Goals are not achieved unless you put your attention and your energy towards achieving them.
Unfortunately, many 2019 goals and New Years resolutions have been forgotten by June. Even though the you may have started the year strong, by mid-year your new habits may have been lost.
This happens when:
You do not believe you are capable of achieving the goal
You believe you do not deserve to reach the goal
Goals become overwhelming … and eventually become irrelevant
Things get hard and you give up
If this is the case with your goals, I encourage you to regroup, reaffirm your commitment to your bigger intentions, and try again. Our most successful clients review and refresh their goals at least quarterly. We are six months into the year and you still have time for a fresh start!! This does not mean going back to the same goals, picking away at them for a few weeks and then giving up … again.
A “fresh start” is a renewed commitment. One that is fuelled by a burning desire. One that is supported by unwavering persistence. Persistence is eventually rewarded because, when you persevere, you push past your discomfort and overcome the impulse to quit when things get hard. And they always get hard. With persistence, the pursuit of your goal often starts to feel more like a healthy habit than a tiresome chore.
So, when you’re ready to take action to create the results you want, here are some tips to relaunch your commitment to achieve your goals:
1. Implement a Solid Plan
Create a plan to achieve your goal by breaking it down into small tasks that are action-oriented, realistic for you to tackle, and easy for you to do REPEATEDLY.
A goal to lose weight may be too general to inspire you to work hard and push through when it gets difficult and if you're not seeing the progress you're hoping for.
However, committing to going for a 30 minute run 3 days a week and completing a 15 minute workout 3 days a week, may be more achievable. It breaks down your greater goal of losing weight into smaller, actionable steps, and it allows you to visualize yourself completing it.
A business goal to increase the average lifetime value of your client relationships might start with something simple, such as committing to 6 touch-points per client per year, including 3 emails, 2 phone calls and one meeting. This plan is focused on actions that are both realistic and easy for you to implement on an ongoing, consistent basis.
2. Create Ways to Reward Yourself
In order to sustain the desire to continue pursuing your goals, it is important that you feel a sense of accomplishment throughout the process by setting milestones and rewarding yourself with something meaningful.
How you choose to reward yourself is a very personal decision. The key is to tie the reward to the achievement such that it reinforces the behaviours and discipline that helped you reach the milestone you set for yourself.
3. Share Your Plan with Your Network
Your family, colleagues, friends and community are part of your support network. Reach out to those around you to hold you accountable to keep you on track. Doing so can also inspire those who support you to strive for their own goals, too. You can both be inspired by, and be an inspiration to your community by serving yourself and working hard.
If you have made it a priority to grow your business, I wish you the very best as you create and take action to achieve your goals.
To your success, differently!
- Michèle