It’s a new year filled with resolutions, new gym memberships and the notorious returns of gifts to department stores. As we rock into another year what do you want to extract from the next 365 days of life? Whether written on your mobile, post it notes or a piece of paper taped to the fridge an important aspect of this new year and new chapter is setting goals. Maybe last year was wicked tough on you. Maybe it was epic. We step into unwritten pages that are awaiting new experiences, challenges and achievements. How much more attainable all of those are when we rock out a tangible, focused list? Goal setting heightens the likelihood of words transcending into actions. As adults, we can get in a trend of trying to instruct and chide words of wisdom without applying our kernels of wisdom to our own lives.
One of the most powerful moments in my life was sitting with a student throwing out awesome, parenting magazine worthy advice that I was not applying to myself. Holy moses! If I’m unwilling to work on an area that I was encouraging a seventeen year old kid to tackle, how effective was I really being? Blah! We only get one go during our lifetime and how frivolous it is to let days, months and years slip by. Goal setting that starts with you can then trickle into a challenge as well as motivation to your kids, nephews, nieces and grandkids. How sweet is that?
Goal setting can be fabulous!
Aiming to climb Everest, surf like Kelly Slater or be a millionaire in the next twelve months is off base if your physique and wallet are not on solid foundation. Everyone starts at square one. In order for goals, big or small, to be realistic it’s taking baby steps that ultimately lead to hops, skips and jumps. If we don’t strive, it sets us up for stagnation which is never an awesome state to be in. Set goals, baby!
I often think how crazy our society is when our young people often find their someone to look up to via musicians, actors and athletes. These peeps are flawed just as we are, but they are placed on a platform with more money and less reality. So why not creep into your kids subconscious and become their role model and rock star? They may never admit it verbally, but I am always overly stoked when I ask a kid who they look up to and their response is either mom or dad. Boom! Set goals that not only improves you as a person, but it inspires others. Get your goal setting cap on.
Take that first step…you can do it!
Be a hero. Start small. Write down your top three baby-step goals. Aim to achieve in 30 days, another six months and the third over the course of the year. It may be a physical, spiritual, emotional or family change. Write it down. Let your family know what you’re thinking and striving for. Get stoked! As adults, it is easy to instruct and guide our kids or nieces or nephews. But when we begin to apply our own insights, instruction and encouragement to our own lives it’s kind of cool.
Setting goals and how to transform words into actions:
What you also need to remember is that you’re human. Maybe you drop the ball on one of the three goals. Maybe you struggle with two. The message you want to send is that you are trying, aiming for growth and sometimes we struggle. We all do. If our kids aren’t in the know with our flaws and imperfections they can easily disconnect compartmentalizing you into a world they just can’t relate to. Be relatable.
So, what are you aiming for? What three things do you want to work on? I challenge you to rock out the post-it notes or get fancy typing your notes on an app. No matter the how, it’s the doing that is important. The Possibility of Change is a blog with a refreshing take on the awesomeness of personal change and goal setting. If you’re looking for personal stories of making change and growth a reality, check it out: http://www.thechangeblog.com/#stories Today is a new day with opportunities, goals and stoke ready for the taking. Boom! Get your goodness on! Peace, love & goodness!
