It’s that time of year where people start to tap out on their goals. That’s actually a proven fact, January 17th is the day most people give up on their New Year’s Resolutions. But that doesn’t have to be you!
Setting goals is 1 step to attaining your goals, but it doesn’t stop there. If you are looking for tips on setting imperfect goals (my favorite kind!) this post will be super helpful.
Now that you have your goals, let’s get down to business (to defeat the Huns….)
Write down your goals
This might seem like a no-brainer, but put pen to paper and jot them down. Don’t assume you’ll remember them, instead write down the goal and the steps you need to take action on. This doesn’t have to be in a fancy planner, although I do love mine. A journal, a random notebook paper, inside your paper planner, any spot works!
Break your goals down into tiny steps
As you are writing down those goals, start to break them into tiny steps that are attainable for you. I like to set a timer for 6-8 minutes and jot down everything I need to do to accomplish that goal. The smaller the steps the better! After doing this for each goal, I find that I usually want to get started on a small step because it seems so easy to me. It’s almost like tricking yourself into starting. For example, how hard is Ito find to a 30 day push up challenge on Pinterest, or a weekly cleaning list to follow? Then BAM, I’ve already started 2 goals!
Put your goals in your face
By putting your goals in a place you see everyday, you are less likely to forget about them, and more likely to follow through on them. This can be a quick list on your bathroom mirror, a wallpaper for your phone, or even in your planner. I like to list mine in a couple places so that I’m less likely to forget about them. Something about seeing my goals written out, makes me want to check them off.
Integrate your goals into your calendar
Want to workout 3 times a week? Make time for that goal by putting it into your calendar! By scheduling out your week, you are able to make time for things that really matter. This is also super helpful if you are trying to build up habits, like a skincare routine or reading more books. Make time to make it happen.
Check in with yourself
Pick a day of the week, I personally choose Tuesdays for this, to look at your goals. Because I have integrated my goals with my planner, I skim through and check off tasks I’ve done so far. If something needs to change days, I make edits here.This is also a time to see how I’m doing on my daily habits. Have I checked off what I’ve done? Do I need to do my skincare routine? Checking in with your tasks daily is more ideal, but starting with once a week is still a good start!
Score yourself
I’m a numbers person, but even if you aren’t this trick might work for you! In the book, The 12 Week Year, the author talks about giving yourself a score each week on how well you follow through on your goals. This week I set about completing 10 tasks that are specific to my goals. I plopped them into my calendar on specific days and set about completing them. On Sunday night, I sit down and reflect on the past week. Then I give myself a score, in this case I completed 9/10 tasks so I earned a 90%. Not too shabby! If the score is low, then I ask myself why? Maybe the week was rough, something unexpected came up or I just didn’t try. Harsh, but I’m trying to accomplish big things. I aim for 80-85% each week personally, but always trying to do better than the week before.
Accountability Partner
Ever get excited about something and feel like you just have to tell someone or you’re going to explode? Me too! Take that energy and excitement and utilize it to accomplish something awesome! Tell your friend, sister, parent, work bestie, anyone! Then ask them to remind you about your goal or check in with you on your action steps. This can be a weekly thing or a random check in, it’s totally up to you. It also works both ways, see if they have a goal that you can hold them accountable for. Sharing your excitement and energy toward goal setting is a great way to cheer each other on, especially when you hit a wall. If you want a virtual accountability partner, drop your goals in the comments! My goals for this year are all listed out in this post.
Reflect on your progress
I love a good reflection session so one around goal setting is my cup of tea. I reflect both weekly (after I score myself) and at the end of the month. By asking these questions, I’m able to tweak what goals aren’t growing how I’d like them to, and get tips from myself on what is working.
- What goal is growing well?
- What goal or action step could I improve on?
- Do I need help on any goals?
- How are my daily habits going?
- What will be my biggest focus for next week/month?
- Now that I accomplished this goal or step, what’s next?
Remember your why
Let’s face it, there will be bad days, weeks and maybe even months. Turning your goals back to the start, the why is so important especially when you feel like giving up. Why did you want to accomplish _? What was your purpose? Your vision? Remember that, listen to it and re-inspire yourself. I like writing my why next to my goals so that they are all in one place. Then I can read through them whenever I’m stuck but also when I’m feeling good about my goal! By adding my why throughout the year so that I always have a compelling purpose for my goals.
Try something new
Sometimes trying something new is the best step to take to keep crushing goals! Last year I had a goal to read 20 books and I struggled with reading them especially at the beginning of the year. I read 1 book in January and 0 in February so clearly something wasn’t working for me. I changed 2 things during the year and all of a sudden, I was crushing this goal! First I changed how I kept track of reading. Finishing 2 books was the goal and I’d just leave it on my monthly calendar. Well the problem with that was the goal wasn’t in my face, so I moved it to reading for 1 hour a week. Some weeks I split up the hour into 2 sections on 2 different days and other weeks I just left it at an hour on Sunday. Second thing I changed was the type of books I was reading. I learned that poetry books are my jam! Who knew?! Switching up when and what I read made this goal so mush easier for me to accomplish.
Set deadlines
There’s something about a deadline that really fires me up. I read 5 books in 2 months last year to meet my goal and you know what months those were? November and December because I wanted to meet my goal! Never underestimate the power of a deadline. So set a deadline for yourself! I like monthly due dates to keep myself on track but weekly or quarterly deadlines work too. Write the deadline down (next to your goal and your why behind it) and put it in your calendar. Then push through to the due date!
*bonus tip: rewards
Everyone loves a good bonus, right? This tip might work for you if you are really struggling to accomplish something. Rewarding yourself, whether big or small, might provide the motivation you need. I have used this trick to study something boring by bribing myself with a fancy coffee. I also used this tip to finish Whole 30 a few years back by rewarding myself with a pair of nice leggings. Sometimes a little treat is what I need to power through to the end. I don’t use this trick often, but it has come in handy in a pinch!
How do you stick to your goals? What has helped you see them through to completion?
