Have you ever fallen off track with your goals? Have you maybe already forgotten the goals or "New Year Intentions" that you set for yourself at the beginning of the year? We are so close to the mind point of the year, so I thought it would be a good idea to share 8 strategies to help you get back on track with your goals this year.
1. Reconnect with your why
Getting intentional with a goal means creating a clear connection between your goal (what you want to accomplish) and why you want to accomplish it. When we get off track, we need to take a moment to step back and revisit our WHY. Why is this goal important for you? Why is this something you want to pursue? How will this goal impact your life, your career, your future vision and the people you care about? Once you reconnect with your why you will feel more encouraged to get back on track.
2. Re-evaluate your goals and break them down into smaller chunks
Rethink your goals and ask yourself if it needs to be amended? maybe has changed since you set up the goal and it needs to be adjusted.
Many times, we give up on your goals because they seem too out of reach or too big. It's always ok to tick you goals to make them less stressful and more doable. Think about the size and scope of your goal Maybe you were too ambitious when setting it up originally and it's demanding a lot of your time and effort, so it might be a good idea to break it down in more doable chucks.
Sometimes we need to take a step back to gain momentum and be able to keep moving forward.
3. Create a roadmap
Now what you are clear and have adjusted your goal, and you know where you are headed, the next step is to create a roadmap. I like to do this by planning backwards, starting with the end goals and looking backwards to identify the key milestones that I need to achieve to help me achieve my goal. Setting milestones can give you structure and direction and help you move towards achieving your goal.
4. Move your goals into action by using implementation intention
Many times, we believe that what causes us to get of track with our goals or the reason why we struggle to get back of track is the lack of motivation. James Clear in the book Atomic Habits tells us that motivation is exactly what we don't need, rather we need habits.
Implementation intention is basically identifying when and where we will work on our habits. I use this technique to get me going with my goals, because it helps me carry through with my goals without needing motivation or inspiration to do it. There is a simple formula you can apply to implement implentation intention to get back on track with your goals;
I will ... (behavior / action) . . . at ... (time) . . . in ...(location). The goals are to make the time and location so obvious that with enough repetition you get the urge to do the right things at the right time even when you don't feel motivation to do it.
5. Identify your current roadblocks
I suggest you make a list of the roadblocks that are stopping you from making progress right now. Keep in mind that sometimes those roadblocks are not real but just things in your head. Question your thoughts. Not everything we think about is real just because you thought about it. Some of those limiting believes might have been true in the past but they are no longer true or not true in this situation. Making a list of these roadblocks is the first step, now you need to think about some ways you can overcome them or work around them.
6. Ask for help and fidn an accountability partner
I used to tell this lie to myself, and I know many of you might be telling yourself the same lie. You DON"T have to do it all. I thought I was expected to do it all. Understanding that and being comfortable with that is key. Asking for help requires vulnerability, and vulnerability can feel uncomfortable.
Look for an accountability partner to help you get through and stay on track. On a prior episode of my podcast I had Henry Evans, the author of the bestselling book "Winning with accountability" and he shared three tips to pick the right accountability partner.
7. Celebrate progress
Ok, you got started again, but how can you keep the momentum this time, so you don't give up again this time. I encourage you to celebrate every milestone as you hit it. Plan ahead how you will celebrate each milestone and make sure the reward is meaningful to you, so you have something to look forward to it.
8. Give yourself some grace.
Many times, we become out worse enemies. That voice on the back of our head plays tricks on us, it keeps reminding us of all the reasons why we can’t do something, why something will not work, of why something will not work. Give yourself some grace. You don't have to believe everything you think. Just because you thought about it doesn't mean is true. We are not robots, we are humans, we are not meant to be perfect. we all make mistakes; the secret is to stand back up every time we fall down.
