Checking In On Your Goals

The chill of fall is in the air. Why not use this change of season as an opportunity to not only set new goals for the months to come but to remember those resolutions you made at the start of the year. Revisiting the hectic spring and summer months could reaffirm those months’ old goals or help you refocus on newer priorities and build momentum for the New Year.

The fall also tends to be a little calmer than when things start to go crazy for the holidays. Here are some ideas for taking stock of the past months and adjusting or resetting your goals for the future:

Review. Looking at where you’ve been tells you where you want to go. Think back on the year so far and the goals you set back in January. Any big victories? Roadblocks? Lessons learned so you can adjust in the future? Taking the time to review these simple questions can make a huge difference in setting the tone for the rest of your year.

Plan.

Start Small. A fresh start resets old thinking and behaviors and gives you a chance to change. Setting goals that are too ambitious can overwhelm you, though, which ultimately leads to disappointment. So instead of planning the entire year like you would in January, think about some short-term goals you could accomplish by December 31.

Think Motivation. The right motivation makes a world of difference. Do you need external validation but you’re not getting it? Is money what drives you? Are you a people person but stuck in a job that requires lots of alone time? Figuring out what drives you means knowing what really matters to you. Remember to set goals that allow you to use this internal motivation. You’ll be amazed at how much you can get done.

Uncover Your Strengths. If your goals aren’t aligned with your strengths and skills, think about slowly shifting them towards what you really thrive at. This will make them much easier to achieve them. Your strengths are your talents, skills, and abilities—the things that people praise and seek your guidance for. Knowing what you’re best at allows you to take advantage of opportunities; most of the time these strengths and skills are the things we love to do or what we’re naturally good at.

Define Your Beliefs. Your strengths address “what?” Your values and principles answer “how?” These underlying beliefs steer everything you do and help define who you are or want to be. If you don’t value money, then reaching a sales goal won’t matter. But if helping people is an underlying belief, then a goal of having 100% customer satisfaction could really get you moving.

Set 3 Work-Related Goals. What are your top three work-related goals for the remainder of the year? Why are those goals important to you? What habits and processes do you need to adopt to support those goals? Being happy with your work life can lead to happiness outside it, too.

Set 3 Personal Goals. What are three personal goals for the remainder of the year? Why are those goals important? Who can you share those goals with to help hold you accountable? No matter how great your work life is, you can never be truly happy if you’re not satisfied with your personal life. Make sure that the goals in both of these parts of your life complement one another; conflicting goals often lead to little or no progress at all.

The fall is a great time for reflection. As the leaves are falling, try turning over a new one yourself, using these ideas to help you get a firm grasp on those last few goals of yours. There are probably still items you want to achieve this year. Put them on the top of your To-Do list. Getting things in order for the rest of the year will help you feel less overwhelmed when the craziness of the holidays hit. Stop making excuses and accomplish them! Just sayin’.