"As you reach your goals, set new ones. That is how you grow."
That set my crazy mind in motion. So I want to know...Do you set goals? If so, do you write them down? If so, do you look at them through the week/month and see how you are doing with them?
I never used to set goals. When I first decided to get healthy, I didn't even have a weight loss goal. I just knew I wanted to lose. After I started losing weight a friend asked me how much I wanted to lose and I said I didn't know. He said to me "You HAVE to set a goal. You HAVE to have a figure in mind. Otherwise how will you know what you are working toward?". That made total sense to me! So right then I set my goal, and I haven't looked back!
But for me, before I can set goals, I have to be organized and at least semi-relaxed. So I spend a lot of my weekend preparing for the week ahead. Yes, I know weekends are for relaxing, catching up with friends, etc. But I need to be organized and prepared for the upcoming week so I don't stress about things like what are we having for dinner, are my workout clothes clean, and did I pay all of the bills for this week. So that being said, I do "all the things" that I need to do to be organized and prepared by Sunday evening, and that includes meal prep and planning. We use a chalkboard to list the week's menu, and lunch meal prep is done, including items that can be thrown into the freezer for a quick grab and go for the lunch bag. These things are goals themselves since we are discussing goals. But on to goal setting....
After I do "all the things", I find a quiet place to sit, and I meditate a little. I think about the week ahead and check my planner to see what is scheduled. Next up is my goal setting. I generally set goals in four areas:
1. Health goals -- do I need to work harder on workouts this week? Was I maybe not so good with my eating last week and need to work on that this week? Or maybe I need a sleep goal for the week. I get up at 4AM three mornings a week. I NEED to get to bed early several nights. That doesn't always happen, so sometimes I just set that goal for myself. Sometimes there are multiple goals set for this category.
2. Financial goals -- do I have a large quarterly bill coming up and maybe need to be more frugal this week? Or do I need to show some creativity because the holidays are creeping up and I want to be smart with my spending?
3. Relationship goals -- Ok we aren't going to pretend that this is all perfect as is normally shown on social media. I need a lot of help in this category. My husband bears the brunt of my bad moods if my day doesn't go well. He also spends a lot of time by himself while I work out/run, leave at 4:30AM for the gym, or work on my Thirty-One business. He also owns his own business which is stressful enough without dealing with my issues. We aren't perfect. FAR from it, and there are problems. But we are working on it, and working through it. So maybe one week my goal is to spend more time with Troy, or plan a date night. But there is always a goal for this category.
4. Business goals -- I am a Thirty-One Consultant, and a lot of my business is through Facebook parties. I love doing this, but it also takes time and planning. So every week, there is a goal for my business. Maybe it's just to be more interactive in my VIP group, or maybe it's time for a new catalog and I need to do some serious studying of the new products/prints. Whatever the case, I always try to set a goal for the week to improve my business.
There are additional goals in varying categories frequently. Sometimes there are intensely private goals that I would never share with anyone, but suffice it to say that if it's a goal, it's written down somewhere. The private ones are most likely in my private notepad in my secure folder on my phone, locked up with a password and fingerprint. National security is tight here! But all joking aside, goals are as important to me as all of the categories listed above.
Just this morning I had a good friend ask me how to start goal setting. If you aren't setting goals, here's my advice to you:
*Decide what categories you want to set goals in.
*Start small with attainable goals. Maybe your first goal is to set goals??
*Don't be afraid to set more difficult goals, and if you don't meet them, keep working on them next week!
*WRITE THEM DOWN! Yes, I am screaming that! WRITE THEM DOWN!
*Read your goals regularly. And if you don't write them down, you can't read them. Read that one again!
So for what it's worth, that's my advice. Remember, two and a half years ago, I didn't set goals. Once I started, there was no looking back. You can do this!
And the biggest benefit is that feeling of accomplishment when you look back at last week's goals and you crushed them! Or even just crushed one!
Remember, a goal not written down is just a dream!
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