A Beginner's Guide to Setting Goals

I've said it before, and I'll say it again - I'm a list maker.  I make lists for just about everything.  Mostly because if it's not written down, I'm probably going to forget it.  (anyone else? just me?)

One of my favorite lists is my list of goals.  I should say SOME of my favorites listS  - because I have more than one when it comes to goals.  I have a master list of goals. Short term, long term, realistic and outrageous - they all go here.  I have a list of monthly goals, and a list of weekly goals and usually a list of daily goals, aka: the to-do list.  I guess you could say I'm a real "goal getter".  

Now, you may be thinking to yourself  "That's great Beckey, but how can I be as goal oriented as you?  What are the basics to setting goals?"

Good question!!

First... I'm hardly an expert.  Goals get dropped or forgotten more often than I care to admit. Somedays my goal is just to get back on track with setting goals for myself.  Despite this, or maybe because of it, I can share some simple steps to start setting your own goals.

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1)  Decide what you want or what it is you are working toward.  Don't be shy here.  It doesn't matter how big, over the top or complicated it is.  Consider this your "master list".  Every dream you have can go here.  It might be as everyday as "lose 5 pounds" or "organize the closet", or as big as "own a castle".  WRITE THEM DOWN!

2) Prioritize and/or narrow it down.  What is it you want to work toward right now?  What is most important?  Which are most feasible?  This is where you admit that organizing your closet is probably more likely to happen sooner than owning a castle.  Which of the goals on that master list will you work on this year?  Now, which of THOSE will you work on this month?

3)  Tell someone!  Accountability is a really big deal.  Knowing that there is someone who is going to ask you how it's going increases the likelihood that we stick with it.

4)  Reward yourself.  When ever you achieve a goal, take time to celebrate it.  For some goals, the reward of marking it off the list may be enough. For others, you may need to really take time to enjoy the victory.  Treat yourself in some way for your hard work.  And don't forget to thank the person or people that kept you accountable along the way!

With these tips in mind - I've decided to start holding myself more accountable by sharing my weekly goals with all of you.  That's right - each and every one of you is now my accountability partner!  

My Goals for this first week in June:

-  Drink 80+ ounces of water each day:  I have been terrible about drinking enough water recently.  And with the hot, dry days we've been having - that can take a toll on the body rather quickly.  

-  Meet or exceed my step goal each day:  I'm going to be honest and say that right now the number of steps I want to walk each day is so pathetically low that I don't want to share it here.  But once I start meeting that number consistently, I will continue increasing the number of steps.

-  Spend at least 15 minutes per day cleaning and organizing in my home office:  My office is sort of out of control at the moment.  I am in the process of getting it cleaned and reorganized.  In an effort to prevent becoming overwhelmed by the task, I have set the goal to work on it a little each day. 

Feel free to ask me at any point during the week, how I am doing with my goals.  I'll be sharing a brief update each week before I share my new list of weekly goals.  And if you would like me to return the favor - you can share your goals in the comments!