Goals. They are a funny thing.  

They are exciting. They are a pain in the rear.

They are few. They are many. They are easy. They are challenging. They are accomplished in an hour. Or at times, they overwhelm you and take years to achieve.

People who are successful have them, whether they merely think them or write them down. They help to move us forward in the direction we wish to go. It is a rare circumstance where a plumber, manager, doctor, lawyer, teacher, mechanic, or writer say, “Gee, how did I get here?”

A goal begins when you first say to yourself “I’ll try”. Yourself then, answers, “Try what?” Your answer to that question becomes your goal. Your focus. The light at the top of your staircase.

Not at the end of your tunnel, you ask?

Nope.

Try to consider that to set and go to work toward your goals will be a little harder than merely a step in one direction or another.  If the steps are worth taking, they will probably require more thought and effort than mere horizontal ones. Accomplishing them is going to take a climb.

Are you willing?

If you don’t set goals of some kind, then you tell yourself you are okay with the walk on that path. You are fine with where you are. You are probably in a great place in your life and achieved your goals already.

If you still say things to yourself like: “I want to save more money.”, “I want a job I love.”, “I want to be a writer.” or “I want to have more positive, productive relationships in my life.”, and your answer is “I’ll try.” then you’re setting goals and you don’t even realize it.

When you set goals, you tell yourself you are ready to move beyond where you are. It could be a movement to something different or something better. You are okay with where you are, but you’d like a change. That is a great place to be too. If you’re willing to do the work.

Are you up for the challenge?

I am.

To Self:

“I’ll try. I’ve got this. Let’s go!”

 

“This year, I told myself I was going to get this done and I botched it – again. Why even bother?” How many times have you said this to yourself? I do it every single year. I bash myself over the head over missed opportunities and goals not met – whether by a millimeter or by a mile. I see all of it as FAILURE in flashing neon lights. I am my worst and most cruel critic. And in the end, I am ultimately responsible for not moving forward.

It’s easy to give up.

It’s hard to keep going.

To forgive yourself. To let it go. To analyze why your goals weren’t met with an honest eye and do the work.

Do the work to analyze your own behavior, dedication, and skill. Do the work to research and figure out what works and how it will fit into your life. Do the work to modify your life to fulfill those goals.

Even if it hurts.

Self-blame and blame of others are counterproductive to change.

Look at this new year as a precious opportunity.  An opportunity to get it right and put yourself on the path you want:

• Suck It Up, Buttercup. Re-evaluate last year’s goals with an objective eye. Ask yourself: Are these goals still what you want? Is achieving them reasonable and within your ability?
• What’s Up? Forgive, not excuse, yourself from achieving them and let last year’s goals go – if you choose them again, they are now NEW goals for this year. Ask yourself:  Do I have too many goals? Can I break them into more manageable pieces? Am I devoting enough time and energy to achieve them?
• Nancy Drew This Thing. Think about each of your goals and why you didn’t accomplish them. Ask yourself: Are there ways you could modify your life to accomplish them? Is there a class you could take? Can you find an accountability partner or a group to help make the chances of meeting your challenge more likely?
• Work It! Create a more workable plan. Ask yourself: Am I being honest with myself about when, where and how I can get these things done? Can I find ways to work my goals into my day? If not every day, some days?
• You Talkin’ To Me? Adjust your attitude in spirit, mind, and body. Ask yourself: Do I believe I am meant to do this? Do I know everything I need to know to get these goals accomplished? Am I physically able to accomplish these tasks and am I healthy enough to get the job done?

Knowing what you want is not good enough. Knowing that you are meant to do it is not good enough. Knowing and setting goals is not even good enough. If a plan is not in your year for your goals to become an integral part of your life, you will probably find yourself right back at the self-torture that is December. Believe me, I have.

Not doing it again.

I hope you won’t either.

Show yourself and 2017 you’ve got this.