“I want to move forward in my career, but I’m too unsure to ask for a promotion.”
Or “I want to be a better manager, but it’s hard to change my ways and make people feel heard.”
How about “I want to lose weight, but I’m not willing to give up junk food.”
Less excuses, more reasons.
I was in the car with my kiddo recently, talking about goals for 2022. He talked about how he wanted to become a better soccer player but kept giving me excuses about the ways he would accomplish that. Which made me think, what excuses are we constantly making to ourselves? What reasons do we ignore? Reasons to be successful, reasons to stay motivated. Excuses are human nature when we really don’t want to do something, right? We’ve all made them! But we commonly make those excuses out of fear of failure. So how can you make a commitment to both yourself and others that you WILL accomplish the goals you set for yourself in 2022?
The Breakdown
The best way of accomplishing any goal is to break it down into smaller goals. Really give yourself the opportunity to understand how you want to reach your end goal. Ask yourself these questions:
- What steps do I have to take to accomplish my goal(s)?
- How can I hold myself accountable?
- What can I do to move me closer to my goal?
- How can I track my progress?
Begin by plotting out tiny baby steps goals of where you want to be. Create a list and check it off one by one as you go. That visual of accomplishment will fuel you to keep going. Afterwards, check in with yourself. Do an examination daily or on the weekends about how you’re moving along. How did the week go overall? Could anything have gone better? Are you moving forward or falling behind – did you make any excuses to put something off? Set aside some time to analyze your progress and see if you have any areas you’re struggling with.
Once you’ve checked in with yourself, recalibrate your own expectations. You may need to take a step back or increase your productivity to move forward. This would be a good time to have a coach or accountability partner along for the ride. Sometimes we battle within ourselves to keep going, or maybe we just need a second pair of eyes. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help. Successful goal setting and accomplishment is a team effort!
Most importantly, don’t forget to dig deep and give yourself grace and self-care in between the moments where you may be struggling. Sometimes we do just need to hit pause and reboot.
Lastly, surround your goals with emotional support and encouragement. Give yourself daily affirmations, both personal and goal-related.
- I CAN do this.
- We can have a kinder, more enlightened world.
- I am strong.
- We can treat each other with respect and dignity without losing any of ourselves.
- I am capable.
- Every person has a right to pursue a life that harms no one else on their own terms.
- I am successful.
- People are the bottom line, not money.
- I can achieve anything I set my mind to.
- There is no shortage of resources. There’s only a shortage of sharing.
We can all have a better life. We can all excel. Let’s kick those excuses to the curb. Here’s to 2022!
