Goals are a funny thing. Some people love them, others can’t stand the idea of such pressure to perform. But no matter where you stand, the fact remains that knowing where you’re going changes your behaviour to help you get there. Wandering around aimlessly does not.
I love making lists of goals, and I also understand how important it is to set them (here’s my favourite article on this).
Here’s what I think makes the difference between just writing stuff down and making sure that you get where you want to go.
5 ways to make sure that you achieve your goals
1. Set monthly intentions
Make this one of your little rituals – at the beginning of each month, sit down and put on paper what you want to achieve and how you want to feel. You can do this in any way you want, you can write, draw, collage, whatever appeals to you at that moment. I am doing a combination and will share it with you in the coming months, just want to be able to tell you how it’s working out for me!
2. Let these influence how you plan your week and your day
What you do on a daily basis is what will have the most influence on your life. Look at what you do – is any of it bringing you closer to what you want? If not, reconsider how you spend your time, even if this means adding 10 minutes of something different at bedtime or first thing in the morning. Even 10 minutes can change your world, really!
3. Follow through
One of the things I learned this month is how important it is to follow through on your intentions. Apparently, your brain registers if you don’t follow through – so if you say you’ll blog today and then you don’t, that’s registered and the next time you say the same thing, your brain will be like ‘whatever, you’ve said this before and nothing happened’. This means that you should really commit to that to-do list and actually do the stuff you say you’ll do!
4. Get your friends involved – form a mastermind!
A few months ago, I got some friends together and formed a group that meets for Planning Parties at the beginning of each month. The idea is to celebrate what we accomplished in the month before, and to set some goals for the following month. Some people were a bit apprehensive, especially after months when they felt they didn’t get much done, but it turns out that there is ALWAYS a small step to celebrate, and it’s really good to remember that. Our group has the added benefit of making sure that I see my girlfriends at least once a month, which has really been fantastic. So grateful for it! I really encourage you to set up your own.
5. Check in often
Whatever list of goals you make, whether it’s for the year, month or week, check in with it and yourself on a regular basis. When you set intentions, some stuff gets done without you having to do anything, some stuff stops mattering and some stuff you know you procrastinate on, so keep an eye on what you’re doing with it! 🙂 Remember, just making your list won’t help, it’s the small steps you take that will make the difference!
How about you? What do YOU do to make sure that you reach your goals?
Let me know in the comments!
