10+ Ways to Meet Your Goals
(even when you feel like giving up)
We're officially past the half-way point of the month. How are you doing on your goals?
Are you still making progress?
Have you already abandoned some?
Are you so overwhelmed with your day-to-day to even think about working on those big goals?
Last week I shared my method for setting goals you’ll actually achieve. And today I'm sharing my favorite tips for staying accountable to your goals.
Because I get it! It's hard to stick to something. It's hard to create new habits. It's hard to let go of things you've always done and try something new. But there's so much reward in stepping out of our comfort zone!
Follow me on a quick detour, I promise it'll be quick and worth it…
I love Christmas movies - like LOVE them! I could watch them all year long. One that really resonated with me this past year was on Hulu called A Cinderella Christmas.
It's, predictably, about a Cinderella-like character that goes to a ball and meets her Prince Charming, but runs away just before midnight. As she's running out of the ball, she bumps into her fairy godmother character.
And the advice her fairy godmother gives is gold!
She says:
"Are you sure you want to turn your back on the unknown?
The unknown is where everything you don't have lives."
I want you to ask yourself this question right now.
Are you sure you want to turn your back on the unknown?
Because doing the things you've always done and spinning your wheels on your day-to-day tasks that are burning you out (yet again!) is staying in your safe zone. It's what you know. It's what is comfortable. It's what's safe.
In order to grow this year, you're going to have to face a little bit of the unknown. The fairy godmother was so right.
Everything you want lives in the unknown. It lives in a place you haven't been before, in a way of thinking you haven't tried before, in a habit you haven't formed before.
And yes it's freaking scary! But it's also so rewarding!
Because that's where you get to be that version of yourself you dreamed about last week. That's where your dream life lives. That's where everything you've ever wanted gets to happen.
So - How do we get back on track... and stay on track?
Here are my favorite ways to help myself (and my clients) stay focused on their goals and make progress, even when they don't feel like it or feel like giving up.
Find an accountability partner and share your goals, plans, and progress. Keep each other on track.
Hire a coach to help you stay on track and know what the right steps are. (This is especially good if you want some help knowing what direction to go or you know where you want to go but have no clue how to get there.)
Join a community that provides accountability and encouragement (such as The Empowered Boss Lab). Get active in the group.
Write it down! And keep it in front of you.
Put due dates in your calendar and task manager.
Post your goals on your bathroom mirror, in your closet, or by your coffee pot & read every morning as you get ready.
Block off time on your calendar to work on your business tasks.
Treat yourself like a client and make your things just as important as your clients' things.
Schedule regular check-in dates with yourself and give yourself a progress update (just like you would if you had a boss).
Notice when you are avoiding working on your goals and journal about the fear that's there (use this strategy to help you) or reach out to someone for help.
Above all - don't try to do everything alone! You need your support system. Find them, use them, and celebrate with them when you start hitting all your milestones.
And don't be surprised if you start hitting milestones ahead of schedule!