Among us there are those who are thrilled that they are well on their way to accomplishing their goals, while others are feeling despondent because achieving their goals has not been as effortless as they would have expected it to be.
Today is my birthday. So not only am I taking stock of the first half of 2011 but also of my entire existence and the goals I have set for myself over the years as well as seeing if my life to date looks the way I had envisioned it a decade ago, 5 years ago or even 2 years ago. I have achieved some of my goals though some took longer than I had hoped, but they were achieved nonetheless. Other aspirations have been altered while others have been eliminated all together. Then there are some that I am yet to complete as I placed them on the back burner while I pursued something more pertinent.
If you used the SMART (Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-framed (See The Standard of January 1 2011) technique to goal-setting, you should be able to chart your progress very clearly. This was my first year to use that technique and I must say it definitely makes charting my progress simpler. Having points to tick off on my goal chart and vision board absolutely keeps me motivated and energised. For the ones I am yet to achieve, I have had to return to the drawing board to determine why they have not been achieved and ascertain what I can do differently.
Goals you have not yet achieved
If you have goals that you should have achieved by now but have not yet done so, ask yourself the following questions:Had you written it down clearly? Not having it before you constantly may result in you forgetting to pursue a goal.
Is your goal specific enough? If you are on a journey to losing weight, you cannot simply write that you want to lose weight. If by the end of the year you have lost 500g, can you say you have attained your goal? It is better to state quantifiable goals, for instance, “I want to lose 7kg”.
How realistic was the goal? Be honest with yourself. It may not be that the goal was difficult or too far-fetched but maybe due to all the other things going on in your life, pursuing that goal may currently be impractical.
Is your goal achievable for you? Aspiring to have six children may be achievable for a young woman but if you are 56 years old and have gone through menopause it is no longer feasible for you.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Did you set a definite time-frame? As the adage goes, tomorrow never comes.
Does anyone else know you want to accomplish these goals? If you have someone to keep you accountable you will be more motivated as they will check on your progress from time to time.
Did someone rain on your parade when you shared your goals with them? If you let someone build your world for you, they will build it too small. When they said it could not be done they meant they could not do it!
If you believe it can be done, do it.
