Goal setting that sticks

This time of year, most of us look back at the past year to see which goals we’ve accomplished and which ones remain on our “to do” list. So what happened to your goals from last year? Did you accomplish them? You may not believe this, but goal setting is art form. Along with taking time to sit down and intentionally set goals, it also requires focus and lots of thought.

Sometimes life happens, and many people abandon their goals or lose sight of what they wanted to achieve. One thing is constant: Intentional goal setting works. However, it’s up to you to make the goals stick.

HERE ARE SOME TIPS FOR CREATING A GOAL-SETTING PLAN THAT STICKS:

1. DEVELOP AN INTENTIONAL PLAN

You must be clear on exactly what you want to achieve. Vision boards are a creative way to start the goal-setting process each year. Write down your goals and keep them at the forefront. Make sure they remain in front of you.

2. FOCUS ON EACH GOAL SEPARATELY

Don’t get overwhelmed by all of the goals in your plan; take on each task individually.

3. ASSIGN EACH OF YOUR GOALS A COMPLETION DATE

This gives you an opportunity to revisit them at least monthly to ensure you are on track with your overall timeline. If there is not a date attached to each goal, it isn’t attainable.

4. SET BOUNDARIES AND AVOID DISTRACTIONS

There always will be distractions because life happens. Health, family and relationship issues can come up at any time. Avoiding distractions is hard, but it can be done. List your distractions so you know what you are facing. Have a plan for when they arise so you can set boundaries and tackle them head on.

5. GOAL SETTING REQUIRES A LEVEL OF COMMITMENT

You have to be dedicated to making this happen for yourself.

6. GET AN ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER

You need a partner to help you stay focused, especially on the hard days. Accountability partners offer support, and sometimes guidance, to help you stay on task. They are people you can bounce ideas off of, and they can help you rework goals that need tweaking. Set aside time monthly to meet with your accountability partner to review your progress.

Speaker, therapist and vision board guru Gavin-Lane is the owner of Premier Professional Counseling Services LLC and founder of Pink Lotus Project Inc. For more information about setting goals, or to download a free vision board template, visit jocelyngavinlane.com.