As we welcome the New Year, it is only natural for us to start it with a fresh, open mind. For some of us, goal planning and resolution setting comes naturally, but for others, it may seem as though achieving goals is completely impossible.
I’m here to tell you that nothing is impossible. With the proper planning and know-how, achieving your goals and living the life of your dreams is possible. A dream shall never be kept, but rather turned into reality and I will show you exactly how to do this!
So, I encourage you to open your mind around my interpretation of what goal setting and planning is really all about.
WHAT GOALS ARE NOT
I’d like to off by saying what goals are not.
WHAT ARE GOALS?
When I am referring to goals, nothing is impossible. Try to connect back to the child within you who believed that anything was possible. This is the place you want to set goals from.
In this context you can think about goal setting, as dream setting, where the intention is to turn your dreams into a reality. One thing to note before diving into how to dream set is the intention of it.
Dream setting is not about having to get it perfect or about creating a rigid plan that can never be altered. Rather, it is the exact opposite of that. Dream setting allows and encourages flexibility, movement and reframing along the way. Its intention is for you to learn to trust and connect with your inner self, and to create a life that is authentic to you and your dreams.
Now that you understand what classifies as a goal and what doesn’t, it’s time to learn in five easy steps how to set them.
(1) BEGIN WRITING YOUR GOALS
When you are setting goals for yourself, start with your most distant goals and work your way back. Choose a duration of time upon which you want to set goals for: ten years, five years, one year – or anything in between.
Once you determine your end point, answer the following questions:
Once you have established what you are working towards, it is time to set a plan in place. Simply look at where you want to be and write out a plan of what you need to do to get you there. (i.e. If you wanted to write and publish a book by 2020, you would have to start writing, meet with an editor as well as meet with a publisher).
(2) WRITE PROPER GOALS
Writing your goals down in the present tense as if they are happening today is extremely important. For example, writing: “I will one day publish a book.” Versus. “I am an author of one published book, titled, (X).”
These two sentences are quite different from one another. The second statement allows you to take ownership for your dreams, through using two of the most powerful words in the english language, “I am”. By stating a goal after the words, “I am,” you are affirming to not only yourself, but your subconscious mind, which is your ticket to reality – that you in fact are doing this. Telling yourself that, “I will one day…” has no reality based around it, no time frame, and no ownership. You are not trying it on. You cannot visualize it within your mind, or see it happening.
(3) SET “BY WHENS”
Once you have written each goal in the present tense, set a ‘by-when’ date that you intend to have these goals accomplished. As mentioned above, things can change along the way when you are working towards accomplishing your dreams. For example, maybe halfway through writing your book you get inspired to take it a completely other direction. Changing the theme or outline of the book may affect the date upon which you expect it to be completed by. When this occurs, simply set new by-whens to ensure that you are holding yourself accountable.
(4) STREGTHEN YOUR ACCOUNTABILITY
A great way to strengthen your accountability is to enrol a friend, family member, co-worker or coach in on your goals so that you have support, accountability and a push when you need it. This way you don’t have to rely solely on your own mind, as our minds often feel resistance towards achieving what we truly desire.
(5) BELIVE IN YOURSELF
Self-doubt is harmful and will cause you to live beneath your privileges. Believing in yourself and the goals you have set out is essential to living a fulfilled life. It is important to remember that you cannot achieve these goals if you do not allow yourself to so remind yourself every day that you will.
By following the above five steps, you will understand how to properly plan, set and achieve your goals. These steps will help you stay on top of your dreams as they teach you how to eliminate self-doubt and gain self-belief.
Due to my passion for life and achieving your dreams, I’ve created a Goal Setting & Planning Manual that goes into extensive details about not only how to write goals properly, but also how to get from where you are today to achieving your dreams.
Since the theme of this month is all around, “New Beginnings, Goal Setting & Living Your Dream Life,” I’ve decided to give away my Goal Setting & Planning Manual in a contest, which is coming up later this month.
Be sure to follow me on Facebook to receive access and important information for this contest.
Sending you lots of love and light,
Xo Paula
