This time of year traditionally gets people thinking about what has transpired over the past almost 12 months and what they would like to do for the following year.
Some look upon the year with sorrow and others filled with hope and promise.
What about you? What has this year brought for you? Have you achieved? Did you struggle?
January each year I have a prayer and planning day, thinking about what has transpired before and what my hopes are for the forthcoming year. I type them up as bullet points in PowerPoint, add a colourful background that has some meaningful connection with my goals and then print off in full colour and laminate and have them in front of me beside my computer monitor so I see them every single day.
It is said that goals written down are set in concrete and become more achievable. I do know that ever since I started doing this some years ago the majority of my goals are reached most years. Last year I secured my first international speaking engagement and fulfilled that engagement June this year in Canada. This year my husband and I relocated to a home in the country and our surroundings are not unlike the photograph I had in the background of my goals sheet printed January this year.
If you have good intentions but struggle to achieve them then it’s likely there are two things you need to help you get there:
1. Someone you become accountable to – I have a business coach I connect with regularly and he helps me stay focussed on my goals. Do you have someone you can report to?
2. Someone to delegate things to. I’m a Virtual Assistant but that doesn’t mean I do everything myself. I have a team who assist me when things are really busy or if I don’t have the skillset required for certain jobs. Who do you have that you can delegate work to?
Make the time to sit down and assess things over the Christmas/New Year period and make plans for 2010. Decide who you need to report to, to help keep you accountable for your goals. And decide who can help you when you are faced with things that need to be done but you don’t have the time, the skillset or the resources to get them done.
I hope this time of year is one where you can spend time with loved ones – family and friends and that it’s not spent entirely alone. Reach out to others if you find yourself alone. They will be grateful you did and perhaps new friendships will be formed.
Lorraine Grout says
Touching on laws of attraction here Kathie! I’m a believer in the power of intention and although I don’t update it on a set date, I have created a vision board with images of things I hope to achieve. I need to work on the reporting and delegating aspects though, because at the moment it’s all on me and that can sometimes be a heavy burden.
Kathie Thomas says
A bit like “What the mind of man can conceive and believe, It can achieve.” as Napoleon Hill is quoted saying?
Put dates on them Lorraine and you might find things suddenly moving forward even faster! Someone told me a long time ago a dream without a date is just a dream but a dream with a date on it becomes a goal.
Patti Fosuek says
Great post. You hit the nail right on the head. If I don’t write my goals down, they don’t feel real.