Setting & Accomplishing Goals - Tea Talk

So, I've been on this whole goal setting kick, which you'd know if you'd been following along with me the past few months. One may ask, how hard is it to set a goal? It's super easy to sit down and make a goal, but the hard part is the follow through. I ask myself often, why is that? Why do we have such a hard time following through with goals that WE set for ourselves?

After doing some research (Pinterest of course) on the topic I found some tips & tricks that finally gave me some guidelines on the mistakes we make when setting goals. In knowing the mistakes, I then figured out how to effectively set a goal. Basically there's a method to the madness. If you really, REALLY want to be better at goal setting and actually check things off your list next year, this may be helpful. Or maybe you can find other ways to implement these tips in your life.

Here are the Mistakes we should Avoid when Goal Setting:

1. Thinking too Small - Don't limit yourself. That also doesn't mean go super big either. Think about what you know you can actually get done; it's all about setting realistic goals, which will look different for each person. 
2. Don't be Vague - If your goal is too vague, that leaves room for too many "what if's". Try to be specific. 
3. Not Setting Harsh Deadlines - Try not to hold yourself too tightly to deadlines, because life happens! Again, be realistic when setting deadlines. It's not a race to get things done, you still want to enjoy the process of achieving your goals without rushing through them for the sake of a deadline. 
4. Not being Confident - If you go into this new season of your life not feeling like you will achieve your goals, you won't. It's all about mindset. YOU CAN DO IT!
5. Waiting too long - As you can see, I've been doing months of soul searching and prep to figure out what I actually want to get out of 2020. Don't wait and wait, start brainstorming now. 
6. Not Writing Goals Down - So, this might be common sense but if you don't write your goals down or even save them in your phone, you won't remember what they were to begin with. I totally did that in 2017, no shame lol.

So now that the Mistakes we make are on the table, how do we actually Set Goals & Accomplish them? 

1. Use the SMARTER Method - Your goals should be: 
• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable 
• Relevant
• Time-Bound
• Evaluative 
• Revisable 
2. Write it Down - remember to be specific with your intentions, figure out your "why".
3. Plan ahead.
4. Commit.
5. Break it Down into manageable parts.
6. Hold yourself Accountable.
7. Reward yourself when you reach a goal milestone. 
8. Develop new habits that'll help you make it happen.

Lastly, whatever your goals may be, make sure they're meaningful to you:

• Align your goals with the way you'd like to feel.
• Act as if you've achieved that goal already.
• Stop buying into what others think about you and your goals.
• Write down your ideas and start manifesting it. Speak it and believe it.
• No matter how far you get in your goals, always practice gratitude. 

Happy Goal Setting in the New Year!

"A Dream without a plan is just a wish"