Guest Post from our Virtual Assistant, Bridget Granville
Who doesn't love the hype at the beginning of a new year? People are excited to set goals and be better humans. Personally, I love goal-setting and planning. Daily rhythms and routines speak to my soul. Checklists and goals fuel my fire. Beautiful planners literally make me giddy.
As I was planning for the upcoming week, it hit me that it’s almost time to fill out March in my planner. That thought then brought me to the realization that the end of March is the end of the first quarter of the “new year.” Then that thought spiraled into the fear of not being able to accomplish the goals that I set for the year because we’re almost a quarter of the way through the year already!
Does this sound familiar?
This year, though, I’ve implemented a few steps with my goal-planning that allowed me to breathe and relax after my quick spiral. These shifts in my planning process have not only helped me with large goals that I want to accomplish over the course of a whole year, but they've also helped me with smaller, simpler, more-fun goals, as well.
Here are my five tips for making manageable goals that motivate you:
1. Create measurable goals.
When you create goals for yourself that are measurable, they are easier to work toward and accomplish. (Plus it feels good to mark each step off as you make progress!) Goals like “get in shape” and “eat healthy” are important, but I believe that they need to be lifestyle changes rather than yearly goals. Instead, shoot for measurable goals such as “Lose 15 pounds,” “Take a family walk three times a week,” or “Eat home-cooked dinners five days a week.” When you are able to track your progress with a goal, you may find yourself more motivated to work toward that goal all year long.
2. Strive for simplicity.
Obviously, big goals are important and necessary, and I have my own, but remember to also chase slow simplicity. Be tenacious where tenacity is needed, but don't forget to be slow where simplicity is craved. We live in a world where everything is go-go-go and "bigger is better," but I find that goals feel more fulfilling for me when I've sought out some degree of slowing down and soaking in the simple joys. There are many people who can easily read 50 books in a year. If you're like me, though, a more simple, realistic goal that would allow you to enjoy slowing down & reading for fun is “Read 30 books.”
3. Craft monthly focus goals.
I learned this one from Productivity Coach, Jessica Massey (@jessmmassey on Insta). Every month, pick a focus goal & make an extra effort to make solid progress on that particular goal throughout the month. This is especially helpful if you’re wanting to accomplish goals like forming new habits (i.e., “Implement a morning & evening routine at least 5 days a week”) or getting a big project out of the way (i.e., “Create and launch my new business website/blog/podcast”).
4. Learn new skills.
Last year, I decided that I wanted to learn how to bake bread, so I made it one of my 2023 goals. I got a bread cookbook, a family friend shared her sourdough starter with me, and I baked bread a few times a month. I loved that goal so much because it was so simple and so fun. Plus, the results were quite literally delicious. Previously, I had never thought of including something like learning a new skill to my yearly goals, but now I want to learn a new skill every year!
5. Focus on progress over perfection.
I won’t harp too much on this - basically, at the end of the year, if you’ve made progress, you should celebrate it! Check in on your goals at the end of every quarter (March, June, September, December) to see how you’re progressing and where you should pivot. Celebrate any progress you’ve made at the end of the year!
If you haven’t set goals for 2024, I challenge you to take some time to set a few. Figure out a new skill that you want to learn, decide that you want to read a certain number of books each month, or even just commit to creating a morning routine that supports your season & makes you feel good.
If you have set goals for 2024, I challenge you to take inventory of them. Are they measurable? Realistic? Do they align with the life you dream of living? If not, please know that it’s not too late to pivot. You’ve got nothing to lose & so much to gain, sweet friend! :) Happy goal-getting!
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