There are only a few more weeks left in this year—in this decade, in fact! Have you had a chance to stop and think about that yet? At this point in the year some people tend to give up on their goals and dreams and say, “I didn’t do it yet so I’ll just do it next year.” But imagine if you started now. Where could you be with your goals before the new year starts? How do you want to spend the last few weeks of the year?
Are there goals you set for 2019 that you still want to accomplish? Well, you certainly can. It’s not too late to take charge and make change!
Three steps to take charge and make change right now
Step 1: Review the goals you set for yourself (or create new ones).
Did you set some goals at the beginning of the year, or during this year? Have you checked in with yourself about them recently? It’s time to do that now. It’s time to check in with those goals and ask yourself if you still want to meet them.
Here are some questions you can ask yourself:
- How important are your goals? Hint: If they aren’t very important right now, let them go, for now. Choose a goal that’s very important to you!
- What would it mean to you if you could make some progress with them in the last few weeks of this year instead of waiting? Another hint: If this isn’t meaningful, choose a goal that is!
Answering these questions will help you revive your vision and that is a really important step! (If you’d like to read more about creating a vision and why it’s important, you can check out my old article about that here.) Once you’ve answered those questions for yourself, it’s time to make some choices. Decide which of your goals are most important to you and make a commitment to yourself to make some progress. It’s best to choose one or two goals that you can really focus on. If you choose too many, there’s a chance you’ll get overwhelmed, and that will stop you from making the changes you want to see.
Step 2: Make a plan for action (for the rest of the year and into 2020).
For each of the goals you’re planning to focus on, you’ll need a simple plan to take some action with them. A great way to start is to write down where you’d ultimately like to be with your goals. For example, you might write, “I will complete 3 chapters of my book” or “ I will lose 10 pounds.”
Once you’ve written down a clear end point, decide on at least one small thing you can do right away that will get you started. For example, you might decide you’re going to write for twenty minutes a day for the next week or you’re going to take a short jog 3 times in the next week.
Hint: Make sure the steps you choose are both realistic and doable for you. Set yourself up for success! If your plan is too challenging or doesn’t fit into your schedule, you won’t follow through, and I know you want to follow through!
Step 3: Get support.
Don’t feel like you have to take action alone! Having support and accountability will absolutely increase the likelihood that you’ll accomplish your goals. Share your goal(s) with someone (or more than one person) who you trust and feel safe with. Who can you reach out to for support? Here are a few ideas if you’re feeling stuck:
- Ask a close friend, relative, or your spouse to check in with you about your goals. Be sure to tell them why the goals are important to you! Sharing this with them will help both of you keep you accountable.
- Join a group of people who are working toward the same thing you are. This could be online or in person.
- Hire a coach. A life coach’s job is to support you and hold you accountable for your goals. A coach is there for you and only you! (You can contact me for a complimentary session and to find out more about coaching, if this interests you.)
The bottom line is, it’s not too late! Meeting goals before the end of the year is completely within your reach and you can start the new year feeling ahead and accomplished! Just imagine that feeling.
I’d love to hear about the goals you are making headway with right now! And, please let me know if I can help or support you in any way. It’s time to take charge and make change. You’ve got this!
