As we enter into another new year where the buzz of goal setting is in the air, it’s helpful to have some reminders and new tips to move forward with clarity and motivation with your priorities and goals so you can feel empowered to achieve your dreams and vision for your best life.
Why is it important to have priorities and set goals?
Priorities help you hone in on what is most important to you in your life so you can focus your time, energy and attention on the things that will help you feel happy, productive and thriving. Life can be very overwhelming with its many tasks and to-do lists and sometimes it can feel like there is no light at the end of the tunnel. Having priorities helps you have focus, giving you direction and purpose so time management and decision-making feel easier, reducing stress, anxiety and overwhelm. They set the overall tone for what comes first and foremost, then you can set goals that you would like to accomplish that are aligned with your priorities.
For example, if spending time with your family is your top priority (the thing that will make you feel the most fulfilled in your life right now) then you want to set goals that help you accomplish that priority. Your goal could be to completely disconnect from work every night at 6pm to spend undistracted, quality time with your family.
Goals are actionable steps you take to motivate you to fulfill your vision of your life. They have a timeline. They help you achieve desired outcomes. When you make progress towards a goal, it creates hope, confidence and determination. These are the stepping stones to fulfilling your dreams.
5 reasons why it’s difficult to achieve your goals
There’s a lot more to achieving goals than just declaring, “I’m going to start my own business this year!” It’s easy to start off with energy and enthusiasm when you initially set a goal, but it can quickly fade causing you to lose momentum and motivation. Here are 5 reasons why it’s difficult to achieve your goals.
You don’t have a clear and precise plan:
It’s essential to write out your priorities, goals and vision with clarity. Creating deadlines and timeframes to hold yourself accountable and track your progress as you move forward with each step.
You set unrealistic goals:
Yes, the sky’s the limit and you do want to dream big, but you need to make sure the goal you’ve set is aligned with your level of experience, resources, support, time and energy.
You give up too soon:
If you’ve set a deadline for your goal and you’re coming up against roadblocks or failures, it doesn’t mean you need to throw in the towel. It means it’s time to start problem solving, reassess the situation/goal and create a new plan. Roadblocks and failures help you learn and grow too, so practice having a growth mindset.
Limiting belief systems:
Negative self talk and limiting belief systems can really drag you down. So pay attention and make the necessary shifts if you find yourself saying things like, “I’ll never be able to do this” or “I’m not smart enough to pull this off” or “I fail at everything I do”. On the contrary, you may even have a fear of being successful. There are many different kinds of limiting belief systems that can eat away at your self confidence and reduce your ability to achieve your goals. Learn more about them here.
You’ve disconnected from your priorities:
Remember that your priorities are why you are setting the goal. When you feel a sense of purpose and are aligned with the big vision of your life, it will help you stay determined and motivated when things become challenging and you lose the initial excitement.
“A goal without a plan is just a wish” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Here’s a list of 10 priorities to get you started:
- Health/Well-being: Mental, emotional, physical and/or spiritual
- Career/Business
- Finances
- Relationships with friends and family
- Intimate relationships
- Purpose
- Hobbies
- Traveling
- Self Improvement/Personal growth
- Education
Simple Goal Setting Exercise (6 Steps):
- Write down your top priority and why it’s important to you.
- Write down 3-5 long term goals aligned with your top priority. Be clear.
- Write down 3-5 daily goals that support your long term goals. Be clear.
- Create timelines/deadlines
- Write down any negative beliefs (fear of failure, etc.) or practical challenges (time, support, etc.) that might stop you.
- Create a positive affirmation that supports you. If you haven’t used affirmations before, learn how here.
3 Goal Setting Examples with priorities, long term goals and daily goals:
Priority: Health- Exercising
Long Term Goal: Lose 25 lbs. in 3 months
Daily Goal: Exercise 5 times a week for 40 minutes
What might stop you: Making the time
Affirmation: “ I enjoy taking care of my body”
Priority: Business- Bring in more clients
Long Term Goal: Gain 5 more clients in next 3 months
Daily Goal: Network 3 times per week
What might stop you: Fear of failure
Affirmation: “ I am capable and confident of meeting new clients”
Priority: Intimate Relationship- Marriage
Long Term Goal: Date regularly/Put myself out there
Daily Goals: 2-3 dates per week
What might stop you: Feel unworthy of love
Affirmation: “ I am attracting my true love”
Find even more unique and fun goal setting exercises on this website.
Taking the time to get clear on your goals and priorities will set you up for success and enable you to see what shows up that holds you back from progressing. We all struggle with different things that prevent us from thriving in our life. The important part is learning, growing and striving for success in whatever way is important to you so you can make your dreams a reality.
