Goals: Review and Update - Don’t Discard

We all hear that the start of the New Year is the time for New Year’s Resolutions. Are you going to go to the Gym? Will you start that diet to lose weight? Will you take that trip you’ve wanted to take? Now that we are about six weeks into the new year… How are those Resolutions/Goals working out for you?

Most people have the best intentions when setting goals, but life has many obstacles and distractions that will keep you from attaining your goals. So do you forget them and say “Maybe next year?” No. It is time to Review what you planned to accomplish, determine what went wrong, and create a new goal to get you where you want to go.

Lets take a look at how you set up goals. Most people have short term goals like I want to lose 20 pounds before beach season!, or I am going get a Gym membership and go every day! Miss a couple of days working on either of those goals and you may say… I screwed up… I’m done.

But this is the perfect time to review and update a goals. First take an honest look at why you were not successful? Did you give it enough time? What changes did you make in order to accomplish your goals. Don’t give up! Remove the obstacles and move forward!

Lets take a look at a stronger method for setting goals. Pick a planning horizon that is in the distant future and plan goals that will get you to that end. For example, What do you want to accomplish in 50 years (I know it seems a long time away, but humor me). Now… What do you have to accomplish in 25 years to be on track to complete your 50 year goal? Next, what goal do you have for 10 years to get you to the 25 year goal. What do you need to do in 5 years to meet the 10 year goal? What needs to be done in one year to be on track to meet your 5 year goal? Lastly, What do you need to do today to reach your one year goal? This gives you a starting point TODAY to get yourself on the patch to meet your 50 year goal!

So don’t throw away your future, embrace it and work for it. You will be happy you did!