If you’re anything like me, after the busy rush of Christmas, you become incredibly enthusiastic at the thought of a new year!
New year = new beginning= new chance
Sitting down to make a calculated plan for this “new beginning” can be so overwhelming!! There have been years that I had a list of goals 100 items long and years that I didn’t even bother to make one single goal because it was overwhelming and daunting.
I know the feeling all too well.
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I’m a big believer in people, change, and having big dreams to chase. But it’s SO important to get some direction and make a solid, realistic plan on how to achieve those big dreams. And it starts with writing them down.
Setting a goal is the first step in turning the invisible into visible
According to a Virginia Tech survey….
16% of people do have goals but don’t write them down.
Less than 4% take the time to write them down.
Less than 1% review them regularly
Unsurprisingly the 1% earn 9 times more over the course of their lifetime than those who don’t set goals.
Crazy right??!?! I don’t know about you, but I would really love to beat the odds and fall in the 1% in 2019.
Here are a few tips to hopefully give you a little insight and help gain some clarity on setting realistic, attainable goals, for 2019.
This is a really great cheat sheet to follow when setting a goal…
Keep these tips in mind when setting a goal.
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time Limit
I LOVE this cheat sheet because it shows you a realistic way to set goals. Anyone can say “I want to be better with money” or “I want to be healthier”. Neither of those are measurable and neither of those have a time limit. Which makes them unachievable. You’re basically setting yourself up for failure before you’ve even gotten started.
Create a Personal Mission Statement
When I first heard about a personal mission statement I was obsessed. I actually felt cheated that it took me so long to discover it. Why wouldn’t I write a list of my core life values and why didn’t I think of that sooner? Having your values tumbling about in your head is the best way to lose track of and forget why the things that are important to you are actually important to you. Make sense?
Your personal missions statement will be a solid foundation to start your year off right and should reflect what you value most.
Mine starts but is not limited to the items below.
Seek to put my personal walk with God first in my life
Continually pursue a deep connection with my soul mate. Emotionally and phyically
Work diligently to know and connect with each of my children on a personal level
Seek to demonstrate charity first when dealing with all situations
Succeed at home first
Never comprimise with honesty
Maintain a positive attitude
Do not fear mistakes, fear only the absence of lessons learned from mistakes
Listen twice as much as you speak
Obtain counsel of others
Choose wisely what we eat, read, and watch in our home
Create a warm inviting environment in my home where the people I love will find joy, comfort, peace, and happiness
Make wise financial choices
Work daily to become content with what I have
I am in no way an expert in any of these areas. In fact, I struggle in all of them. But these are the things I value most. I’ve made it a goal to read over them every morning.
2. Write your goals down
I feel compelled to review these statistics again because I find them mind-blowing!
16% of people do have goals but don’t write them down, less than 4% take the time to write them down, less than 1% review them regularly. By committing to simply, write your goals down, and review them regularly, you are so much more likely to achieve them. I have mine written on a piece of paper in my bible and I try to review them every morning. Keep them somewhere that is handy for you and make it a habit.
3. Think big picture. Where do you want to be in ten years
When setting goals it is important to think big picture. Mainly because most of us have many things we would like to do, change, or see in our lifetime. The thought of accomplishing them all in one year can be discouraging. Remind yourself that we are all a work in progress and change takes time and consistency. But in order to achieve goals, you have to set them. Ask yourself where you would like to be spiritually, relationally, and financially in ten years and write it down.
4. Choose 10 areas you’d like to improve over the next 10 years
This goes back to thinking big picture. By choosing ten areas you’d like to improve in the next ten years, You’re giving yourself the freedom to hone in on just a few areas to work on this year. It makes it seem much less overwhelming. Thinking you have to set 100 goals for 2019 is totally stressful, overwhelming and will often lead you to not setting any goals at all.
5. Pick two areas you’d like to make your main focus in 2019
By honing in on two areas like….health and fitness, or health and finances, or finances and relationships, you give yourself the freedom to dive in and really master those two areas. Rather than trying to conquer ten areas, getting overwhelmed, and giving up by February. Think quality over quantity.
6. Review your goals regularly
Every day is ideal, but a few times a week is good too. Again, break it down into smart, actionable, steps that you can manage consistently. If you are a busy mom of multiple littles, once a day might not be realistic for you. So make it something that works for you and that you can be consistent with.
7. Break your goals into actionable steps
Again, the power of writing things down. This step is so important especially for busy parents. Your goals HAVE to be actionable. It’s better to set one actionable goal than ten impossible goals. Make a realistic action plan on how to achieve your goals and follow through.
8. Get an accountability partner
Whether it’s your husband, best friend, or a gym buddy, it’s SO important to have someone to stay accountable to. Especially in the stay at home mom space. If you are not actively reporting to an accountability partner, you are going to end up eating a bowl of ice cream and binge-watching Netflix. Just like you did last year, and the year before that, and the year before that. An ideal accountability partner is going to be someone who is willing to set actionable goals and commit to checking in with you. Suggest a weekly check in with them.
The first step in setting goals is getting started today. I wholeheartedly believe that you can set the goals that are important to you, and have the courage to achieve them.
If you would like an accountability partner, I invite you to join my community full of woman striving to be the best they can be. And support each other along the way. Click below! We would LOVE for you to join us!