How to realistically reach your goals in the New Year
How did I get here? This is a question that we tend to ask ourselves when we are trying to determine how we ended up in a certain situation, or at a crossroads. Your phrase of choice may be different. How did this happen? What was I thinking? How could I have let this happen? These are different phrase, asking the same question. The answer to your question can only be determined by looking back at the circumstances that were going on before the dilemma took place.
Okay let me slow it down for a minute, because some of you are probably asking, what in the world is she talking about? I don't have a dilemma, I am not at a crossroads, and I certainly don't have any problems going on, life is good. Well if you are among the small percentage that are not having any issues of concern right now, that is great! You can stop reading and move on to my next blog. However for those of us that can admit that yeah things are kind of crazy in my life right now and I really don't understand how I got here, or even how to pick myself up and move on… keep reading.
This is the time of year when a lot of us start making our "annual New Year's Resolutions". I don't have a problem with anyone making New Year's Resolutions, but I myself stopped some years ago. Not for any particular reason nothing other than I didn't keep them or I started them and didn't see them through. What I have found to work for myself is setting a list of attainable goals, (anytime I need to take the next step in life). By attainable I mean things that I can attain no matter what setbacks may come my way. There are so many things happening in life every second of the day, why set yourself up for failure? True nothing is impossible with God; keep in mind though you want to set goals that are going to do you some good in life where you are now. Don't try to conquer the world over night by saying you're going to complete a goal that should realistically take you 6 months, and try to do it in 30 days. I am guilty of this, many times over then I finally got tired of bumping my head. This is what I did.
1. I got my pen and notebook and started writing goals that I wanted to attain, like finishing my autobiography (one of the ones I previously bumped my head on…lol). Side note: prayer was previously put into this goal before it was actually placed on my list of goals; this may or may not be the case for you.
2. Once I wrote down all the attainable goals that I could think of (your list could be 1 goal or 20) I narrowed it down to 2 that I felt I could reasonably balance in my day to day routine. Side note: I use to set goals as if I had nothing else current going on in my life…sound familiar?
3. Next I gave myself a timeframe of when I would like to have this goal met. This is where it can get tricky…be real with yourself remember your other obligations in life. Don't start cutting out other important things just to complete a goal, find a way to incorporate your goal. Remember the goals you have chosen are ATTAINABLE: they can be met regardless of setbacks.
4. Continue to work at and complete your goals (even if you go beyond your timeframe) no matter what others around you may have to say.
While the goals you have set may include you doing them to help someone else, or allow you to provide something for someone else the GOALS start with YOU, and being able to ATTAIN them in a REALISTIC time frame. There are always going to be "haters" as we call them, the devil is always busy, but push on keep reaching for your goal because, GOD has the final say and nothing is impossible for GOD. I can do all things through Christ
who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 NKJV
