourself? Did you feel super pumped back in December when you were writing all of your resolutions down, making vision boards, and creating to-do lists in order to accomplish your goals? Now that January has come and gone, has your motivation fizzled out?
Totally normal, and we can all relate. So, how can we change this? We can start by actually setting goals, not resolutions!
I know you’re asking yourself what’s the difference between a resolution and a goal? Does it really make a difference what I call these things? Here’s the thing: resolutions are absolutely different than goals. A resolution is basically a decision to DO SOMETHING. A goal is an idea of a DESIRED result that you plan for and commit to achieve within a certain deadline.
Resolutions are too “vague” and are easy to give up. Goals demand you put a plan into action! They require investing time, effort, and commitment. You’re less likely to give up on a goal when you’ve invested so much of yourself into it.
What Goes Into Goal Setting
You need to know what your life’s purpose is, because your goals need to align with your purpose. Once you’ve done the work to understand your life’s purpose, start setting your goals.
Goals need to motivate you. When you know who you are, and what your purpose is for this thing called life, your goals are far easier to set, plan for, and attain.
Put them in writing. Physically write down goals that are:
Clear and defined.
Attainable, but not super easy.
Aligned with the life you want to live.
Be specific so you can measure your progress (if you want to “save money”, you’ll need to provide the specific amount of money you want to save).
DEADLINE. Without a deadline, you won’t know when you’ve achieved your goal, and when to celebrate the victory.
How to Achieve the Goals You’ve Set
Having goals is half the battle. You also want to achieve what you’ve committed to.
Plan of Action. Goals are never achievable if you feel overwhelmed by and anxious about them. It’s important to plan smaller, manageable steps so you always feel like you’re making progress towards the final goal.
Constantly Review (and Reassess When Necessary). Sometimes life changes, and your goals need to be adjusted. That’s fine, but you won’t know this unless you continue to review your goals, and your progress. Take time each week to review how you’re doing, and if the goals still align with your overall life’s purpose.
Forgive Yourself. If you fall behind, or have to adjust or change your goal, it’s okay. No need to beat yourself up over anything. Forgive yourself, be as kind to yourself as you would be to your friend who is feeling less than successful.
Learn from Mistakes. Most importantly, when you make a mistake, OWN IT and LEARN FROM IT. Life is filled with ups and downs, and mistakes are made. If you learn from the mistakes, you can chalk the mistake up as a learning experience rather than an actual mistake!
Reward Yourself. Find ways to reward yourself when you hit your milestones! It helps keep you MOTIVATED, and motivation is probably the most powerful force in the entire goal achieving process!!!!!
When you want to achieve goals it’s imperative that you create the right mindset, and that’s something a professional can help you with.
Develop the Best Mindset for Goal Achievement
Before creating your list of goals, along with your plan of action, you’ll want to not only understand your purpose for the goals, but also develop the best mindset for achieving your goals. Improving your mindset isn’t the easiest thing to accomplish alone, and it often helps to have a professional in your corner.
An improved mindset can also help when you need to work on your attitude as you progress through all of the steps in place to achieve your goals. The first “mindset” change is switching from the term resolution to the word GOAL - it makes all the difference to your dedication and commitment to your successes in life.