Going for Your Goals
I know I have often started the new year thinking “this is the year I make big moves,” and then I sit down to write down these great big ideas, and I got nothin’. I don’t know where to start, how to set realistic goals, and how to be kind to myself in the process. So, here is some helpful tips to set goals for yourself!
Self-reflect. Before springing into forward action, honor where you’ve been. What went well last year? What could have been better? This is valuable information for determining your focus point.
Cast your vision. Fast forward and imagine you’re at the end of 2022. You had your BEST year yet. Close your eyes and visualize it. What do you see? Who did you become in 2022? What did you achieve? How does your life look different than it does now?
Make it SMART. Take your vision and boil it down to an action step that is: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For this step, you might have multiple action steps, but start with at least one. For example, if your vision is to “be more fit” at the end of 2022, a SMART action step could be: I will walk my dog 3 times per week for 15 minutes this month.
Identify potential obstacles. We all face obstacles when striving towards goals. Although we may not be able to get rid of challenges altogether, by identifying the obstacles we can create a strategy for working around them. What are the greatest barriers that stand in the way of reaching your goal? Write them down.
Create your action plan. Your action plan is what keeps your goals front of mind on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. It’s your step-by-step method to get things done. When goals seem overwhelming, your action plan breaks it down into small and tangible steps. It helps you determine how you will track and monitor your progress. Together, we can work on developing your action plan!
Remember: Do this for you! Make sure you are making goals that you want to make. You will feel better doing things for yourself instead of for others, and people are more successful in reaching their goals when they are personal and for themselves.
