Be Intentional with Goal Setting

Do you set resolutions every year, but find a few weeks later you have stopped following your resolutions or worse just forgotten them?  Have you failed to complete your resolutions for so many years, you just quick making resolutions?  This year, let’s be intentional.  Consider why resolutions fail and why set goals instead.

Changing behavior (think achieving your resolutions) is difficult for all of us.  One of the reasons why resolutions fail is because we treat resolutions like a wish list.  Have you made these resolutions in the past – I want to exercise more (or I want to exercise every day), I want to eat healthy, I want to lose weight, I want to read more books?  These are all great resolutions, but these resolutions fail because we treat our resolutions like wishes with no plan to succeed.

If you truly want to achieve your new year’s resolutions, don’t make a list another of resolutions.  Set goals.  Set clear goals for what you would like to accomplish this year and make a step-by-step plan to reach your goals.

How to Stick to New’s Year’s Resolutions by Setting Goals

Goals are specific and intentional

When you set resolutions, you notice most of the time they are general like I want to lose weight (maybe I want to lose 25 lbs).  If you are not careful, you can have a long list of resolutions, but these resolutions will only be a wish list because you have no action plan to accomplish your resolution.

When you set goals, you are usually specific and intentional.  Goals planned correctly have an action plan.  You don’t just say I want to lose 25 lbs.  You say I want to lose 25 lbs. by April 30th.  Then you set up a plan of action to reach the goal.

Goals are also intentional and monitored.  You set milestones to reach and monitor your progress as you move toward your goals.

Goals can be divided into smaller goals to help us reach the main goal

Larger goals can be subdivided into smaller and more manageable goals.  You can set 1-year goals, 5-year goals, and 10-year goals. To reach these long-term goals, you will need smaller action plans.

Take a look at the goals you have set for this month, this year,  or for the next 5 years.  How will you accomplish these goals?  Divide your goals into smaller action steps.  A yearly goal may require smaller monthly goals, a monthly goal may require daily or weekly goals.  I personally try to have monthly goals focused on reaching a yearly goal, then break the monthly goals into daily/weekly goals to stay on target each month.

Your smaller goals will help you decide if you are making progress toward your goals or if you need to make adjustments to reach your goals.  It’s okay to adjust or change your goals.

Goals Help Us Become Our Best

Setting and reaching well-defined goals will help you become your best.  Without a defined goal, you are just aiming in the dark at nothing hoping it will all work out.

Accomplishing our goals helps us see how we can become our best.  Setting new goals helps us continually grow and improve our whole life.

Goal Setting Tips

• Decide on 5 (or less) goals you want to focus on.  If you have too many, your attention will be divided and you will not stay focused.
• Divide your goals into smaller goals or action steps to help you reach the goals.
• Use a planner (preferably a written planner) with action steps you should follow every day to reach your goals.  Electronic planners are great for sending reminders and at-a-glance views, but a written planner allows you more space to write your thoughts and inspirations.
• Use a 30-day or 90-day review plan to evaluate your progress toward your goals and decide if you need to make changes.  Ask yourself what is working?  What is not working?  But don’t quit, make adjustments.  This could mean changing the goal.
• Give yourself a reward (or take a short break) when you reach large milestones in your plan.

If you would like more ideas for types of goals you can set, be sure to read my guest post at My Love For Words, 7 Goals to Set for the New Year.

The Smart Focus Method

Are you ready to set goals that work for you? Goal setting should be something we do just in January and then forget in two weeks. Goal setting can be done every month, every week or even every day.

Does this sound like you?

• You set goals, but don’t follow through
• You aren’t focused so things don’t get done
• You have an endless to-do list and don’t know where to start… so you give up and never start

If you are ready for a change and want to achieve your goals, then try the Smart Focus Method. Be productive with the right tasks, not just busy.

The Smart Focus Method will help you:

• Understand what priorities to focus on each day
• Reduce your endless to-do list by defining your priorities & purpose
• Learn how to set the right goals
• Set your goals into action
• Planners and worksheets to help you refine your goals
• And so much more…

The Smart Focus Method is not an overwhelming planning system.  Each chapter or lesson can be completed as a daily assignment in 30 minutes or less.  The worksheets and planner can be used daily in 5-10 minutes to set your priorities.

Click here to get your copy of The Smart Focus Method and start reaching your goals today.