We are 15 days into 2019. Have you set any goals for 2019? Do you have it all plotted and planned out?
Are you following a strategy that you have set out for yourself personally, your life at home, family, career, business, sport or perhaps a hobby? Or are you just riding the wave into another year, coasting along? Let’s use a marathon as an example.
If you want to go from zero to hero and run a marathon, you have to systematically train your body and mind to first run 5km, 10km, 21.1km, which is a half marathon and then the almighty full marathon of 42.2km. Reaching each of these steps to achieve your ultimate goal, you will have to plan, put in the time, effort and training and feed your body and mind. Part of your planning and strategy will perhaps be to join a training group, to train with likeminded people, have a bit of support and to run some races to get a qualifying time. Come race day your body and mind might not perform to reach your goal if you did not clock the kilometres and hours to match. If you did, think of the sheer elation you will experience when you run across the finish line, receiving your medal. If you did not, think of the terror you will experience on the starting line, the suffering during the race and the utter disappointment when you don’t make the cut-off. Which will it be, elation and celebration or tears and sorrow? The ball is in your court, only you can choose and make it happen or NOT!
Well, from personal experience, if it is not planned out, written down and visible, with a distinct, clear and realistic strategy and systematically actioned you might arrive in 2020 and not have accomplished much. It would be a touch and go, stop and start with no or minimal results scenario.
However, if plotted on a planner, pin board or in a diary where you see it all the time, actively work on the plan and tracking the plan and activities around it, every small step in reaching your goals, big or small will be worth the effort and satisfying. You will experience a sense of accomplishment, self-worth and be motivated to put in the time and hard work to see your plans through. Arriving in 2020, less than 12 months from now, you will be able to look back on 2019, with the knowledge that you have smashed your goals, accomplished something and have grown as a person.
How to do it?
- Get the diary, the planner, the calendar. If you are a tech geek, have one ready on every device you own, with reminders and alarms set-up.
- Set your goals; small, medium and large, long-term and short-term.
- Create a plan with specific and realistic target dates.
- Create a strategy around your plan, with tasks, actions and outcomes linked to your goals.
- Set it in motion, and mark off every accomplishment.
- Believe in yourself.
- Celebrate all your accomplishments, whether they are small or big.
- Reward yourself for doing well.
- Review your progress on a regular basis.
- Did you drop the ball somewhere?
- If so, review the reason/s, correct and get back on track, you want to succeed!
- Once you have reached your goals and succeeded, take in the moment, experience the feeling and celebrate! Throw a party for one or many, pop some champers, because you made it, you deserve it!
Are you ready? Is it planned and plotted? Will you succeed? If not, get yourself sorted and organised!
I personally enjoy writing and scribbling, so I use a combination of a diary, planning sheets, pin board and well, I’m also a bit of a tech geek, so there are reminders set-up on my apple devices as well. My favourite brands for planners are Moleskine and Passion Planner.
Both these brands can be ordered online, and Passion Planner has some lovely free downloads that are very handy. If you click on the links above, it will take you directly to the two respective websites, where you can view more.
Make 2019 count for YOU! Choose the method that works best for you and TAKE ACTION! Set your goals and SMASH your goals! You are doing it for YOU!
Photo by Mārtiņš Zemlickis on Unsplash
Photos by Luculle Stols – @real.life.rebel on Instagram
Real Life REBEL 