Did you make 2019 goals/resolutions? Have you already forgotten about them? Or are you totally crushing it? Whether it’s time to get back on track or time to take it to the next level, these 5 tips can help you on your journey to getting your goals.
Remind yourself why this goal was even important to you in the first place.
There was some reason that you decided this goal was important to you. Get back to the mindset you had when you set it. What would this goal bring to your life? How would it make your life better? If you know why it’s important to you it will be so much easier to push forward when things get hard.
Get some accountability.
For me, accountability is the main reason why I get stuff done. I might want something done and I might know why I want to do it, but I am a million times more motivated when I know I have to answer to someone because I hate letting people down. Finding a good accountability partner/group has two parts to it.
First, figure out what your “support language” is. How do you like to be held accountable and supported? Are you the type of person that wants a cheerleader to cheer you on? Or are you the type of person that needs some tough love to get things done? When you get stuck and you’re not moving forward on your goals, do you want to be asked questions or do you want to be given suggestions?
Second, find someone or people that are committed to meeting with you regularly and are committed to actually holding you to doing the things you say you’ll do. Then share how you like to be supported and find out how they like to be supported.
Now you’re ready to hold each other accountable! ** Note: this is very difficult to do without drama with someone who is very close to you (a parent, a spouse, a sibling). Use your best judgement when deciding if that relationship can handle the weight of holding each other accountable to goals.Visualize the end result.
We have these goals because they are things we want to happen but haven’t been able to do yet. (If we already had them, they wouldn’t be our goals!) So that generally means that these goals are outside of our comfort zones and we don’t really know how they feel to accomplish them yet! The usual default feelings about things outside our comfort zones are feelings like scary, uncomfortable, awkward, risky, etc. If we just focus on those feelings, we will never get anything done! No one wants to feel those things! So instead, we can visualize what it will feel like once we’ve actually accomplished these goals and they are the are now inside our comfort zones! Think about the goal as if it’s already done. How does it feel? Exciting, satisfying, triumphant, peaceful, adventurous, fabulous… Focus on whatever feelings excite you and make you want to get moving! You can even write these words on a piece of paper and post them on your bathroom mirror so you see them every day!
Set a risk/reward.
This is where things get serious. With your accountability partner/group, tell them your risk and/or reward for getting things done, whether that’s for completing one step toward the goal or for the achieving the overall goal.
The risk/reward should be something separate from the natural risk/reward of doing it or not doing it. So for example: if your goal is to create $10,000 additional in income for the month of February, the natural reward would be getting the $10,000 and the natural risk would be not getting that money.
You can set an additional risk and reward that could help motivate you. My personal go to risk is if I don’t accomplish ____ then I cannot text for the entire following week (or if I need extra motivation, an entire month). I do not like calling people and really prefer texting, so the thought of having to call everyone definitely makes me get moving. For rewards, I usually utilize things I’d like to purchase but would normally feel guilty spending money on as my rewards - a new pair of shoes, an apple watch, getting my nails done, etc. Sometimes I’ll also use an upcoming trip or time with friends as a combo risk/reward. If I get ___ done, then I get to go have fun with my friends. If I don’t then I have to tell them I can’t go when they’ve already been planning on me going and now I’m letting them down. (Yuck.)
You know what you like and dislike, and what will motivate you to actually take action. Make sure your accountability partner(s) get to know what the risk/reward is and help make sure you actually follow through on them!Get leverage.
Finally, when you have a goal and don’t have the time to dedicate to it (decluttering closets, eating healthier foods, etc), it’s time to explore the option of leverage. Just because this is your goal, doesn’t mean you have to do all the work. You can use leverage - things/services that make your life easier - to get things done more quickly and more easily. There are tons of options for leverage these days like meal prep delivery services, dog walkers, organizers, personal trainers, or your favorite friendly local personal concierge! :-D Get some help and get things done!
If you have made tons of progress or you’re still just starting on a goal (or starting over), YOU CAN DO THIS! Get going and know that you’re life is going to be so much better for pushing through and making it happen!