Yes, your calendar is correct: It is already August. Between summer’s final beach days, dips in the pool, and melting ice cream cones, it is the perfect time to sit down and reassess the goals you set in January. Whether you’ve checked off your entire list and are now creating new year-end goals or you’ve let your original list collect dust under your glittery New Year’s outfit, there are still four months to achieve your personal best in 2017. Try these five strategies to accomplish your goals by December 31. Ready, set, go!
Write Them Down:
You have heard it before, and you will hear it again. Individuals who write down their goals are more likely to accomplish them. Move beyond a simple list: Write them down on Post-Its and stick them on your bathroom and bedroom mirrors, your computer, and your fridge. They will remind you what you want to achieve and motivate you to work harder.
Prioritize:
What goal is most important for you to work towards? What goal requires the most work? Prioritize your goals by importance and workload to ensure you have enough time to achieve them. Assess your time management. What is holding you back from progress? What are your time sucks? Where and how can you shift your time to ensure you hit your mark? Prioritize what is most important and work your goals into your time.
Set Mini Monthly Goals That Build Up to Your Larger Goals:
It is easy to get overwhelmed by huge goals, so break up your larger plans into small action items. Create weekly or monthly checklists that help you build towards your ultimate achievement. These small goals give you a concrete plan that guides your focus.
Form an Accountability Community:
Gather a group of friends and meet weekly or monthly for an accountability check-in. Share your progress, challenges, and opportunities. Use your friends’ fresh and honest perspectives to find new ways to accomplish your goals and keep you on track. Don’t have time to meet up? Use group texts to encourage each other throughout the remainder of the year.
Reflect:
Check in with yourself: What goals have you checked off this year? How did you accomplish these wins? Do you need to shift any of your goals? Use this reflection time to create a solid plan for the rest of 2017.
A California-native, Emily Torres is a self-proclaimed PR and social media junkie with a passion for lifestyle writing. Her work has been featured in POPSUGAR, Elite Daily and LOCALE Magazine. When she is not writing, she can be found in a yoga class, at an art museum, at a summit to view the sunrise, or sipping on some red wine with her kitten, Walt. To learn more about Emily, visit: espressoandendorphins.com.
