10 Steps to Get Your New Year's Goals Back on Track
Are you off course with your goals?
It's easy to find yourself comparing your journey to others or chasing after societal and social media ideals. This can lead you to believe that you should be following a different path, pulling you further away from your true desires. At those times, take a step back and ask yourself, “Am I consciously pursuing what brings me joy, or am I chasing after something I’m supposed to want? Am I focusing on things that truly matter or am I investing in things that hold little significance? Remember that your path is unique, and comparison only hinders your progress, which ultimately leads to dissatisfaction and burnout. Focus instead on your journey, steering clear of external pressures that may not align with your authentic goals.
How are you measuring success?
Consider when reflecting on your current position whether you're evaluating your accomplishments based on performance or personal fulfillment. Are you measuring success by your salary or your sense of well-being? Are your expectations too high or is your performance too low? Don’t be afraid to sit with these questions and do some soul-searching.
It’s Time to Check-In
If you’re not feeling good about where you are, it’s not too late to reevaluate, make some changes, and get back on track with these 10 Simple Steps.
1. Be honest with yourself
Identify the habits and behaviors hindering your progress and holding you back from achieving your goals, then consider how you can adjust or change them. Honestly acknowledging where you’re at and taking responsibility is the first step toward redirecting, making positive change, and getting yourself back on track.
2. Know what you truly want
Be intentional with setting goals and managing your time by knowing what you truly want. Revisit your goals and action plan for the year to ensure they align with your priorities and what matters most. Better to do this now than 6 months into the New Year. You still have plenty of time to redirect and change course if necessary.
3. Create a daily success list
Instead of a basic to-do list, create an empowering success list every evening before bed. Identify the top 2-3 tasks that will contribute most to your success the next day and prioritize those. Long lists often lead to overwhelm and burnout, so keep your plan simple yet impactful. Once you’re comfortable with this routine and seeing progress, you can explore other strategies like time-blocking. But for now, start by creating your list and focusing on consistently completing the most crucial tasks each day that will propel you toward success.
4. Create a clutter-free workspace to enhance productivity
It’s easier to focus when you’re not distracted. Ensure your environment is clean, clutter-free, organized, and equipped with everything necessary for efficient work. This fosters a calm atmosphere, reducing stress and distractions, and leading to increased focus and productivity.
5. Prioritize regular exercise
Incorporating regular exercise into your daily routine is crucial. Physical activity benefits your mental health, boosts your energy levels, and enhances focus. Committing to regular exercise can serve as a foundation for building other habits, demonstrating your ability to maintain a routine. Each habit you establish reinforces the next, making exercise a valuable habit to adopt while helping you get back on track.
6. Embrace resilience
Life will knock you down, leading to moments of self-doubt and insecurity. You’re going to feel like quitting more than once. It’s crucial to acknowledge these feelings as normal, human emotions. However, it’s equally important to understand that setbacks are often stepping-stones to something greater and not allow yourself to feel defeated. Your worth and value are inherent and independent of your circumstances. Keep pushing forward, maintain your vision, and remember each setback is a chance to rise.
7. Build a strong support network
Everyone needs support and no one should navigate life alone. Start building a team of individuals who you admire, can learn from, and find inspiration in. Having a support system that provides accountability, encouragement, and assistance can go a long way in helping you stay focused and on track.
8. Practice self-compassion
Obsessing over the gap between your current position and where you think you should be doesn’t move the needle forward; it hinders progress. Not every step you take will be perfect, some seemingly unproductive steps may reveal their value later down the road. Stop being so hard on yourself and give yourself grace. Learn to acknowledge and celebrate the progress you’ve already made and build upon that, rather than focusing on self-criticism and perfectionism.
9. Let go of what no longer serves you
It’s crucial to eliminate anything that doesn’t align with your goals and no longer serves you. By letting go you create time and space for what truly matters. Embrace change by shifting your mindset and reflecting on the impact you want to make on the world. Then take aligned action toward your goals, leaving everything else behind.
10. Practice gratitude
The more you live in gratitude, the more abundant you will feel. We all have something to be grateful for each day. Remember to keep those things front and center. Practicing gratitude is a great way to improve your overall well-being by reshaping your perspective. This leads to a more fulfilling life and in turn, will help you realign your goals and get back on track.
Wishing you love, laughter, connection, and joy in all things.
XO ~ Tara