Have you ever come to the close of a year and realized that all of your goals and resolutions that you made at the beginning of the year are still left unfinished and not achieved?
You start to feel some shame and resentment as once again you make a list to get in better shape, find the love of your life or finally start that business.
Sound familiar?
I often dread the idea of setting goals with a friend or worse, making some fluffy vision board with a bunch of girlfriends. Ironically, the vision board looks almost identical to the last 4 that I’ve made that are currently residing at the bottom of my utility closet next to the vacuum cleaner. The photos have faded, the glue is no longer serving its purpose and the vision feels as hopeless as the faded poster board that I used as a backdrop.
You may feel this way right before your birthday or right before a big event, such as a class reunion. Where you cannot help but look back over your shoulder desperately to take inventory of every accomplishment that you have made in your life. You’re mentally taking notes because you know that someone will ask about your personal achievements at some point and you want to be prepared.
You feel defeated.
Why do we get so caught up with the tiny details of life that we forget to see the big overall picture?
How do we get derailed from what we genuinely want to experience in life?
Could it be lack of preparation and planning?
Yes, it does come from lack of planning but mostly it is because life is full of alarm clocks, dirty dishes, deadlines, laundry, your kid’s homework, and guilt-ridden invites.
The need to buy the perfect gifts at Christmas and the need to make everyone else around you happy FIRST before you give yourself permission to focus on your own goals and happiness.
OUCH!
That’s the real truth right there – isn’t it?
Everyone else’s happiness is being listed as a top priority as your needs and wants are slipping toward the bottom.
I’m a single parent and business owner. My needs are usually saved for last and if time allows for it, I will attend to those needs.
Ironically, we are usually too tired and save them to the next day… and the next.
We want our kiddos’ to be happy and we want to make our significant other happy too, but we forget that a happy woman and mom – truly creates a happy life for everyone all around. Even if you’re NOT a woman, this can be applicable and relatable.
So how do we make sure we are not overlooked for another year or worse another 10 years?
I have come up with 3 ways to make sure you that don’t get distracted from your personal goals.
So far, they have worked really well for me and I have lost 40lbs in the past 15 months, even with the stay at home orders and wanting to eat everything in sight!
Feel free to keep reading or watch my motivational video HERE
Let’s dive right in and get you closer to those goals starting today!
Way #1 Write that Goal Down – put it EVERYWHERE and make it highly visible.
I like to use digital photos in a picture frame or have a photo on my desktop of my computer or screensaver on my phone to remind me of my BIG PICTURE GOAL.
For example, I want to move back home to Michigan one day. I love my hometown of Traverse City, MI and have photos of the area all over my home from this past summer, including my screensavers.
The more visible it is, the more it will be in the front of your mind to continually chip away at the process.
Way #2 Accountability – tell everyone about it, have them hold you accountable.
Sometimes its hard to admit a goal to a friend or loved one because then we HAVE to work on it and make it achievable. Having someone hold you accountable can feel vulnerable but it works like a charm and I highly recommend it!
Be very selective with who you share your goals with, they must support you, not judge you. Keep your ideas far away from anyone that wants to compete with you or can be jealous of you. You need love right now, not crude remarks.
Way #3 Watch your daily decisions – are they leading you towards your goal or away from it?
Keep a daily diary if you need to, something similar to a score card. It can be a simple notebook that is small enough to carry around with you.
As an example, write down what you’ve eaten that day if you’re trying to lose weight or what you have spent money on that day if you’re trying to save money.
You will find that the effort of writing it down will keep you from eating that candy bar or spending money on stupid items that you don’t need.
Keep score of how many new people you’ve met if you’re looking to get back into the dating scene. Keep score of quality dates that match your long-term agenda. Do not, I repeat, do not date just to date if you’re seeking a long-term relationship or anything of quality. Be selective of who you give your time to and make sure that it always matches your overall goal for yourself. This also shows self-respect.
If you’re working on your current relationship, keep score of date-nights and new experiences together. I passionately believe that couples that play together, stay together.
I hope these tips will encourage you to stay on course and keep your priorities at the top of the list.
To see the bloopers of the video that is shown above, click HERE.