Some thoughts on Goal Setting with Rebecca Norton from Sense of Direction, Life Coach and Wellness Walk Leader.
Many of us set goals at this time of year but statistics show that 80% of people have given up on their goal by February! So how do you make it to being one of the 20% of people who keeps going?
Defining your goal or goals helps. You can use technology, a notepad, a wall, whatever helps you. Keep an ongoing growth mindset by changing “I can’t do that” to “I can’t do that yet but, by _ ,I will…”
Despite the grim statistics, nothing is more of a failure other than not trying in the first place. Invention and change take persistence. Thomas Edison tried and failed many times before his lightbulb moment.
Rebecca’s goal is to run 10k by February and run a half marathon by the end of 2019. She also has a long-term goal to run a marathon in Autumn 2020. This makes sense. For new habits to form we have to do them consistently and consciously, especially if they involve effort. The thing is not to give up and expect too big a leap in a short period of time. And get prepared. For Rebecca, her running stuff is laid out the night before so she can roll out of bed, tog up and run out of the door. She also takes part in Park Runs, a really useful starting for anyone going from couch to 5K.
Accountability partnerships can help enormously especially if, like me, you don’t have a clear idea of what your goals are! Fortunately, I find that when I tell other people about my goals, they tend to gain more shape and focus. This is where MOTUS, a group of women business owners comes in, (thank you Amanda and all). Reporting in on a regular basis also helps you to counter the dip in motivation, giving you a friendly nudge in the right direction.
As a walker and Life Coach interested in mindfulness, Rebecca recommends that we celebrate each milestone or each peak. As a slow cyclist writing about Women in Search of Adventure I couldn’t agree more! Being grateful by keeping a blog or journal also helps you to recognise every-day positives, having a roof over your head and food in your cupboards. Be specific about what you are grateful for: a roast meal cooked by your mum, a walk with your dad who was able to listen to you.
If you are a carer or caregiver yourself, looking after you needs to be a priority. If you put yourself down the list and others first you will burn out. Ultimately a bit of self-care will give you the resilience you need to bounce back and continue to serve others.
It is all about balance. We can all keep working hard when we’re going up a short hill and can see the summit but when you are going a long way a mix of techniques is better. The key thing is to set a series of achievable and relevant goals, work consistently, find ways around problems and think long term.
Good luck with your goals for 2019 and beyond. Here’s to a healthy and happy New Year! Please get in touch if you want a chat and support with writing your brand story. I am passionate about helping others and putting ideas in to writing so what are you waiting for? Please feel free to like, share and comment.
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