January 4, 2024 Goal Setting for 2024

I took this snowy picture several years ago when I lived in Portland, Maine to remind myself that it does snow in the Northeast!   It looks like the snow storm predicted to hit here this weekend may actually bring a decent amount of snow.

My only concern is that two days later rain is forecast along with temperatures in the 50's.  With those predictions, even if it does snow, it probably won't stick around very long!  So different from past winters!

We have been talking about goals, listing all the possible goals you want to set and then choosing from that list the goals that you want to pursue.

Now it's time to write down those goals.  The important thing to remember is that the more specific the goal is, the easier it will be to work towards.

Say, you want to lose weight.  If you just write down 'lose weight' for the year, that doesn't give much in the way of real direction or even a real goals that you can celebrate when you have achieved them.  

Better than just 'lose weight' would be 'lose 15 pounds by May 31, 2024'.  Then you can add steps for each month of 'lose 3 pounds'.  Then each month when you lose 3 pounds, you can celebrate.  

(By the way, I know that losing 3 pounds a month doesn't seem like much but if you continue that amount through the year, you will lose 36 pounds.  And doing it slowly will help you establish an eating system for life.)

Let's consider another goal of saving money for a down payment on a house.  Take a look at your financial budget and realistically decide what you can put aside each month for that goal.  Write down that specific amount for the year's goal but then divide that amount by 12 and write down specific steps for each month that include that amount.

Celebrating the small steps will encourage you to continue working toward that goal for the entire year.

If you have small goals like organizing a room, or even a closet or set of drawers, it is still important to be specific about the goal as well as the timeline.  Consider a goal of organizing a room like an office or studio.  Again decide how long you think it will take and then double that amount of time.  

Next, writing the goal with bullet points can help you achieve what you want.  For instance, the main goal could be 'Create a plan for the studio'.  Then the bullet points could include things like 'Look through all boxes to decide what to keep and what to donate', 'Put specific craft items together' (i.e. Paints, paint brushes and canvas, etc). 

Basically, write down all the things you want to accomplish when creating the plan for your studio.  Then as you finish each one, you can not only mark your progress but you can celebrate.

So, today, look at your list of goals and write them down in specific terms, dividing them up in a way that works best for you.  Again, small achievements along the way will encourage you to continue working toward and being successful in reaching your goal.

Talk with you tomorrow...