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“The starting point of all achievement is desire.”-Napoleon Hill

Goal setting is one of those non-negotiables  for anyone who wants to achieve continued success in life. But the journey to living your daydream doesn’t have to be consumed with daunting tasks that stare you in the face with each rising sun. The heart of Summer is the perfect time to set some goals and create an innovative and inspiring way to reach them. The sun is still out and beating the crowds for school supplies isn’t quite at the top of the to-do list…yet.

By setting aside as little as 10 minutes a day, you can be well on your way to living your even better life!

Commit

For every goal I set for myself, I can give you 100 reasons why I can’t get there. But last week, after talking with a friend about all of the roadblocks that get seem to block the path of where I want to go, I got the best advice. Just do it. Don’t over think your life. Either begin today or don’t but when you do, go all in. I’m not sure why those words resonated so clearly to me, but perhaps it was because I am the queen of getting in my own way. I over analyze, and I tend to think of ten problems for every solution. But reversing that mentality, or simply deleting it all together, creates so much room for visioning what is possible. I literally feel lighter when I make the concerted effort to erase all of the background noise in my brain. Some days are easier than others, but with practice and persistence, keeping your eye on the prize will become easier over time.

Hold Yourself Accountable

The day I decided to go to grad school, I invited two friends over for dinner, that are very focused and goal-oriented, to tell them my plans. My application wasn’t even filled out, but I knew that if put my intentions out there public, the only choice was to follow through. Whether it’s announcing your plans to friends or family or journaling  daily tasks to help you stay on track, hold yourself accountable. For journaling, two apps I love are Wonderlist and Seven. But a good ol’ fashioned pen and paper also work wonders.

Think (and see) Positive

This one can be tricky. Especially when tackling a long-term goal like a career change. Keeping a positive mindset is much like doing yoga. It takes practice. And even in spite of keeping consistent, there will be days where you just feel…stuck. This spring, when all of my thoughts were consumed with sarcasm and self-doubt, I decided to channel my inner “Hallmark” and create an actual Vision Board! Not only was it a fun creative outlet, (let’s be real; I haven’t had this much fun cutting out magazine clippings since Brad Pitt appeared on the cover of Seventeen) but also it helped me to see a pattern in where my thoughts were going when envisioning my end goal. Be fluid with the process, if your goal is to travel more, but a beautiful recipe catches your eye, print it out and add it! Positive thoughts lead to more positive thoughts. Who knows, maybe you’ll end up taking a pastry course during that dream trip to Paris!

Allow Your Goals to Grow with You

Suppose you have the dream of running a marathon. You research races, buy the right shoes, select a training program and then two months later learn that you’re expecting (hypothetically speaking…). Maybe that goal transforms into running a half-marathon by your child’s second birthday. Keep this in mind: Adapting your goals to new life events and interests is not settling! But rather, it’s allowing you to embrace life’s changes while keeping what is important to you. Nothing is wrong with allowing your dreams to grow and change with you and your circumstance. In fact, it could turn out to be an ideal situation that may lead to new paths you would have never considered otherwise. Opportunity knocks on doors that are likely to open!

Think Small

As someone who always thinks “big picture”, this concept doesn’t always come easy. Sometimes, I can envision exactly where I want to go, but it’s difficult for me to break down the process into smaller pieces. Start by writing down three things you can do each day to help you reach your goal. Tasks lead to habits, which lead to living a lifestyle that is consistent with your goals. Remember to keep yourself accountable by documenting what tasks you have completed each day and how they are relevant to your goal.

Find Your Why

Here’s the thing. If you don’t know why you’re doing something, you may still get to your goal. But you will never be happy. If you set a goal that you think is right for you, make sure you know it is and be sure you’re able to explain why.  Goal setting isn’t for the faint of heart, and achieving any goal comes with some lousy setbacks. If you are able to remind yourself why your goal is important in your heart and in your life, it will be a lot less tempting to give up.

We only have this one life. Remember that you are worth putting in the work it takes to living life to the fullest, whatever that means for you. Whether it’s buying a dog or earning a degree, every goal is important and worth your time and effort! Wishing you all the best for new and exciting chapters ahead!