Looking Ahead
January is an interesting month. It feels like a pause after the busyness of the holiday season. It also feels fresh and new like a canvas ready to come alive with an artist’s creation. With all of the newness, it is easy for me to get carried away with making lists of things to accomplish. I can start out strong then feel like a failure - all in the first month of the year!
Over the years, I have learned to approach goal setting with a bit of caution because I want to experience success not failure. There are several thought processes I go through as I set personal goals that I would like to share with you.
First, I ask myself with each goal, “am I thinking of trying to accomplish this goal or have I decided that I am going to do that very thing?” If I am going to “try,” that goal is not ready for my list. The first roadblock will be just enough to derail my attempt as the comfort of excuses comes to my rescue. Now other things on the list may seem just too hard because this negative momentum is an enemy of progress.
If I have made a decision to do something, then it is ready for my list. Moving forward with that list entry is a good idea because the decision to do so has been made. No matter what follows, I have made a commitment to that goal and prepared the way for progress. Even if I don’t bullseye the target by year’s end, I will not totally fail.
Finally, once I have established my goals it is time to examine my list from the perspective of the end of the year. What does the completion of each goal look like? What steps does it take to get to reach these goals? Identifying those steps makes it possible to experience small successes as each step is accomplished. Each smaller success generates energy to take on the next step.
That is when I can look for the help of positive momentum, you know, that energy that follows the experience of success. Once that first step has been made, the rest follow a little more easily because the next steps feel more attainable. Even when the inevitable challenges come; my memory of success helps me move forward.
Do you set goals now or at any time of year? What helps you to keep moving forward in life? My hope for you is that your 2022 will be filled with joy, peace and accomplishments that are fulfilling to you and a blessing to those your love.