I love the festive season, it is a time when everyone is in a state of elevated emotion! Everyone just seems that bit happier, we are able to let go of our worries and actually start to relax... however it is often after Boxing Day that we start to get the post festive gloom. We can stay elevated, it is all in our state of mind and as the silly season is upon us, it is important we have a plan of attack as to how to stay on track, whether it is our health, finances or any other area we are focusing on. 

Why Goals Matter

We often get derailed by the silly season because we do not have a definite idea of where we are headed. It is important to clarify your goals and work towards them, to have fun with them and to take inspired action. Goal setting is so important, yet over 80% of us do not set goals in life. Goals create long term vision and short term motivation. It gives you focus and helps you organise your time and resources so that you can make the most out of your life! Below are some quick tips around goal setting.

Keep Your Long Term Goals in Mind

Why is it important to have goals and not just meander our way through life? It's simple. Our minds demand it. Your mind is a goal seeking mechanism. If you don't program it with the goals that you wish to achieve, it will arbitrarily select goals for you and life becomes a haphazard, hit or miss affair. We often focus on something in the near future, not knowing how it relates to our long term goals. Start with a long term goal in mind first, then set your shorter goals. When we sit down with our clients, we always want to know what 7 years looks like from now, before we set a short term goal. Why? Well if this short term goal doesn't align with the long term you, you will lack in motivation and be off track for what you REALLY want. 

Keep on Track by Periodically Reviewing Your Goals

Use the G.R.O.W methodology to create an action plan. GROW stands for Goal, Reality, Opportunities and What's Next.

o   Goal - Set the goal in the area you would like to work on. It might be in health, emotional, financial, career, relationships or spiritual.

o   Reality – understand where you are now. The gap between your reality and your goal is what you need to close.

o   Options – make a list of all the possible ways you could achieve your goals – there literally are hundreds of ways to achieve the same outcome. So when you are feeling inspired, create a brainstormed list of different actions you can take to achieve your goal.

o   What's Next – Commit to one or more of the options you have listed and take action!  

Achieving Goals Should Be Fun 

When we have to apply so much effort that we are not enjoying what we are doing, we know that our goals are not in alignment with what we really want or we are not in the right head space to be taking action. Action should always come from a calm, inspired thought rather than a 'fix it now!' thought. This is not to say your goal should not push you out of your comfort zone, however if you find yourself exerting so much effort with little results, reset your mindset before taking any more action! 

Be Easy on Yourself

If you fall off the wagon, get back on... if you dropped your mobile phone, you wouldn't then run over it with your car... or if you punctured a tyre on your car, you wouldn't go and puncture the rest... The same concept is to be used with your goals. Just because you have eaten more than you should have, or had too many drinks, doesn't mean you now go on a rampage to eat everything in the fridge and drink for days. Your one day off track will not put your long term goal in jeopardy. However, if we do follow this train of thought (and it is called Catastrophising - and yes most of us are guilty of it!) we will derail ourselves...

So, pick yourself up, like you would your dropped mobile phone, and take the inspired action to get back on track.  

If You Achieve a Goal – Set Another One

The greatest derailing to our long term goals often happens when we reach our initial goal. We think, 'hurrah!' we have met our goal. Then we go on without setting a new goal. The new goal is so important to ensure that you maintain your current state, otherwise your will haphazardly make your way back through life! Go through the goal setting process again, even if it is just to set a maintenance goal.

Have  a fantastic Festive Season!

If you want to learn more about how you can stay on track, take advantage of our New Year special and buy one journal, get one FREE!