Last week, I asked you to think about what you wanted to be grateful for when Thanksgiving 2019 rolled around. Essentially, I was asking what you want to accomplish or change so that you will feel more grateful next year. Were you able to come up with a few things? For myself, I came up with improved health and more work/life balance.
So how can we guarantee that we will accomplish our goals or intentions by this time next year? And why don’t most people accomplish their goals? Are people just lazy or lacking motivation? My work with coaching clients and teams suggests anything but laziness and lack of motivation. Rather, what I find is that people set goals without a plan on how to make them a reality. They say, “Next year I’m going to run a marathon.” Or, “Next year I’m going to lose twenty pounds.” Yet when I ask them how exactly are they going to do that . . . crickets.
Defining Your First Step is The Key to Success
It’s hard to achieve even the smallest goal if you don’t know the steps to get there. The best way to make your goal or intention a reality is to work backwards. Name your big goal and then work backwards to figure out exactly what you need to do today, and every day moving forward, to make that goal a reality. If you want to run a marathon by next October, figure out how much you need to be training each month until then and then ask yourself, “What’s the first step for today?”
If you want to achieve a long-term goal, start by asking yourself “What’s the first step for today?” #Thanksgiving #goals #success Click To TweetMaybe the first step is to get to the doctor for a physical to make sure you are in shape to train for a marathon. In that case, the first step for today would be to call and set up an appointment with your physician. Maybe the first step is to get some good running shoes. So in that case, the first step for today is to get to the store and buy those running shoes. Most of us just throw out a goal, but not a specific plan to reach that goal. When we don’t accomplish that goal, we label ourselves as lazy and unmotivated, when in fact we are simply not organized and prepared.
Now go back to the items you wanted to be grateful for in 2019. Sit down and write up your plan. If you know the small steps you want to accomplish each day, you will have small victories that motivate you to the big reward of accomplishing your goal. I’m looking forward to hearing about your first step wins!
Love,
Lisa Kaplin Psy. D. PCC