Last week we talked about uncovering the goal beneath your goal. We talked about the difference between our stated goals (which are actually action items) and our “why”, or our underlying goals. It was hard for some of you, and easier for others. Nice job engaging in the work! This week’s goal tip is simpler. It’s about both giving yourself a break and being realistic with yourself.
Tip 2: Be real with your calendar
First off, let’s put one thing on the table. Every goal we ever have will be big and difficult. We will meet some sort of obstacle or resistance at some point. Goals, by nature, are a challenge. If they weren’t, they wouldn’t be goals, they’d be something we did last week. Goals require time, effort, discipline and focus.
Today, we’re going to focus on time. Goals take time. Not only are they long term, they also require consistent time allotments. If you can’t see your goal in your calendar, you don’t have a goal. You have a dream. This leads to the first part of this tip – schedule time for your action items. Put those action items on your calendar and don’t schedule over them. Dedicate time to getting where you want to be.
The second part of this tip is be realistic. Determine how much time you actually need to dedicate to your action item to meet it. If you’re going to travel more this year how much time are you going to need to make that happen? Not only do you need to account for vacation time from work, but you also need to consider how much time you’ll need to save up the money for your trip.
Be realistic with how much time you’ll need for your action item and be realistic with how many action items you can tackle at once. I strongly recommend my clients limit the number of action items they focusing on at any given time. Often, we’re tempted to make big long lists of all the amazing things we’d like. The trouble is with a list is that it isn’t usually very realistic. It becomes a dream list. Multiple goals mean you have less time to give to each one, and your attention will be divided. Less time and attention means your goal is less likely to be achieved. Achieving a goal requires time effort, discipline and focus.
Get help being realistic with your calendar – schedule a coaching session with Sarah by clicking the image below: