Photo Credit: Samuiblue
Happy New Year!!
I hope 2013 was an awesome year for year and hopefully 2014 will be even better.
In the spirit of the New Year I wanted to talk about you achieving your goals. Goals are so powerful – if you set them right, make a plan to achieve them, and whole heartedly go for it – you can do anything that you want.
Take me for example, at this time last year I was working two crappy jobs. I worked 60+ hours per week, took care of my two kids, and worked on blogging and freelance writing on the side. I knew that I eventually wanted to quit one or both of my jobs and I made a plan to get there.
I spent every second that I wasn’t working or didn’t have my kids to work on my side business and I never stopped. In April of 2013 I went down to one day job. In October of 2013 I became self-employed and now I am working on the business that I created.
I have no college degree. I have no special skills. I just made my goals and went for it – all or nothing. I know that if I can change my life the way that I have that you can do it too.
Here’s how I set my goals so hopefully it will help you as well.
Make Your Goals Big
I like to set meaningful goals – which means that they are usually pretty big. They aren’t unrealistic but they’re the type of goals that people want to tell me I can’t reach, or at least give me eye rolls when I tell them about them. However, that just fuels my fire. If someone says I can’t do something you better believe I’m gonna do it!
Start by setting your big goals. What does your dream life look like? You twenty pounds lighter? A new house? Self-employment? A Debt free life?
Whatever it is just write it down!!
Make a Plan
Once you have your big goals think about how far you can realistically make it in one year if you push yourself hard. You need to push yourself hard!
“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”
Now take that goal and break it down into monthly, weekly, and daily goals.
For example when I was trying to build a writing business I would set a daily goal of how many people I needed to email to find jobs. I’d also set a monthly goal of how many new jobs I needed to find. This way I was on track.
When you look at your goal as a whole it may feel unattainable but when you break it down into smaller amounts/actions you start to form a plan that you can actually reach.
Go For It
It’s better to try and fail than not try at all. I don’t always meet all of my goals but even when I don’t meet them I am farther ahead than if I hadn’t tried at all.
Don’t be afraid of failure. Failure means that you are trying! Go for it – all or nothing!
If you want to read more about goals I wanted to recommend my two favorite books. I highly suggest that next time you’re at the library you check out Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy and The Habit Factor by Martin Grunburg.
Are you tackling some big goals this year? Let me know!