Setting and Achieving your Goals

by Kathy Garland

Have you ever wondered why people make New Year’s Resolutions and goals and then give up a month or two later?

There are many reasons why this happens but we are going to focus on one that will make a huge difference for you in your ability to reach your goals.

Hopefully you had time to rest, reflect and regroup after the holidays. If you are starting the year with an energy deficit, to develop a practice of completion increases your mental energy and helps you tap into more of your personal power.

Completion unleashes new energy to give you the focus you need to reach your new year’s goals.

Here are signs you could benefit from a completion practice:

• Your dining room table is full of incomplete projects

• You use phrases like “I’ve got to finish….”

• You have a list of projects you started last year that are still hanging over your head

• Your mind runs constant chatter about all the things you have to do

• You don’t even have a to-do list because your list is so long

• You haven’t scheduled your mammogram or other important appointments

What is completion? Here is a short process: Make a list of all your unfinished business, needed appointments, projects and tasks. Keep going until you can’t think of anything else that is nagging you. Come on, add “put away the wrapping paper” that’s been sitting in the corner for the last few months. While you’re at it, list “oil change” and “return the book” you borrowed.

Once you’ve completed the list, congratulate yourself for putting the list all in one place. What’s next? The most effective approach is to create an action plan by using an electronic spreadsheet or simple notepad. You’ll want to create a column for the item, what needs to happen in regards to it, and a deadline to complete it. If you need help, supplies, or time to find something needed like the scrapbook you started last summer, add that under a column titled “Resources.” Be sure and add a date you want to complete or finish this project or task.

The next step is to prioritize all the items on the list. Choose your strategy – either tackle the easy ones first or spend your time on the most complicated and get them out of the way. You can add fun to the process by celebrating or acknowledging each completion, each finished task. Check it off or cross it off your list to show progress. Keep the list in a visible place so you keep on track.

If you notice some things on your list that have been there forever, ask yourself if you really intend to accomplish this. If not, and it is a reasonable decision, you can declare the task complete and just decide you are not going to do it. That makes that project complete because you say so.

Once you start working your way through your list of New Year’s resolutions, you’ll unleash new mental and physical energy to put toward your 2013 goals.

Kathy Garland is a business coach and transformational leader who works with women-owned businesses to take what they know and put it into a format that grows sales. Kathy lives in McKinney and works with clients across the US and Canada. Learn more at www.kathygarland.com.

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