Welcome 2016! For me, as with every other year past, the year started with making more concrete my action plans to realize my goals. Goals are important. Everyone knows this. That’s why there are goal-setting retreats, workshops, seminars and journals. If you never pick a point on the horizon, how do you know which direction to walk?
However, most people’s goals aren’t really their goals. Many people set goals in reaction to the responsibilities, expectations and demands they face in their life. Maybe your goal is to make six figures this year, but you are motivated to make that money because you have bills to pay and mouths to feed. Maybe your goal is to finish writing your book, but it’s not because you care about the book…you just want the approval of those who’ve said, “Hey, you should write a book!”
Maybe you are striving to get that advanced degree, but it’s only to satisfy the prodding of your parents.
Real goals are the ones that YOU actually care about. They light you up, give you energy and make you feel excited. Real goals have nothing to do with expectation or obligation, and everything to do with what matters most to YOU.
Of course, we’re bombarded every day with expectation and obligation. We have to react to a constant barrage of requests, demands and last-minute emergencies. And when those are handled, it’s time to rest so we can get up and do it all again tomorrow.
My friend, it’s time to break the cycle. It’s time to dream.
In order to get in touch with the things that will make your life amazing, you need to take quiet time to reflect on and listen to what it is you REALLY want. I used to set goals only for my job and my family. But in the last few years, I have another drive – the drive for REAL goals, my soul’s desires that light me up and motivate my every other goal and action plan.
Leaving your family and responsibilities for a long weekend to venture into the woods for a journey of self-exploration may not be feasible. But you can start with a simple “sit-down”. A “sit-down” is a five-minute meditation followed by 20 minutes of journaling. Ask yourself, “What do I really want?” The real answers will feel thrilling. Write them down. Circle the most exciting ones, put realistic deadlines next to them, and create your action plan. This is how I spent my afternoons this first weekend of 2016 – sitting quietly in nature, resting at my favorite tree on the ridge, listening to the answers come to me in the wind. The answers were nothing new, just affirmations of what I already knew that I wanted, but had set aside months earlier…giving me a kick to restart and refocus on their fulfillment this year, and I created an action plan and target dates to accomplish things. For me, 2016 is the year to make what’s possible into reality 🙂
Often our dreams feel far away, impossible to achieve, or unreachable for a variety of reasons we’ve made up in our minds, or others have told us. But MANY goals are achievable when we think them through, plan them out in simple steps, and consistently allocate time to them.
Life is too short to spend it chasing someone else’s goals or dismissing your own because someone else said it’s not possible. Don’t wait another moment – pursue your real goals today!
If you would like to assistance to clarify or to review your goals and action plans, to make sure that they are aligned, feel free to give me a call or complete the form below. I’d be happy to have a discussion and help you!
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