Goal Setting and New Year Resolution Series: How to Set Goals to Win

I wanted to start out this new year talking about goal setting and new year resolutions. We all take this time to make new ones every year, or just take last year’s and try to give them another go this year. Right?

 

Every year we say this will be the year that I get my goals accomplished. This year will be different and yet it doesn’t work. I think it’s because we aren’t doing it efficiently. Halfway through January we have already given up and moved on to something else.

Don’t worry I am totally guilty of this too.

So let’s make this year different. Together.

This is the first in a 3 week series that will dive into goal setting and new year resolutions. Steps to take so we can actually get them accomplished. 

To start, I am setting goals differently this year.

I recently watched a free training series by Todd Herman. He is the creator of the 90 Day Year. His strategy is only 90 days to complete goals?! What?!

Revolutionary to me. Although his methods I think are primarily business oriented, being a WAHM, my business and personal lives are mixed together. Am I right?

So I was thinking to myself. Based on his goal setting methods, how can I make it work for me. I needed to change and customize this system to fit me. How can I make this the year that I can get all my crazy cool goals done?

I had tried setting goals quarterly so that idea resonated with me. Even though I set goals quarterly they were still not getting accomplished. They just kept moving to the next quarter! Just kept getting pushed farther away.

Set it and forget it.

Out of sight and out of mind.

 

You see, the problem starts with making resolutions in the first place. Let’s start with the definition of goals and resolutions.

Mr. Google has defined:

Goals is the result or achievement toward which effort is directed; aim; end..

Resolution is a resolve; a decision or determination.

Basically a resolution doesn’t get you anywhere. Doesn’t move you forward. All it is a decision. That’s why we don’t get these accomplished. Our decisions change everyday. Right?

Goals are the long term change we are seeking within ourselves and our surroundings. These are the end results we want for our lives.

So now, knowing I need to focus on goals, instead of yearly resolutions, I’m making a list of 10 things that come December 31st.. If all these things were checked off, it would be so awesome that I wouldn’t even know what to do with myself. Accomplishing everything. For the first time. Is this going to be possible?

 

Using the Main Categories of Life as Goal Setting Priorities

Let’s take a look at the main areas of life. I have listed the main categories below. I decided not to make a goal for each category rather picking which areas are my top priorities. Which areas do I need to focus on first. I think that it’s less overwhelming when we are able to zoom in on to a couple of main areas that you feel should have top priority. Rather than having a goal for each area just to do it. If my heart’s not in it right now, it’s not going to happen.

Some of these areas are just a part of you. It comes so naturally to you that it’s not important for you to work on. Some you need help with. For example, exercise for you may be a no-brainer. But for me at this point in my life, is definitely something I have to work on everyday and motivate myself to accomplish.

 

Areas of life categories

Personal development

Health physical

Finance

Family and friends

Spouse/relationship

Fun

Home

Work/career

Spiritual

Community

 

My list for this year is:

1. Lose final 15 pounds
2. Take 3 weeks family vacation
3. Monthly date night with the hubby
4. Spa day once a quarter
5. Invest in an online business course
6. 10,000 people to go through 5 day challenge
7. Organize and have a spot for everything in the entire house
8. Create and launch my own online course
9. Earn $1,000 a month from my online course
10. Pay off half of credit cards

 

So, after writing out the list, I reordered it so that my top goals and priorities were listed first.

 

1. Lose final 15 pounds
2. Monthly date night                                  
3. Spa day
4. Vacation
5. Online business course
6. 10,000 people to go through 5 day course
7. Create and launch my online course career
8. Earn $1,000 a month from online course
9. Pay off credit cards                
10. Organize entire house                   

 

I broke down my big goals into smaller goals that I could accomplish in 90 days. So by the last 90 days the ultimate goal would be accomplished. Some goals just can’t be done in 90 days right? There is no way for me I can go from zero to millionaire in 90 days without winning the lottery. So that would be something that would have to be broken down into steps.

On the other hand, some goals can totally be accomplished in 90 days. Like my weight loss example. If and when I hit my mark in 90 days, that goal is completed. All I have to do is maintain from there. Along these lines, some goals just take planning and decision, rather than work.  For example, vacation with my family. All that needs to be done is plan, save, and decide where and when we are going to go. Right?

My first set of goals:

So for the first 90 days I chose career and physical health to focus on. I didn’t want to have too many areas to focus on because then I’ll just be overwhelmed and that ultimately leads to inaction. For me, I needed to get my mind right and my head in the game so I could set up better systems for myself and kind of get stuff on auto pilot.

I want to be more organized and streamlined with my business for the rest of the year. If I take time now to make sure that I am set up then the rest should fall into place right? Hopefully! This is my foundation for all other subsequent business goals.

Physical health is important so that my body is good to go and I have the energy to do everything I want to do. There’s nothing worse than having no energy to follow through.

I used to set all these different goals under each category and wondered why I couldn’t accomplish anything. Doi! It’s because it’s too much! I needed to narrow down what was most important and have laser focus so I could finish it and cross it off the list. Multi tasking is not as effective as we think it is. But more on this later.

Take action! What are your top 10 awesome goals? What areas are your first 90 day focus?

 

After you have your 90 day focus, you set up 2 week sprint intervals where you can specifically measure and track your progress. These are the needle movers that get you to your 90 day focus goal. During this time period you are getting feedback on a regular basis. This builds confidence within yourself in knowing hat is working and what isn’t. You are able to tweak your systems if something isn’t working and re-evaluate on a regular basis.

You are ultimately setting yourself up so you can’t fail. If you had everything in place and all you had to do was “it” then the only thing stopping you is you.

Daily tasks within the 2 week sprints are the nitty gritty to getting the 2 week intervals completed. These are the specifics. The who what when where how.. My example: Lose 15 pounds by march 31st is very specific. I will know by March 31st if i have accomplished my 90 day focus goal or not.

 

Daily tasks for this goal include-

Where: at home

Who: me

When: every morning at 6:00

What:

Monday-cardio and weights

Tuesday-quick walk and yoga

Wednesday-cardio and weights

Thursday-rest

Friday-cardio and weights

Saturday-quick walk or stretching

Sunday-rest

On Sunday evenings, I will prep food in the kitchen so I have snacks for the week.

Sunday afternoons, I will write down the exercise plan for the week.

Every MTWFS, I will be in the garage working out at 6 am to the exercise schedule I laid out previously.

 

Sounds simple right?

 

I created my own version of goal criteria in addition to SMART goals. I think that there are other factors that go into creating and accomplishing goals prior to setting them.

Background Research

Background Research: Is it doable? 15 pounds in about 12 weeks is completely doable as it’s about a pound a week. Slowly losing weight is maintainable. There’s no crash dieting and no over working out. I will have time to rest and recover while on this path.

Check In With Yourself

Look within yourself: Is this something you truly want? Or is this something that somebody told you you need? Are you trying to keep up with someone? Will this really bring you joy, happiness, or fulfillment?

Will this Bring You Happiness?

Happiness: Will this make your heart happy? Finally getting this weight loss checked off my list would bring me great joy as this is a goal I’ve had for years. The number of pounds have gone up and down. But my goal weight of 130 has always been the same.

Tools

Tools: What tools can do you need to find and use to help accomplish this 90 day focus goal.

Diet/meal plan.

Exercise routines/ plan

Clothes

Shoes

Weights or other gym equipment

Simple Systems

Create Systems for yourself so the task is easy to do.

Clothes laid out and ready to go

Know exactly which workouts you will do for the week

Meal plan on Sunday nights

Grocery shop on Sundays/Mondays

Remove most temptations from the house

Worst case scenarios: instead of chocolate. Have tea. Water. Clean. Something to distract you.

Visual Reminders

Visual Reminders: Have it written down everywhere.

See it everywhere.

Have constant reminders.

Set an alarm on your phone.

Escalator goals

Escalator goals: What the heck are these? Have a range of goals for you to accomplish, so you will hit a goal no matter what. 

Good goal: 5 pounds

Great goal: 10 pounds

Absolute goal: 15 pounds.

There are 3 different levels of goals that can be hit.. The only way this would be devastating is if I gained weight!

 

Take Action: Break down one of your goals this way!

An extra quick tip for goal setting:

Make it so hard for you that’s impossible to not be able to do the task.
Next week we’ll talk about diving deeper into research, organization, what your goal really entails. So you don’t waste time starting on this path to a goal that you don’t really want and will make you happy.