A Guide to 2018 Goal-Setting AND Achieving

At the arrival of the New Year, we are of the mindset that this is a fresh start, a new year full of potential, possibilities and new beginnings. When we look at our lives, we usually assess them in weeks, months and years, but in truth, we’re meant to focus on days. Each day has a specific energy, and making the most of that energy is our purpose.

The Zohar reveals that before we came into this world, all the energy and essence of each day has been prepared for us. Life is filled with opportunity, with sparks reserved just for us. The spark we’re meant to fulfill today cannot be realized tomorrow. Just as the spark we could have completed yesterday cannot be achieved today. With 365 new days coming our way, it’s time to think about how we’re going to spend them.

This is in no way meant to cause pressure or stress but to encourage you. We all have an idea of what we want to achieve in the New Year, and we want to make the most of each of those days. After all, goals and resolutions are only as good as the energy we put into them, and if we aren’t working toward them in day-to-day increments, we’ll never achieve them. Helping people make this kind of positive change, one step at a time is part of what I love to do so I put together a 2018 Goal Setting AND Achieving guide just for you! Grab a pen and paper and get ready to write:

1. What do you really want? (Hint: it isn’t money.)

Before you can set any real goal, you need to get clear on what it is that you truly want. I say that money isn’t it because almost always we want money so that we can attain something else. Paying off debt, going back to school, starting a business in which case money isn’t the goal, the goal is the goal. So set aside monetary thoughts for this exercise.

The first step in knowing what you want is to find your truth, your authenticity. If you don’t know what you want, chances are you aren’t listening to what your soul is telling you. Listen to your inner voice. For some of us, listening to this part of ourselves is new and might take some practice.

What is your inner voice? It’s that quiet tone that comes in a whisper; it’s so soft which is why it goes so easily unnoticed. Once you identify it and listen, you’ll start hearing new ideas. New desires. From here, you can start speaking for them and taking action toward them.

Set aside an hour to look within and spend some time with YOU. Connecting to the Creator, connecting to your Source, connecting to your perfected self, and asking:

“What are my gifts?”
“What is my purpose?”
“What are my true desires?”

This journaling exercise isn’t about planning so whatever comes to you, write it down without judgment. Do you wish you had time to start painting again? Maybe you want to sign up for that dance class you’ve always wanted to take. Or you want to give your financial life a reboot. Whatever it is, write down. When you have a list of desires, move on to #2.

2. To-Be vs. To-Do Lists

So you have a few resolutions and some goals. It’s time to get started planning a course of action, but before you do, you want to make sure you’re planning for success. Often, when we approach goals, we tend to take on too much of them at once, which can be overwhelming and have us feeling stuck. This why I champion people to focus first on how they want to BE before planning what they want to DO. By focusing on how we feel and how we want to be, we become who it is we want to become instead of just checking things off of a list.

Here’s an example:

Let’s use the very common New Year’s resolution of getting in shape. If your goal is to lose 10 pounds or live a healthier lifestyle your To-Do list might read something like this:

Get a gym membership
Carve out an hour in the morning for exercise
Work with a nutritionist
Cut back on sugar

All of these things are very positive action items toward the goal of “getting in shape,” but the To-Be list looks different, and is almost more important. It’s a list of all of the qualities you’ll need to embody to be able to tackle your To-Do list. Who we think we are and who we are two different things and, because our thoughts create our experience, we want to make sure they’re aligned with what we want.

Looking back at the To-Do list for “Getting in Shape,” how would you need to BE to accomplish those To-Dos? A few qualities might be:

Dedicated
Disciplined
Responsible
Patient

When you look at the qualities required to experience success, and you get real honest with yourself, are you embodying those qualities? If so, how can you amplify them in regards to your goal? If you don’t feel that you embody one or more, why? What would need to shift within you for you to BE what it is you wish to be?

This part might sting a little, but trust me, it is well worth the effort. Keep a journal throughout the process, or enlist a friend as support. And remember, you can always connect back to your list of true desires, and to certainty and trust in the Creator.

3. Time to enjoy. Be in the now. Don’t forget to have fun!

The process of making change in our lives can be arduous — but it is also admirable. Going against our nature, pushing past our fears, and transforming ourselves is some of the hardest spiritual work that we can do. But this road to change, to our most fulfilled life, is also lined with gifts and blessings. Some we could have never planned for or imagined.

As you set out to make this year your best one yet, don’t forget to enjoy the process. Have fun, take time to relax, and reward yourself when you cross a milestone. As you lay the bricks and set your plans in motion, don’t forget to stop throughout the day and get present. Observe your progress. Give gratitude for everything you have already accomplished and for all the blessings you already have.

Make this new year your best year yet by becoming an even more authentic and fulfilled version of you.

 

THOUGHT INTO ACTION

Who do you want to become? What do you want to accomplish this year? Set aside some time to reflect, explore, and discover what is you truly want and how you want to be. Happy New Year!