59 days, that’s how much time we all have left to square off our New Year’s Resolutions. It happens every year, we make elaborate goals for our health, our career, our relationships, and even our finances. Raise your hand if you actually keep up with these goals for the entire new year. Yeah, I don’t either. In many ways, it feels like a hamster wheel that we all willingly ride every January. Some of you might have even given up and said, “not again.” After all, who wants to feel disappointed and frustrated after genuinely attempting to improve their lives.
It’s so easy for other racers and myself to make remarkable goals knowing that we can keep them up while being on the field. Life is so different when you have a significant community day in and day out, and you have constant accountability. But what happens with our goals when we go home before the summer. How easy will it actually be to keep up our resolutions?
Most likely not easy at all if we aren’t cautiously creating our goals. So how does one create attainable goals? It’s all about vision. Spend some time sitting down and evaluating where you want to go in your life. Spiritually, emotionally, physically, mentally, whatever it may be. I’ve been doing a lot of this lately because it’s part of my homework. However, it doesn’t feel like a task because it’s an important thing to do in our lives. The following is a pattern I’ve recognized in my course; vision, strategy, and goals. If you just read these three words as a list, they may start to feel like synonyms. But they’re actually a path by which we can achieve our goals!
Figure out the big picture that you want for your life. Write down dreams, past and present. Then we move on to the how. How will you achieve this? Does your strategy include involving other people for accountability or maybe praying over what the next step should look like? Pay attention to what reaps the most growth and output in your life. For me working on my time management is a big part of helping me succeed in other areas of my life. It might feel like a waste of time to listen to productivity podcasts, but at the end of the day, those tools make me more efficient in every other goal I have. This is called the Pareto Principle, which efforts give you the most results. This principle should be a huge part of figuring out your strategy because it allows you to allocate your time and resources wisely. Now let’s create some goals. SMART goals are very well known and one of my favorite tools in establishing attainable goals.
Specific: Clearly defined and focused
Measurable: You and others know when it is done
Attainable: Within your control, realistic
Relevant: Serves your overarching vision
Time-bound: Clear target deadline for completion
When your goals align with the prior concepts, you have officially established goals that you can actually achieve. Be honest with yourself about what you can and can’t reach. Don’t spread yourself thin, running after goals that don’t get you any closer to your big vision. Most of my goals during my time on the field strive towards habits that will help me achieve my goals once I’m back home and in college.
Let’s achieve those New Year Resolutions for once!
I currently have $12,021 of my $16,600 fundraising goal (72%) that is due at the beginning of January. As the holiday season begins, consider and pray about partnering with my financially. Thank you all so much! I love you all!
