Goal setting: seems intimidating. Seems like a type-A personality only activity. Seems like it might be a waste of time.
If you are not open to making changes and seeing progress in your life, goal setting is not for you. BUT, I believe everyone either on the surface or deep down, loves change.
Some changes might be minute, some might turn your life around. Ability to sail on the seas of change has been crucial in my life thus far, and I believe goal planning has been an amazing skill that has powered me through the tides both high and low.
Goal Planning has helped me in weird and wonderful ways.
SO, how do I goal plan? Heres my general rules of thumb:
- Categorize your goals, no matter how small. This can allow you to see if you are asking too much or too little change from one aspect of your life
- Set maybe three goals in each category that is important in your life
- Start with an easy goal. For my 2017 travel goals I started with “find new beaches” instead of “Go to Europe”. I find that if the first goal is more attainable the rest of the list looks less intimidating
- Work your way up in difficulty. Goal planning is a process that takes time just like any other skill. When you begin, start small with something like “find more enjoyable ways of working out” instead of “workout every morning before school”
- Make sure to work in one or two self care goals. If the list of goals you have is all business and nothing you are actually looking forward to, like “get a 4.0” and “eat four servings of veggies every day” you might not particularly LIKE thinking about your goals. I’ve encountered this problem in years before so I make sure to add something like “spend time relaxing without technology” or “try new foods at restaurants” These goals might not be productive or help me become super woman, but they are fun reminders that the most important goal in my life is being happy.
- Write your goals down in a way you would like to see them! Have fun with it! I made a cute little sheet this year and I love the way it turned out.
- Put your written goals in a place you will see them! Mine are in a little nook that is in front of my bed. I see them every night when I go to bed and every day when I wake up
- Set a schedule for following up and checking on your progress. I like to try at the end of every month to check and see if I have achieved anything related to the goals I might have set for that month or for the year.
- Remember just because you have a bad week, dose not mean you should give up on your goals and start over. We all loose track of the big picture from time to time. Hey, maybe even for a couple weeks, but this dose not mean that these things you want to achieve are unobtainable. Remember, you are capable of anything (yes seriously) and without dreamers the world would be a very sad place.
- Finally, ABOLISH RESOLUTIONS. This is a scary word and I know we all know resolutions fail. Turn your dreams into goals and work work work!
Comment with your own goal strategies and goals for 2017! Lets do this together!
Paige Hoel 