First, let me start by telling you the way my blog is set up. It is more like my personal journal. I started this blog because I know that there are others who go through life with some of the same trials, challenges, accomplishments, joys, etc as myself. All in all, I hope to encourage and inspire someone else. And hopefully, people will share with me and we can all grow together.

So, back to setting AND accomplishing goals. I’ve researched, tried and proven, and have found that the things below help me to accomplish the goals I’ve set over time. If you’re like me, you have all types of goals: financial, personal, professional, social, etc. These tips will help in achieving all of these. One thing I did before setting goals this year was ask God His plan for my life. Maybe He didn’t say anything, but I asked giving Him permission to always go before me. Let’s get started….

1. Duh, write them down. And hide them in a place you will never see them again. Some of you are like, that’s exactly what I do. No, seriously, much like your vision boards, place your goals where you can see them. If you know me, I like to write mine on my mirror in the powder room. Any given day, you can walk in there and see what my plans are for the day, the week, an inspirational message, what bill I need to pay, etc. With today’s technology you can Evernote them, sticky note them on a device, all sorts of things. But once you’ve written them down, set them to where you can see them.

2. Identify the person you want to become. This brings to mind a friend of mine. She is recently a stay-at-home Mom and wants to be the Mom who is creative, head of the PTA, baking in the kitchen with the kids, you know, that Mom. She has already started making tutus and scarves. The tutus are super adorable. The scarves, well, she will have more time to work on them now. But my point is she is taking baby steps to becoming the person she wants to be. If you desire to lose 20 lbs in 2014, then take baby steps to doing so. I know from experience it’s not enough just to join a gym. I live in walking distance from one, and in the 4 or so years that  I was a member I went all about 20 times. Be specific and set daily goals.

3. Share your goals. I’ve seen this being done all over Facebook here lately. What I may not see is when you accomplish these goals, or that you might need a little push in accomplishing them. I told my Coach that I wanted to lose 15 lbs by April 1. Why April 1, I have no clue, but that is my goal, and it has been spoken and I know he will hold me accountable. Share your goals with people who will encourage, motivate, and inspire you. Not people who will tell you it can’t be done, you’re not good enough to do that, with your spending habits, you know you won’t be able to save $10K by year-end. No, don’t share it with those people. I don’t like the word “haters”, but them kind.

4.  Be consistent with your values. Know who you are and what a goal says about you.

5. Set a date. Like I said, by April 1, I want to be 15 lbs lighter. Setting a date helps you measure where you are in accomplishing a goal. With that you also have to be specific with what exactly it is you want to accomplish. If I say I want to be a better friend by March 3rd, what steps am I taking to get there?

6. Be intentional and focused when setting goals. What exactly are you trying to accomplish and what will this goal benefit you and your family? Why do you want to save money? Is it for a vacation, is it for financial security in the event that life happens? Why do you want to lose 10 lbs? To be in better shape, to be a knockout come summer time? All of these are perfectly fine reasons, and to me, it helps me stay on track to achieving the goals I’ve set.

There are thousands of other tips out there. I know because I’ve seen them, but this is working/has worked for me. If you start to feel overwhelmed, reach out and ask for help, say a prayer, do whatever it takes (legally) to put a line through most, if not all, of your goals by the end of the year. And reflect on the goals you did not succeed at and why. Don’t be discouraged. Stay the course!

Stay Charmed,

CC