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| My Dad — The Man With a Plan |
Thinking about setting my resolutions for the New Year, I was inspired to write this post about different tools that have helped me attain my goals, resolutions, hopes and dreams. The part that I think is funny about this whole post is that as I wrote the advice below, I felt like I was channeling my dad, as setting goals and having clear intentions were two of his helpful mantras growing up (and they still are today). My dad has always preached the importance of setting intentions and making things happen in your own life, rather than sitting around and feeling bad for yourself, waiting for someone else to take action. I can literally hear his voice echoing in my head, and now I get to share it with you. Some of these ideas and skills were also picked up in my high school business class. That type of class is totally up my alley—typing, organizing, planning, management, office stuff, etc.
The easiest way for me to share what works is by walking you through the process of setting a goal and following through with it. Even when you feel like giving up halfway through doing something, it's always good to try and stick it out for the long run. This is because there is no better feeling than looking back on your New Year's Resolutions or goals that you set the previous year and realizing that you met every goal!
Write it Down. Having an intention, recognizing it, and then writing it down is a great first step towards attaining any goal.
Develop a Game Plan. Create a game plan for each goal. It's sometimes helpful to find out where the best place to start is. For example, if you want to be a writer, but you don't have any writing samples, apply for a local internship. Something my dad would say is, "Rome wasn't built in a day." Also, consider the challenges you might face, and try to brainstorm different ways to overcome these obstacles. For example, if you have a full-time job, and you're worried you won't have time for whatever you're undertaking, see if you can work less or cut down on another commitment. If it's not possible, consider spending some of the little free time you having focusing on self-care to help balance the heavy workload.
Take Action. For me, this is the hardest part. This is when my "not enough" might come up, or I'm unmotivated to revamp my resume or do something else necessary in order to make what I want happen. There are a couple things that help me take action. One is support from others. Especially when I'm not sure I'll make it, I lean on the support from my family and friends to tell me that it's okay if I fail or that I'm not going to, whatever it is that I need to hear at the time. Other ways to help you take action is setting "due dates" for yourself for each step you need to take in order to meet your goal.
Be Committed. Commitment can be a challenge for a lot of people. Instead of running away or changing your mind when the going gets tough, buckle down harder, re-evaluate how you could do better, seek advice and support from others, and remember why you were motivated to set out to do in the first place. Being committed is not only valuable in work, it's valuable in relationships as well. Commitment is easier said than done, and some people go their whole lives without ever really following through on their intentions. It takes a lot of selflessness, negotiation and time, but if you are a committed person, you will excel in work and relationships.
Revisit & Revise. There is nothing better than coming back to your goals to refresh your mind on your year's resolutions. This will also give you an opportunity to update or add to your goals as your journey progresses. If you got that internship you applied for, set your next goal, which could be getting a paid position in the future. Our lives are always a work in progress, and your resolutions will reflect that.
Cross Them Off. Your ultimate goal should be to attain each dream you put on your list. As you reach a goal, cross it off. (There is something so satisfying and rewarding about revisiting an old list and seeing every item crossed off.) If you don't cross everything off the list before next year, there's nothing wrong with carrying the same goals for years and years. Some people follow the same dream for decades before seeing the payout, but that makes it even more worth the dedication in the end.
Good luck on your future goals! Please share your tips and resolutions in the comments below!
Develop a Game Plan. Create a game plan for each goal. It's sometimes helpful to find out where the best place to start is. For example, if you want to be a writer, but you don't have any writing samples, apply for a local internship. Something my dad would say is, "Rome wasn't built in a day." Also, consider the challenges you might face, and try to brainstorm different ways to overcome these obstacles. For example, if you have a full-time job, and you're worried you won't have time for whatever you're undertaking, see if you can work less or cut down on another commitment. If it's not possible, consider spending some of the little free time you having focusing on self-care to help balance the heavy workload.
Take Action. For me, this is the hardest part. This is when my "not enough" might come up, or I'm unmotivated to revamp my resume or do something else necessary in order to make what I want happen. There are a couple things that help me take action. One is support from others. Especially when I'm not sure I'll make it, I lean on the support from my family and friends to tell me that it's okay if I fail or that I'm not going to, whatever it is that I need to hear at the time. Other ways to help you take action is setting "due dates" for yourself for each step you need to take in order to meet your goal.
Be Committed. Commitment can be a challenge for a lot of people. Instead of running away or changing your mind when the going gets tough, buckle down harder, re-evaluate how you could do better, seek advice and support from others, and remember why you were motivated to set out to do in the first place. Being committed is not only valuable in work, it's valuable in relationships as well. Commitment is easier said than done, and some people go their whole lives without ever really following through on their intentions. It takes a lot of selflessness, negotiation and time, but if you are a committed person, you will excel in work and relationships.
Revisit & Revise. There is nothing better than coming back to your goals to refresh your mind on your year's resolutions. This will also give you an opportunity to update or add to your goals as your journey progresses. If you got that internship you applied for, set your next goal, which could be getting a paid position in the future. Our lives are always a work in progress, and your resolutions will reflect that.
Cross Them Off. Your ultimate goal should be to attain each dream you put on your list. As you reach a goal, cross it off. (There is something so satisfying and rewarding about revisiting an old list and seeing every item crossed off.) If you don't cross everything off the list before next year, there's nothing wrong with carrying the same goals for years and years. Some people follow the same dream for decades before seeing the payout, but that makes it even more worth the dedication in the end.
Good luck on your future goals! Please share your tips and resolutions in the comments below!
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