Have you ever noticed how the bright sun in the early spring gives everyone a bit of pep in their step? It’s a great time of year to take a step back, reflect on your goals and recommit to achieving them! These 5 simple tips can help you maximize your effort while improving your success in achieving your goals.
1. Write down the ‘why’?
You may have heard the statistic – people who write down their goals have an 80% higher success rate. Writing down a goal makes it more concrete. But, you can take that an extra step and write down the why. What’s motivating you to have that goal? Why is it important? Capture the passion that’s behind you wanting your goal. On the days that it’s hard to get going, reread your why and keep going!
2. Break your bigger goal into smaller milestones.
Programs like Couch to 5K are so successful because they take a big goal, running a 5K, and break the steps into very achievable building blocks. What smaller steps can you break your bigger goal into so that you can make consistent steady progress? Identify a few next steps you can take that move you in the direction of your goal but can be accomplished in the next two weeks.
3. Make an appointment with yourself.
Schedule time to accomplish your goal. If you’re a morning person, set your alarm clock for 30 minutes early on the days you’ve scheduled. Use that time to work on your progress. If you’re an evening person, block of time later in the day. The important thing is to schedule time in your week as though it were an appointment. The blocks of time you set aside will be stepping stones for your progress.
4. Reassess, learn, regroup.
Each week or two pause and check your progress. What’s working? What’s not? Don’t beat yourself up if you’ve slipped but rather assess what’s been working, what hasn’t, adapt, adjust, and move forward with the valuable lesson you’ve just learned.
5. Rinse, wash, and repeat.
When you’ve reached your goal, celebrate, [pray about what’s next, and then begin again. Continue to grow, learn, adapt, and reach for your next goal. The discipline of working on your goals can become second nature.
How do you stay motivated to stay on track with your goals? Are you setting new goals for the spring and summer, or continuing on your resolutions? I’d love to hear what’s working for you!
I have noticed that the unnecessary drama comes about to distract me. Reaching goals is not easy. However, I am determined to achieve them.
Ah you are not alone! Unnecessary drama and distractions seem to multiply when you set out to reach goals. I’ve found making the milestones I’m working towards small enough to be achievable but big enough to push me along with assigning them due dates has helped me. Hold on to your determination! That’s what will get you to your goals!
Perfect. Winter is now over and I did NOT reach some of my goals for projects to be done while snow was on the ground. They are really small things I wanted to accomplish but just didn’t get it done. I plan to put the 1/2 hour in every morning on just one of the projects (Red Hat Scrap Book from three years of events.) I did get all the pictures out of my camera and I have two girl friends lined up to help. But first—- I need to get the three years in order and then the ladies will help scrap book. I know it will get done but just not sure when. I love your plan and I will follow it. Great suggestions. Second project——–My scrap book of all the newspaper article and places I have spoken since I wrote my book All the steps I Have taken. As a polio survivor, I am finding that it takes me a lot longer to complete my daily need items of caring for myself, husband, and our home. Makes it harder to have the time to do the fun things I love to do. We have a wonderful camper at a great camp ground and we are not good retied people yet. We took one week of each of the summer months and had vacation there. We need to extend to one and half weeks each time we go. Come home for one day in the middle to do laundry and mow the lawn and head back. I can take my second project to the camper..Enjoy Spring. The Robins have been snowed on twice and it sound like a dusting could appear tomorrow so that should be the end of snow.
Glad the suggestions work for you! It can be easy to get discouraged when we didn’t reach our goals or be overwhelmed by what we want to do. You’re so right to step back and break it into smaller, achievable pieces. Getting the pictures was a great step towards getting your scrapbook done! Way to go! I have far too many pictures still stuck in a camera or on my phone. Enjoy the emerging spring and continue to work towards your project. Can’t wait to hear hear from you when you’ve finished this scrapbook! What a treasure you will have. God bless!