Never give up on your goals

As I write, it’s now the middle of October and I’m thinking where has the year gone? It seems only days ago I was sitting down thinking about what I wanted to achieve this year. I even wrote out my plan and detailed the goals needed to achieve it.

But as we all know, life happens and despite our best intention’s sometimes our goals and dreams can take a back seat to every day events and necessities.

But should they?

Are we just allowing events to control us when it’s far more sensible and positive for us to be the masters of our own destiny?

Just because Halloween is soon upon us, followed by the mad rush into Christmas, that is no excuse to ignore or give up on the ideas, dreams and goals you have set yourself for this year and beyond.

So where are you with your goals for 2019?

Are they on paper or still in your head?

Are you on track to achieve them or perhaps with a way to go?

Have you even got any goals?

Goal setting is no dark art, it’s a simple and effective way of achieving what you have always wanted to do or experience.

Here are 10 simple but tried and tested pieces of advice I’d urge you all to try which will help you with your goals in the final months of the year.

Ten life hacks that make your goals achievable

1. Write down every goal in your own words no matter how big or small the goal is.
2. Visualize what you want to achieve and be clear about what success looks like.
3. Know what failure looks like so you can see it coming and adapt as necessary.
4. Break every goal into manageable chunks which you know are achievable.
5. Create a timeline for every step of your goal and write down these deadlines.
6. Celebrate your achievements when you reach your milestones.
7. Seek the help of those you know can help you make your dreams a reality.
8. Share your goals with those that you trust.
9. Brainstorm your goals on a regular basis to make sure your on track.
10. Make goals part of your DNA and live a life designed to achieve them.

You may think that goal setting is just wishful thinking but no matter the process involved setting clear goals can be beneficial in several ways, above and beyond dreaming of the future.

Goal setting can make you a happier person

Establishing life goals represents something other than reacting to the events we experience daily. They allow us to pursue a plan of our own choosing and enjoy a feeling of achievement and happiness when we get there.

Goal setting helps us play to our strengths

When you reflect on what matters to you, we can align our passions with the key strengths we have as individuals to turn dreams into reality. Outlining what we want to achieve is just one part of the goal setting equation, working out what skills we have to succeed  comes with a whole set of other benefits which allows us to grow as human beings.

Goal setting allows you to get feedback

If you know where you are in life and where you want to go, your goals are your roadmap. If you share these with the people you trust and value then their feedback on your progress or lack of it, this can be a rewarding experience keeping you on track and motivated to succeed.

Goal setting can change who you are

The act of setting goals and the thought we put into crafting them directs our attention to the why, how, and what of our aspirations in life and work.  Our goals give us something to focus on and can impact positively on our development. They can define who we want to be.

I hope these ideas help and remember no matter what time of year it is, if an idea or goal is important for you then make sure you work towards it.

I’ll leave you with a quote from Thomas Edison, a great advocate of goal setting

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up”.

I’d urge you to never give up, no matter the time of year.

John Joe McGinley

Glassagh Consulting