I’m super excited to share these goal setting strategies with you because they come from our amazing Identity community contributors. They are smart, authentic, and thriving women who want to support your success as well—especially during social unrest and a pandemic.
We all love options, right? From life, fitness or business quotes to vision boards, and more, below are several different ways to set goals and strategize your weeks, months, and year. Only about 15% of us will succeed in our goals, say what!?
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[Tweet “Only about 15% of us will succeed in our goals. Let us help you w/these solutions.”]Top Proven Goal Setting Strategies to Implement in the New Year
TOP 6 MONDAY MADNESS
Being a mom of 6-year-old twins, I don’t use the old planner I loved anymore–only because it doesn’t support my current life and schedule—or the season that I’m in with this pandemic and cyber school. Life is full of transitions and we must always update our tools and systems for the best productivity and success. I do have a new daily framework that I use, but I also start each week with what I call: MONDAY MAGIC
What I do is make a list of my 3 personal priorities and my 3 top business/career priorities for that week. My goal is to accomplish those priorities before NOON on Monday. It’s MADNESS, however, MADLY MAGICAL.
In order to do this, you must turn your phone on silent, clear the distractions, get up before your kids wake up, or strategize on Sunday so you are prepared to kick a$$ first thing Monday morning.
I promise you relief from feeling stressed, overwhelmed, and overloaded. You’ll feel so freakin’ accomplished. You’ll feel badass and in control. You’re gonna feel like a superwoman and that will be addicting. Do that every Monday and see the shift in your goal setting success!
– Susan Vernicek, Your Mindset Igniter + Achieve Coach, SusanVernicek.com & Creator of Identity Magazine, IdentityMagazine.net
STAY FOCUSED & ACCOUNTABLE
After leaving my corporate career a few years ago to start my business strategy consultancy for entrepreneurs, thought leaders, and startups (with two young kids at home), I had to put a planning process in place that would help me stay focused and accountable to my business-building goals. I recently shared them on my Making Moves podcast with my co-host Kelly Lynn Adams and wanted to share a quick summary with you as you plan for your tremendous 2017.
Do a 2016 Year Audit. Sit down and outline what worked for you, what didn’t, what you want to let go in 2016, and what you want to strengthen in 2017.
Identify Your Desired Feeling(s) for Next Year. It should be one word (or two) that embodies what you want to feel next year when you accomplish all you do.
Brain Dump Your Ideas, Categorize Them, and then Prioritize. Get them out of your head and write them down. Then pick the top 3 that tie into your desired feeling and the ones that will drive the outcomes you want for the year.
Pick the Top 3 Goals that You Will Do in the Next 90 Days. Having tangible 90-day goals that you plan weekly or biweekly with action steps will be game-changing!
Find an accountability practice or group that works for you. Put it in your journal. Find a group and declare your goals. Without accountability, you have nothing! This is the most important planning strategy of them all.
-Seema Alexander, Business and Brand Strategist for Entrepreneurs, SeemaAlexander.com
TIME TEST
Here are some tips to enjoying being busy and not to be busy being busy using the Magnificent Monday plan and the TIME TEST with amazing results. Because when we achieve what we set out to do, we feel amazing.
Take 10 minutes each Sunday and plan your week. Set the goal for each week and plan the time for what you really want to do. If you want to exercise, write down the time of day that you want to exercise. Something came up and you couldn’t exercise — change the time. Make it part of your weekly routine. Need to shop? Write down the time. Remember to include tasks that you want to do and enjoy doing.
Take the TIME TEST. The TIME TEST gives you a great perspective on what you are really doing each day. It’s simple and powerful.
Set goals and begin each day with one small step towards your goal. Small steps. Let’s say that you wanted to get out and take a run early in the morning and one of your children wakes up early. Take one small step and exercise with your child. It’s fun and gets the day moving.
The most important tip for life — have fun and laugh! You can have fun doing almost every minute of the day. Change the mindset and enjoy your life.
-Karel Glazer, CEO at LifeMasters, Speaker, Author, Life Coach, and Mentor, dream-believe.net
WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE
Did you know that if you stand in front of a basketball hoop with a ball in your hand and say to yourself “don’t miss, don’t miss, don’t miss” and then shoot the ball, you are less likely to make the shot than if you stood there and thought “make the shot, make the shot, make the shot?”
It’s the same with our kids. Parenting experts will tell you that the best way to get your kids to listen is to tell them what to do instead of what not to do, right? For example, if you say to your child, “Stop jumping on the couch,” they keep jumping. If you say, “feet on the floor,” they are more likely to do so.
So let’s apply that same theory to our 2017 goals. When I write out my goals I write them from the perspective of what I want to see, not what I don’t.
Let’s take the most common example “I want to lose 20 pounds in the next 4 months” and reframe it into the affirmative by saying, “I WILL fit into my size 6 jeans by March 1st.”
The other trick here is to write it as if it already happened. Your brain does not differentiate between what you have done and what you think you have done, so start creating the reality of your goal being achieved by writing it that way.
-Cara Maksimow, Clinical Therapist, Author, Speaker & Owner of Maximize-Wellness Counseling & Coaching LLC, maximize-wellness.com
THE GOAL DECK
Life could be so overwhelming, there are so many things going on that, I don’t know about you, but, it sends my head spinning. If you are working a 9 to 5 job, are an entrepreneur or wife, mother, sister, daughter or friend. There just seems to be so much that needs to get done but how do you accomplish it? There are many kinds of tools, tips, and strategies that can help you get on the straight and narrow when setting your goals.
I personally chose to do something that is quite simple and I call it 3 Steps to Victory using what I created called a Goal Deck. Take fluorescent index cards, while using the 9 dimensions of wellness which are: physical, financial, spiritual, relational, emotional, occupational, environmental, social, and educational. Then choose 2 major goals in each area and break them down into smaller ones. Now, this can be done for both short term and long term goals.
If you are creative you can turn them into a vision deck instead of a vision board. All you do is 1) On the lined side, write the BIG GOALS, 2) Write the steps to achieve them underneath and 3) On the flip side place photos of your goals, and when complete write “VICTORY”. Goal setting can be fun, just use your imagination, the best tip that will work is the one YOU will use.
-Cee Cee H. Caldwell-Miller, Chief Wellness Officer, A Healthier U Lifestyle Co., bit.ly/ahealthieru
FOUR WORDS
PAUSE. BREATHE. NOTICE. FEEL. Four words that are: Simple. Intentional. Life-changing. As a business owner, entrepreneur, teacher, wife, and mom, my days fill up rather quickly. No matter my schedule, I ALWAYS begin each day with meditation. I have a special place in our home that is my dedicated quiet space. A place where I simply sit and focus so I am prepared mentally, physically, and emotionally for the day ahead.
For me, meditation is an essential tool for a productive day and it is a practice EVERYONE can utilize — whether you have five or 50 minutes, even the smallest amount of time will produce immense benefits. Beginning a meditation practice is much easier than you may think. The first step is carving out a few minutes for you — PAUSE. Second step is literally paying attention to your breath, – BREATHE. Pretty simple so far? The Third step is to serve the sensations in your body. The thoughts crossing your mind, — NOTICE. Finally, the best part… Allow anything that comes up to just be what it is and – FEEL it. You get to meet yourself exactly where you are! You will develop a relationship with yourself as the witness of your life each and every day. This is the foundation of my success.
Once you make a conscious effort to meditate daily, you begin to use this process naturally throughout all aspects of your life. Through meditation, your mind becomes more focused and the stillness allows you to be responsive rather than reactive in all situations. You will see yourself more clearly. My PAUSE, BREATHE, NOTICE, FEEL methodology will empower you to be the best version of yourself as you set out to conquer each day!
-Leslie Glickman, Yoga Teacher, Studio Owner, Community Leader, YogaJourney.com
CONNECT TO SPIRIT
Channeling crystal clear, accurate, spiritual guidance for my clients from the Akashic Records is something that I do naturally, with ease, for clients all over the world. I’ve also seen many, many missed opportunities and failed attempts at success when others don’t.
By simply watching, I’ve learned the IMMENSE value that Connecting to Spirit through Akashic Records holds and why it’s so important to integrate Spirit into your daily life, whether through meditation or using your natural intuitive abilities to receive spiritual guidance.
Spirit is ALWAYS there waiting to help you and guide you toward the fulfillment of your purpose.
It is only through clear, actionable guidance that you will be able to produce the results you desire in your life and your business. Taking correct action is essential if you want to see specific and positive results. Taking incorrect action simply wastes your time and leads you down the wrong path. And NO ONE has a limitless supply of time to waste.
By connecting to Spirit on a regular basis, you get all the guidance you need to help you make the right decisions and achieve the goals you set. There is no better way to set clear, actionable goals than going within to receive spiritual guidance to assist you in your decision-making process.
– Sallie Keys, Akashic Records Intuitive Development Expert, akashicrecordtraining.com
So many goal setting strategies, many of which I’m guessing you never really implemented. There’s no ‘one way’ to accomplish what you aim for, yet there are a myriad to choose from. I suggest that you read through this article at least 2 times over.
Ponder each strategy and get a feel for what is most realistic for you, your life, and your circumstances. Once you begin practicing and IMPLEMENTING one at a time, I’m confident that you will reap the benefits and attain your new year goals.
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*first published in 2019, this is updated for 2021
