Human beings are not born once and for all on the day
their mothers give birth to them,
but…life obliges them over and over again
to give birth to themselves.
You probably have goals that you had hoped to achieve this year, but somehow things just did not work out as you had hoped or planned. As we approach the end of the year it is natural to begin to lament the goals you seem to have lost. Thankfully, your goals do not have to remain mere dreams. You can take yourself from a path with unachievable goals to one with attainable targets by just altering your approach a bit.
Once you have committed to believing in your abilities, you can start to put things into place to actually attain what you have set your mind and heart on. And this holiday season is the perfect time to set that game plan up.
A step-by-step approach to make an effective plan to achieve your goals:
1. Be thankful for what you have achieved this year. Even if you were not able to reach the targets you wanted, there are undoubtedly things that you were able to accomplish. Take a few moments to run those accomplishments through your mind and give thanks for them. Honestly feel good about yourself. You have most likely achieved far more than many.
2. Start with a master list. Instead of just dreaming about the things you would like to achieve in the coming year, make and take the time to sit down and write them on a master list. Be very specific about what you want and how much, and make it measurable.
3. Prioritize your goals. By the time you have finished writing, you will probably have a list of 20-30 goals. First, arrange your list in the order in which you want to achieve them and then zero in on the top four or five.
4. Plot and set attainable targets. Now that you have identified the four or five most pressing goals, plot out attainable sub-targets for each of these goals and give yourself a real time-line to achieve each step.
Remember that the best way to achieve huge goals is to break them down into smaller pieces that you know you can achieve, one step at a time. Now, you know, and can see that your goal is attainable because you’ve figured out how to achieve each step. It’s only a matter of completing each step, one by one. Once you complete your last step, you’ve achieved your big goal!
Plan to give yourself a small reward when you have successfully conquered each phase of the master plan.
5. Reaffirm your commitment. While the old year is still winding down, make some time to read through your list and reaffirm your commitment to achieving these goals in the coming year.
With each goal, start by saying, “I reaffirm my commitment to …” and read the details of the goal from beginning to end.
By reaffirming your commitment, you officially vow to do what is necessary to achieve the goals, which is a much better place than you were at the start of this year. Commit, also, to actively finding solutions to overcome any challenges that may crop up. When you mentally prepare yourself ahead of time for challenges, they do not seem to be as much of a shock, and you can focus on solving any constraints and continue moving forward.
Now that you have changed your attitude and your approach, you can expect to see a much-improved outcome with each goal you have set for yourself.
Go get ‘em!
Photo Credit: danielmoyle via Compfight cc