Goal setting is amazing for our mojo, however there is a catch. I want to give you my spin on it which means:
A- Turning our goals and dreams into a reality
B – Finding a balance so that we don’t hit burnout (you will know by now that I always bring it back to mental health).
I shared yesterday how I have been feeling a sense of accomplishment in terms of the 3 key goals I set out to achieve this year. Granted, the goals were slightly ambitious.
1 – to launch a podcast
2 – to get a book published
3 – to complete the half marathon alive and as fit as I could be
Of course, there are some things out of our hands when we set goals, such as our health and of course other people that are involved. But I made I choice to work towards the goals, on a daily basis. I also realised that to move forward, things don’t always have to be perfect. I was rejected by publishers (how rude ;)), I put podcasts out with great content but not always the best sound quality I would like. I ran the half marathon after 3 weeks off training due to a viral. To make progress, we need to simply keep moving, make lots of mistakes and improve.
In January, the thought of launching a podcast terrified me. Now I am fully in my flow and I have learnt so much. I am even going to be on the panel at a podcasting event this month – get your ticket here. Launching the podcast has changed my life and it is helping so many which is an amazing feeling.
What goals have you set? Goals are great for our mojo, provided we find the balance between the hard graft it takes to make them happen and the times we need to disconnect and chill out and enjoy the people we love.
Here are my top goal digging tips.
Make sure the goals are in tune with your values
This year I have been working with an amazing coach called Emma from Forth Coaching. You can find more about her here. Emma has taught me loads already and one of those things is to take time to really understand my values and what I am prepared to compromise on. If we set the wrong goals, goals that are not in alignment with our beliefs and values, we will lack motivation to achieve them. It is as simple as that.
I think that’s why I have always failed at diets because starving myself goes against my values of self-care and contentment. Food is a passion of mine and has been since I was a baby. The problem was not a lack of motivation, it was setting goals that were clashing with the soul and essence of who I am. A passionate foodie like me cannot survive long term on a low calorie, restrictive diet. So, I have stopped dieting. Instead, I try to fill my body up on great food and keep it moving. I will NEVER be a size 8 and that is okay.
Vision Boards
Perhaps thought of as a buzz word, but this year, prompted by Emma and many others, I decided to start my first vision board. It is so easy to be distracted, to put the needs of others before our goals or to get involved with new opportunities that may seem exciting, yet pull us away from our values the direction we want to go in. Goals that are set and put away in some drawer to collect dust are often never achieved. Stay focused. Maybe one of your key values is to have freedom and a work life balance, but you keep saying yes to things and you never get to collect the kids from school or enjoy your down time with family and friends. Keep your goals in alignment to your values.
Support System
We set goals with the vision of making them happen. If these goals are in line with our values, then there is no other option but to achieve them. In the early days, people would ask me questions such as ‘when are you going to get a real job?‘ and I would simply smile whilst thinking ‘you’ll see baby’. My goals were part of me, they meant so much to be that there was only one option and that was to achieve them. Whilst there were critics, (big print – THERE WILL ALWAYS BE CRITICS including the voices of self-doubt in your own head), I had to surround myself with people who were making their goals happen. People that understood. People that would check in and encourage me to stay on the right path, be that going out for a long training run, finishing up a chapter deadline, writing as much as possible or planning my podcast launch.
I have had an incredible support system who have encouraged me and thrown so much positive energy my way, I am eternally grateful. Never take your cheerleaders for granted – they are an essential part of the ride.
When champagne turns to lambrini
It’s not all going to be the tastiest, bubbliest champers. There will be hard moments, moments it feels like you have been served a cup of nasty, cheap lambrini that you need to drink. You may need to neck several glasses of it, perhaps a full-on jeroboam. People will let you down. People will reject you. You will miss out on moments because of the graft you need to put in. It will feel uncomfortable. There will be bumps along the way. Ensure the goals are worth it. Ensure you want the goals enough so that you can find the drive and motivation to keep going.
I would love to hear your thoughts on goal setting. What helps you to achieve your goals? Have you ever set goals that were a waste of time because they clashed with who you are?
