Ever feel like you’re accomplishing nothing? I look at the things that I thought I would have done by now and wonder if I’m not capable of them. Of course, the goals I had 5 years ago are far from the goals that I want to achieve now. Five years ago I was a senior in college just weeks away from graduating. I planned to work my way up the corporate ladder in the hospitality industry – and just over three years ago, I was well on my way there!
Ultimately, I chose to start a family and place focus on that aspect of my life, rather than my career. I don’t have a single regret. I do, however, wonder if I could use my MBA in some way as I work from home. That thought led me to set some goals as a work at home mom.
Setting Realistic Goals
Most people know that goals should be separated between short term and long term. Doing so helps to put things into perspective. I do things a bit differently, though.
Rather than just short term and long term, I break up goals by placing them on a timeline. I’ve got goals for this week, goals for the month, for the year, and a five-year plan. Obviously, my previous five-year plan never saw me staying at home with my babies, but here we are. Goals change – and that’s okay. God has a plan for you, despite your own plans.
That doesn’t mean that your goals will never line up with the path He has laid out for you. It does mean that you must be willing to alter your goals when His plan becomes more clear.
What’s important in setting goals is to be realistic. If you’re making $15 bucks an hour right now, adding “Make a million dollars” to your year-end goals is not likely. Instead, you might say, “Save $2500.” This goal is more realistic, but also challenging enough at $15 an hour that you have to work towards it.
Write it Down
If you fail to write down your goals, how could you remember them all? Write it. Type it. Put it as the background as your phone. Tape it to the bathroom mirror. By writing it down and putting it somewhere you see every day, you will be reminded of what you want to accomplish regularly. Every time you start to do something counter-productive, like going on a spending spree rather than putting that money in savings, that reminder is there to help you.
You might also write it where someone else can see it, or you could intentionally share your goals with someone else so that you’re held accountable.
Here’s mine:
This week-
Make $300 from articles
Get 10 new subscribers
Increase Instagram followers by 25
This month-
Triple Facebook following
Create 10 new pins
Make 5 affiliate sales
This year-
Make $5000 from blog
Develop 3 long term client relationships
Rules to Remember
Notice that the goals I have listed are quantifiable. They are specific. My goal isn’t to get new subscribers, it is to get 10 new subscribers. It is also important to have a plan as to how you will reach your goals. If you set a goal without knowing how you’re going to get there, you are not likely to reach that goal.
So, how am I going to get 10 new subscribers? A new Pin. A new printable. Maybe I’ll even share my blog with my Facebook friends and family. That would definitely put me over 10 new subscribers. Whatever plan is – stick to it. If it’s not working, have a backup plan.
Pray
It is important to remember to pray over your goals. If they are not what God wants for you, He’ll be sure to let you know. For my family, it is usually in the form of repeated denial. We had a family goal to move to Charlotte. Hubby had a job interview with a great ambulance service, passed one test and had to retest on another one a month later. Except as soon as we got home from the first test, we ran into some problems with my pregnancy.
Because of those pregnancy problems, we were financially unable to travel to Charlotte for the retest, and our North Carolina dreams were, at the very least, put on hold. Since then, we’ve been shown a different path for our family and believe that it is the one that we should be on! It’s amazing what you can see if you listen to Him.
3 Keys to Goal Setting
Maybe this post has been a bit of a ramble-fest, but I’ll wrap it up with a bow here.
- Set realistic, specific goals on a timeline.
- Plan out how you’ll achieve those goals.
- Pray and follow God’s plan.
With these tips, you’re sure to set goals that you can reach and be proud of. When those goals are achieved, the feeling inspires you to set more.
What goals do you have for this year?