Posted by We’re halfway into 2020, and pretty safe to say it’s a sh*tshow. In midst of this chaos and uncertainty, it’s good to regroup and renew for a fresh(er) start.
Hopefully, your new fitness journeys have become habits, you’ve been resting when necessary, and your other new personal goals have lasted beyond the first few weeks of social distancing.
If they didn’t, like I said, DO OVER. Let’s decide to see our sh*t through from start to end.
We have to be intentional about achieving our goals, and a huge part of being intentional is being detailed and specific (there’s a whole theory that proves it).
Here’s what I do to keep track of my goals to make sure I see them through:
First things first: Reflect
Reflect back on a time–it can be 5 years ago, the past year, or even the past month. What aspect of your life do you want to improve?
It’s ok to start small: personally, I kept my room extremely messy. I made it a goal to clean it because the clutter was a manifestation of my laziness and affected my ability to work.
I was overwhelmed by the task of clearing the clutter, let alone organizing other areas in my life. Conquering that small step, however, positively snowballed into the other areas of my life.
Establish the Details
When setting a goal, consider your what and your why. The answers do not have to be deep and philosophical. A simple “I want to _________ because this will make me happy,” can suffice.
It helps to have your goals written down in a place you will see them often like a daily planner, post-it notes on your bedroom mirror, etc. (also helps to say them aloud to yourself on a regular basis). Also, creating S.M.A.R.T. goals is a great method for making them feel more impactful and attainable.
Remember: these goals are personal; nobody has to understand what you are doing except for you (and an accountability buddy if you have one).
Make An Action Plan
The next step is figuring out how. Detail what you need to do to achieve your goal, and when it needs to be done.
For example: if my goal is to learn a new language, then I need to be specific about how I will accomplish that. Will I use an app to do it? If so, how often and for how long? Do I have a deadline or milestone I want to set (learning for a trip, mastering certain categories like food or colors)?
Arrange this whoever works for you–some people find it most beneficial to compile a weekly or monthly list, some people may need a day-by-day list. I find it best to look at my schedule day to day, and incorporate what tasks need to be handled.
Be realistic!
Push yourself beyond your limits without jeopardizing your well-being. Don’t make rash, unrealistic decisions for quicker results.
There are days when you want to do absolutely nothing, and that’s fine. Planning ‘rest & recharge’ days is just as important and beneficial. Only *you* know what’s attainable for yourself; figure out what you can achieve under the right conditions.
Creating and tracking goals does not have to be hard; being disciplined is where the real work comes in. When we’re purposeful, detailed, and organized in our planning, it makes holding ourselves accountable much easier and achieving our goals seems less overwhelming.
So open that planner and get a pen, sis, we got some goals to make!