RESOLUTIONS DON’T WORK : 7 STEPS TO SMARTER GOALS

A list of favorite oils? Business tips? Budgeting or organizing ideas? None seemed quite the right way to start off...

Then it dawned on me that I was staring at the answer! 😆 My OG, paper, analog planner sat looking up at me with all my goals for the day, week, month, quarter, year, and decade that I had written down. 📖 Honestly, what better way to start than at the beginning? Before the oils, before the business, and focus on the goals?

Here goes! The definition (thank you Webster!) of a goal is: -“the object of a person's ambition or effort; an aim or desired result” and that of a resolution is -“a firm decision to do or not to do something”.

Both are ok, but (sorry Webster 🤭) I don’t think that they encompass what I know now about goals and resolutions. I’d expand the definition for “goal: the object of a person’s ambition of effort; a set of parameters and steps which one follows in order to complete and reach the desired result and aim” and “resolution: avoid, see goals”. This way, we expand the definitions to include the ways that let you follow and achieve your heart’s desires. For me resolutions just don’t cut it - EVER! 🤚

Take a minute to think about your goals for this year. Let’s figure out whether or not they are actually goals, and not just wishes or dreams! My goal mentor and leadership guru, Michael Hyatt (😍), often talks about the 🧠 SMARTER 🧠 goal format. He says to ask yourself the following questions about your goals and resolutions. Are they specific? Measurable? Action-oriented? Risky? Timed? Exciting? Relevant? Without a set format to your goals and resolutions, you may start out the year strong wishing to follow through your “healthy eating goals” for a few weeks then lose steam and stop - ruining your plans for summer bathing suits and also with a great big hole in your confidence.

Here’s how I format my goals and resolutions to make sure that I follow through with them!

1) Make your goals specific, not too general or too vague.

A vague goal won’t help you achieve anything. Your goal has to have a start time and due date so that you have the motivation to fulfill it. The more specific, the better. 💪

Have you ever heard someone repeatedly say that they need to lose some weight or “get healthy”? What does it mean for them? Does it mean losing ten pounds? Does it mean exercising every day for at least 30 mins? Does it mean drinking half their body weight in ounces of water every day? We can keep telling ourselves that we have to do something vague, but all it does is derail us so we never arrive at our destination!

2) Your goal must be measurable. That means that you have to be able to quantify the result you want. To do this you can add a number, a dollar figure or a percentage. 📊

Without this measurable part of your goal, the goal stays vague (remember tip 1?!) and can never really be deemed completed (or not). If you add a number, it becomes easier to see the progress and final completion.

3) Make sure that your goal is action-oriented. What does that mean? It means that you don’t start the goal with a “to be verb”--I want to be healthy, I want to be successful. Instead, use an action verb that will compel you to go do something to reach your goal. Writing out your goal with specific action words will help you write out the steps that it takes to get there too! 🏃‍♀️

4) Break out of your comfort zone when writing and planning your goals. Make them a little risky. A goal that comes out of your discomfort zone will push you to reach bigger and better things you might have been nervous about before. 😵

5) Make sure that each goal is timed. That means each and every goal has a start and end date. If you write down a goal without a due date to end it, procrastination can come creeping in. With a due date looming we tend to ACT NOW! ⏳⏰

6) Make a goal that YOU find exciting. A goal that is personally exciting or that you find compelling will keep you focused and easier to complete than one that is ho-hum! And once it’s done add a treat you’ll give yourself so that you look forward to completing the goal! A dinner out? Short or long trip? Cool shoes you’ve been eyeing? New book? Resist the urge to say, “Completing the goal will be reward enough.” We want something tangible that is a reminder of your success. 🥳

7) Make your goals relevant to the place you are in life right now. Goals shouldn’t be things you know you won’t be able to complete on time or have the energy for. For example, as a Mom of 2 teenagers, I decided that getting some business coaching would fit my schedule and my time of life this year. Getting an MBA - not so much - not right now. I’ve also committed to reading 1-2 business books each month for the next year.

Your time in life may be different than mine - be strategic in your goal choosing.

Now that you’ve got the guidelines, write and plan away! Go get it! Plan it all out on paper, erase and plan again until it seems just right. The first goal-setting session can be the most time-consuming, but it does get easier. I started my goal planning on June 1 this year as a birthday present to myself and it’s been the best gift I have ever received.