Beginnings are beautiful. Everyone loves the exhilarating feeling that comes with starting. The dawn of something new seems to awaken fresh hope in our hearts, propelling us to dare to dream. We make plans, new resolves, set goals, envision possibilities…For a few golden days or even weeks, there is a spring to our step, a purpose to our every action, we believe anything is possible. Until time proves us wrong and months pile, leaving our dreams stranded in imagination lane, our hopes depleted, and our drive gone. We trudge through the year, looking forward to a brighter day, praying for a miracle or just accepting fate.
Popular statistics reveal that only 8% of New Year resolutions made in January make it to March. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You can transcend from Dreams Ville to Action Lane. You can back up your aspirations with steps. The goals you set in January can become realities in June. You can look back in December with even more than you anticipated. It depends on you. How? Here are just three things you need to do.
- Don’t just wish, set goals
What is the difference between a wish and a goal? Goals are calculated projections, feasible, achievable and time bound aspirations while wishes are just desires. Goals are within your reach, you can work towards making them happen, wishes on the other hand happen upon you, if they happen at all. Stop wishing, start setting goals.
- Break it down
It is important that you break that overarching goal into smaller units. Identify what your overall goal is, then break it down into smaller goals that lead to the ultimate result. If for instance your goal for 2020 is to travel abroad for Christmas, start by determining how much you will need to make that trip in December (Overarching goal -raise 2 million Naira for vacation). Take it further by calculating how much you will need to put aside every month to accumulate that amount (Monthly goal- invest 100,000 every month). Next you need to ascertain what lifestyle changes are necessary to enable you put aside that amount every month (Weekly goal- reduce Friday night hangout to last Fridays of the month alone). You can attack your weight loss goal, networking goal or whatever goal with the same model.
- Take action
Don’t just determine to eat less or save more or spend less time on social media, put things in place that will propel you to do it. You might need to get an accountability partner to monitor your social media addiction, set up a direct debit mandate to ensure you put funds aside for investment consistently, download an app to monitor your expenses, register at a gym, create a meal plan, purge your house of everything unhealthy- do whatever needs to be done.
Let this be the year you actively pursue your goals. Every day, go to bed with the satisfaction that you are one step closer to realising your ambitions.
