Creating a Road Map to Your Goals

How many of you made goals in the last year or two that have fallen through the cracks? 

I know I have. 

Look, one year ago, who would have thought we would be dealing with the deep ramifications of a global pandemic that affects all of our lives. 

But, here is the thing. We can’t let it crush us. We need to get to work. Is it the way we assumed? Probably not. But, that can’t get in your way of our future success.

Paralysis by analysis is a kiss of death in all aspects of our lives. It’s up to each one of us individually to put that first foot forward again and keep moving, keep producing, keep executing. 

We all need to readjust our mindset.

How can we revamp a 2021 mindset? By making goals and achieving them.

Today starts a 3-part series on how to not only set goals but execute them. 

It’s time to stop just reading what I say; it’s time to start taking action from what I say. For you can read motivational blogs all day long, but until you start executing, it’s useless. It’s time to roll up your sleeves again and get back into the trenches. 

Get out a pen and a notebook. I’m putting you to work. You won’t just be reading about setting goals and executing them. I am challenging you to do it right now with me. 

#LetsGo!

Let’s start with where you are at right now: 

  1. Take some time to reflect on not only 2020, but 2019 — so roughly the last two years of your life. We are not talking about the pandemic or the state of the world right now, so put that aside. I’m talking about the plans, aspirations, and dreams you have had regarding your professional life in the past two years. 
  2. I want you to really reflect on what goals you had made that have not come to fruition. (Let’s only focus on professional aspirations in this exercise, but obviously, this can be used for personal goals as well.)
  3. At the top of that blank piece of paper write — IN CAPS — MY GOALS OF 2019/2020. 
  4. Make two columns. One that says COMPLETED the other NOT COMPLETED. Caps. Big letters. Be bold. Own all of this. 
  5. Take some serious time and objectively reflect on 2019/20. Write down goals you set and completed and those that may have fallen off track. Again, make them all big and in CAPS. Be proud of the goals you set —

Remember that it took time to create a vision of your future — honor it with pride.

  1. When you are done, really take in everything you wrote. Which column has more — the COMPLETED or the UNCOMPLETED column? 
  2. Give yourself a big pat on the shoulder for all of the goals you have completed, especially this year. 
  3. Now, focus on the uncompleted column. 

First, I need to be clear; who cares if the uncompleted is larger? So what? This isn’t the time for judgment or shame- that will get you nowhere and send you backward. We are moving forward starting today!

 Is all this making you uncomfortable? Too bad. Keep looking at that list. 

Just remember that everyone who is reading this blog will have a list as well, including me. (Look, one more time, I get it: we all got sideswiped by 2020. But, again,  it’s time to take control back of our lives. And, you are starting right now.)

  1. Rank this list from 1-3 in terms of where you are in the completion stage
    1. 1 — I haven’t started 
    2. 2 — I made some progress
    3. 3 — I almost finished  
  2. Now study the list. Think about each goal one by one. Think about when you created it; when you worked on it. Are these goals relevant today or not? Some just may not be; put a star next to those.
  3. Look at what you have left. Listen to your gut. Excuses aside, you will know deep down if the remainder of that list can and should be done now. Circle all that make that final cut — the ones you know very well you can revisit and complete.

This is a new road map for you to follow. 

It is now up to you to look at that list with a brand new set of eyes. The person you are today, not the person you were when you made the goals in the past. The person you are during this pandemic — all of which you have pivoted and adapted to keep moving forward (for we all have). And, that means this is a clean slate with these projects. It doesn’t matter whatsoever why you didn’t complete them. It starts from today forward. 

This is the start of your new mindset!

The first step of completing these goals that have been nagging away at you under the surface is to identify them. The second is to realize the negative feelings you have towards yourself for not completing them. The next step will be figuring out a way to successfully complete them. 

You made your first two steps in execution. But, it does not stop here. You must keep going until the end. In my next blog, I will teach you tactics that I have been using for years to both identify and complete goals. 

Go forth and conquer!

#LetsGo!