Most of us sometimes take goal-setting too seriously. While it is a process, you need to keep in mind that your best goals change and flex overtime as you change through the process too. For more success with your goals, I am sharing some nuggets here for you to enjoy while setting your goals this year-end 2022 for the new year 2023!!!
1) Understanding Your “WHY” is More Important than Being SMART!
Your goal can be as SMART as you like, but that doesn’t make it inspiring! For every big goal, it’s important to identify the outcomes you’re looking for.
Try asking yourself:
- Why bother doing this?
- What outcomes am I looking for? What will ‘come out’ once this goal is complete?
- What are the benefits to me? To those around me?
- How will my life be different when this is complete?
Then once you have your strong WHY, you’ll stay motivated even when the going gets tough. SMART stand for: Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic and Timebound
2) See Procrastination as a GIFT
Most people see procrastination a ‘bad’ thing. Of course, it can be, specially if we do so over something important or a task that has a firm commitment deadline. But what if we saw our procrastination as a GIFT? Or a message? Because we usually procrastinate for very good reasons! Perhaps you’re:
- Tired
- Feeling unwell
- Lacking the information needed to move forwards
- Feeling frustrated or unmotivated (is it harder? Or taking longer? Are there more obstacles than expected?)
- Avoiding an action that is way outside your comfort zone…
Instead of judging yourself for procrastinating, you could take a pause and look for the GIFT behind your behavior by reflecting: what’s underneath your procrastination? And then take care of whatever show up as a response. You may need to let go of expectations, take care of ourself, ask for help, reduce the task, or extend your deadline. But once you do that, then you can find a way to move forwards freely, while being in harmony with yourself.
3) Go SLOW to Achieve MORE with clarity…
When it’s always “Go, go, go!” you get tired, lose focus and motivation, miss potential new ideas and are more likely to make mistakes, due to lack of clarity on your rushed actions. This is why you usually achieve more, and move effectively, when you slow down.
4)Understand that Big Ways Rushing, Impacts Us Negatively
Rushing feels unpleasant and increases your stress levels. This is tiring and lead to burnout when it becomes a way of life. Also, rushing leads to more mistakes and negatively affects our work quality, and make it hard to be creative when you’re hurrying: creativity needs space to allow ideas to flow or for that important idea or solution to bubble up from our subconscious.
Rushing turns pleasures into chores! Rushing is stressful, less productive and exhausting! Whereas slowing down means more enjoyment and more energy – you’re more relaxed, more creative, can keep going longer and get more done.
5) Believe in YOU & NEVER Give Up…
When working towards your goals, set-backs are unavoidable. And it’s your determination and perseverance that will see you through life’s inevitable obstacles and roadblocks. To persevere you have to believe in yourselves – that your goals are achievable and that you can do it! So, work on believing you CAN do it and don’t give up, BUT…And
6) Also Know When to LET GO
While it’s essential to persevere through your challenges and roadblocks, sometimes you need to let go and come back again next. Pay attention to yourself. Learn when to let go, take a break, or change your direction – it may be just that you need to come back refreshed and re-energized. When you feel like you’re banging your head against a wall, try asking yourself some of these questions:
- How could I let go a little and create some space around this?
- Do I need to take a short break, go for a walk, come back?
- Is this goal still valid? If it’s this hard, would I be better off doing something else altogether?
- Do I need to adjust the timescales?
- Perhaps the “solution” or path is wrong – is there a totally different direction I could come at this from?
7) Start With What Matters MOST!
Since most of us have more to do than hours in the day, how will you achieve your goals if you don’t prioritize and make space for them? All too often we begin our day by perusing email, clearing up our small tasks or taking care of other people’s requests. But are you getting what you really want done?
It’s easy to fill our time with smaller, less important tasks – and then wonder where the time went. Instead, just like the Big Rocks principle, when we work on our Big Rocks (what matters most) first, the rest of the day (the less important pebbles and sand) has to fit in around our priorities.
Our big goals – those that make the biggest difference in our lives – challenge us to stretch outside our comfort zones. So, it’s easy to see how we’re easily tempted to distract ourselves with easier, less important tasks. But by identifying and working on what matters most, first, we have clarity – and this makes it easy to focus. Take a few minutes EVERY morning to review your goals – and plan your priorities for the day. Then work FIRST on what matters MOST with your morning energy. Make this a habit in the year ahead and I guarantee you will amaze yourself!
8) Time Management IS Self-Care
Time is a precious and limited resource. With so much to do, if we don’t learn to manage our time well, we land into stress and lack of time for our main important goals – or those who matter most. Instead of thinking of time management as a chore, or a tool to get more done, try thinking of time management as an act of self-care. By investing in managing your time and learning what works for you – you are literally taking care of yourself.
So, what does good time management look like?
- It means planning and allowing enough time to work on things at a comfortable pace – and taking breaks.
- You make the time to prioritize your activities so you don’t run yourself out of time.
- It also means knowing and avoiding your unique time-wasters and working on what’s important before it becomes urgent.
- And it also means planning for the important things in your personal life – whether it’s action on a personal goal, picking up the kids, remembering a birthday or a dentist visit.
Importantly time management is not just for work – it’s taking care of yourself, managing your time effectively to achieve what matters most to you AND enjoying the process of getting there. Reflect on: Where could you create some more healthy time management habits and structures to take care of yourself better?
9) Face the Truth & Then, FIND a Way!
When a goal requires us to do something really big and challenging, and we’re struggling to move it forwards, we may need to face some truths. Perhaps:
- You thought you could do it alone, and now you need to ask for help.
- You need to gain a new skill (e.g., learn a new language, learn to touch-type, learn to swim!) before you even start towards your goal.
- You need to face the truth that this goal really scares you – and you need some support to break through a comfort zone.
Avoiding the truth leaves us feeling bad and doesn’t move us forward. Try asking yourself:
- Where do I fall short? (what skills, knowledge or support do you lack?)
- How am I being unrealistic? (think lifestyle, hours in the day, expectations)
- What truths do I need to face to get this done?
- Now that I understand what’s getting in the way: How do I need to adjust this goal, my expectations, or my action plan?
- What are my next steps?
Until we acknowledge our shortcomings and challenges, we can’t come up with solutions. But once we face the truth, we can do whatever is needed and then FIND a way!
10) ALWAYS Learn – No Matter What!
When we have the attitude of ALWAYS learning, whether we ‘achieve’ our actions, or goals or not, it doesn’t matter – because we’re always growing! Perhaps the process of achieving your goal will ultimately change you and turn out to be more valuable than achieving the destination (goal) itself. Or not. But if we make a point of always learning along the way, then we’re going to be a constantly improving human being! As the real value of setting or achieving them at the first-place lye on the person you become into the process.
So, whether it’s self-knowledge, developing your skills, learning from your mistakes or gaining new information – be sure you’re always learning so you can grow! Whether your goals are coming along nicely or you’re struggling to get moving, be sure to keep a growth mindset and ask, “What have I learned?”
11) REMEMBER that your Goals are there to INSPIRE you!
It’s important to take action and achieve our goals. But when you procrastinate, feel overwhelmed or things don’t go to plan, don’t beat yourself up! Instead remember that the purpose of goals is to inspire you – to work towards, get excited about, to help you create a life you love. So, any time you’re beating yourself up for not achieving – STOP! Don’t abuse your goals – that’s not what they’re for – Instead ask yourself:
- Am I on the right track?
- Am I moving forwards?
- If so, congratulations. Now keep going!
- If your goals genuinely don’t excite or inspire you – you may want to get some new goals…
And If you are looking for some amazing tools to set your goals for 2023, here is a virtual workshop I am offering for free on January 7, 2023. My recommendation to you, is to participate by saving your seat though this link.
To your success.
Cecile….