Achieving Forgotten Resolutions

As we enter spring this year, have you taken a moment to analyze where you are on your "New Year's Resolution"? It's kind of silly that we take one day out of the whole year and treat it as a clean slate, don't you think? As if January 3rd or February 11th aren't good enough. Phooey! Every day is a good day to start fresh!

Nevertheless, I am guilty of setting goals on the 1^st of January as well- hoping for a better year. Most of us start off great, and for some reason, on day 15- we start to slip! Why is that? Taking on a 365-day-goal is much more intimidating than taking on a 15, 30 or 60-day goal, wouldn’t you agree? I think that's the case for most of us- so I'm here to say: don't stress, start small!

In goal achievement, I like to make a list and cross things off as they get done; it's always good to see your accomplishments on paper. And really, there is no greater commitment to yourself then when you see your written goal staring back at you. It means you are serious and its time to make things happen! 

Below are 4 simple steps to help you get started on doing what you love most: 

• Plan
• Be honest
• Be specific
• Give yourself a time frame

A goal without a plan is just a wish. What you need are bite-size attainable goals that will steer you in the direction of your bigger goal. What do you want to do this year? Write a book? Travel the world? Get in shape? No matter how big or small your goals may be- there is always something you can do today.

Be honest. Don't set yourself up to fail by setting goals you know you can't achieve right away. Instead, break up the bigger picture into several goals and achieve them individually. The best way to start is by writing a list of to-do's; big steps, small steps- anything in between. After you've written your to-do list, prioritize it! Start with things you can do here and now. Do your best to not depend on anyone but yourself - these are road blocks. "I can't do this because I'm waiting for him/her to get back at me..." This is YOUR goal. Others are not going to be as ambitious to get things done for you. Keep that in mind as you move forward and make third-party factors the last of your to-do's if possible.

A lot of times money seems to be another common obstacle for us. Don't sweat it! Where there's a will, there is a way. I am a HUGE believer in the laws of attraction -but they only work if you truly believe in your end result. You'll be amazed at how easy the puzzle falls into place if you trust and believe things will work out- so don't make money a reason things can't get done.

Make you goals specific. It's great that you want to travel- but where do you want to go? I remember as a kid taking my dad's globe, spinning it as fast as I could and stopping it with one finger to see "where I was going to live" lol - most of the time it was in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, but it was a fun game for me with a lot of imagination. Why not do that now? Research locations that are exciting to you and start planning your itinerary. Want to write a book? Fantastic! What's it about? How long is it going to be? Have you started writing content? Have you looked into self publishing? These questions may sound very basic, so if you already have the answer- you're half way there. What about getting in shape; how is your current lifestyle affecting your end result? Are you eating healthy? Do you exercise regularly? Again, don't over exhaust yourself, you can do very little today that will make a huge impact tomorrow.

Give yourself a time frame and stick to it! Opened ended goals without measurable results are just as bad as if you didn't state your goal at all. Set yourself a time frame for each of your to do's. I am going to ________(action)_________by ______(date)_______. There is nothing worse than saying "I don't have time" to something you really want to do. If you read my previous post, you know I was stuck in the same funk. I "never had time for anything" - and now I see I simply wasn't thinking clearly. Bottom line is you ALWAYS make time for things you really want to do. If you make excuses, it's probably not important to you.

Now that you've set your goal and initial plan with dates, you are ready to start :) Things will change along the way, and that's okay - they should. Sometimes we don't see every little detail until we are present in the moment. MLK said it best "Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." Be flexible, be patient, keep your passion alive and I promise you, you will get farther than you ever thought you could. There is never going to be a "perfect" time to do anything, so I suggest you make the perfect time NOW.

Need help? I'd be happy to! Comment below with your short or long term goal and I'll gladly put together a simple Q & A to help you get started.


-Dais

Updated April 11th - found this great infographic on j6design.com !