As we move away from summer vacation and everyone buckles down into back-to-school routines, it’s a great time to refocus your goals and create a plan to stay true to your priorities.
We all have big dreams and long to-do lists but why is it that some people are so good at actually accomplishing things, while others constantly feel like they’re struggling to catch up?
The answer lies in developing a unique organizational system that works for you!
Just like there is no one way of eating that works for everyone – there is no one way of getting organized that works for everyone either.
The important thing is to get clear on what you want, set the intention to reach those goals, try out different methods, and then stick with the one that best fits your schedule and circumstances.
To help you get started, I’ve outlined a few simple strategies that may serve as a good foundation for your system, try them on and see what fits YOU.
1. Big Rocks
Inspired by Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Integrative Nutrition founder Joshua Rosenthal teaches future Health Coaches one especially powerful tool called “Big Rocks.” Here’s the gist: get clear on your “big 3” goals, focus your time and energy each week on tasks in service of those goals and de-prioritize the day-to-day little tasks that aren’t serving you. Curious to learn more about how it works? Download this handy PDF guide here for more details!
2. Bullet Journal
A to-do list, diary, and planner in one, “Bullet Journaling” is taking the world by storm. Developed by Ryder Carroll, the Bullet Journal is referred to as the “analog system for the digital age.” This system of organization is the perfect fit for those who love handwriting in their planner and keeping everything in one place. Bullet Journals are incredibly flexible and customizable since all you need to get started is a blank notebook and pen. From there you can build out your goals, future plans, and tasks for the rest of the year in a simple bulleted fashion.
3. Vision Board
For those who are more artistically inclined, creating a vision board as a way to focus on the things you want to achieve can help improve motivation, boost self-confidence, and foster behaviors that lead to success. It’s simply a visual representation of your goals: images that represent all the things you’d like to accomplish in your life—who, what, and where you want to be. The power of this technique comes from the fact that it allows you to spend time getting clear on your dreams, hopes, and vision for your future. There are no hard rules when it comes to making a vision board—just have fun with it! Don’t have the wall space for a big corkboard? Create a digital vision board using Pinterest!
4. Digital Calendars and Productivity Apps
From phone calls, to texting, to online shopping and social media we use our phones for everything. Why not keep your goals readily accessible and always visible by tracking them on your phone! Whether you use a formal habit tracker like Productive or Strides, or simply keep a running list of notes on your phone – leveraging the power of your smartphone to get clear and stay on track is a great way to make your goals attainable with just one click.
5. Morning Pages
Julia Cameron encourages everyone to handwrite morning pages – three pages of free-flow stream of consciousness first thing in the morning. They will help you get ready for your day by getting all your thoughts on paper and put you in touch with your subconscious feelings so they can inform you on how to prioritize your day leaving your mind free and clear to focus on your goals.
What’s your favorite way of setting goals and staying organized? Let me know in the comments below – I’d love to hear from you!
Ready To Finally Meet Your Health Goals?
Most of us always have a health goal or two in mind. Whether you want to lose weight, gain muscle, clear up your skin, or something entirely different, it’s completely human to always be working toward something.
You might not always meet your goals as quickly as you want to, and that can be frustrating. Beating yourself up gets you nowhere, so let’s take that off the table first.
By showing yourself love no matter what’s going on in your life, you can move forward and make positive change much more easily. Beating yourself up takes a lot of energy that you could be using toward reaching your goals.
After you flex your self-love muscles and master that skill, there are practical steps you can take to make sure you actually meet your health goals.
Here are my best recommendations to make your vision board a reality:
1. Get to the source of whatever is blocking you from your goals. Is your job or relationship stressful, causing you to overeat and skip exercise because you’re too exhausted? Do you need to shift your mindset? Those are just a couple examples. I invite you to explore what’s holding you back on a holistic level and remove the blockers.
2. Paint an “after” picture. Envision how your life will be after you reach your goals. Get specific and imagine how you’ll feel and look, how your work and relationships might change, and how reaching your goals will affect every other area of your life. Get connected to the positive end result and you’ll be more likely to stick with your plan.
3. Write down your goals and keep them in a visible place. Whether you tape them to your bedroom mirror or stick them on your door so you always see them on your way out, put them in the place you’ll personally see them most often. They’ll remind you of the vision you have for yourself, increasing the chances you’ll take the daily action steps needed to reach your goals.
4. Share your goals with friends and family. Cheer each other on and hold each other accountable. Share your painted picture from the previous step and get on board with each other. If you want to go to the gym more often, have a friend call you two or three times a week to check in with you, or work out together.
5. Reward yourself often. If your intention is to lose weight and you lose a few pounds, pamper yourself with a massage or hot bath.
The best way to meet your health goals is to take consistent small steps. Big changes need to be sustainable. By integrating new behaviors slowly, you’ll truly be living your vision instead of just thinking about it or forcing yourself to follow a diet for two weeks.
Your healthy actions will become second nature and a big part of who you are. Allow yourself to climb the ladder one rung at a time.
What are your current health goals? How do you approach sticking to goals, and what’s been working or not working?
Share with me in the comments below! I can’t wait to hear from you.
3 Steps to Reach Your Big Goal
You have big goals and dreams, and it’s so important to keep them in mind as you go through your daily life. It’s also crucial to take specific, high-leverage action weekly to make them a reality.
What’s your biggest goal and/or dream in this moment? Write it down now.
One of the ways you can turn your goals into reality is through the power of visualization.
Yep, it’s exactly what it sounds like – visualizing exactly what you want and letting yourself feel it through all of your senses.
Using visualization to fulfill your desires is far from a new or esoteric concept.
Ever fantasize about your upcoming vacation or relive an ecstatic experience from the past?
Creating those mental pictures is a natural and powerful element of the human mind – leverage it!
Focusing on what you want increases motivation, self-confidence, and mood. It also leads to behavioral changes that will shorten the time it takes to reach your goals.
Visualization has been used in meditation for centuries and has even proven to enhance performance in professional athletes. If it works for Olympic athletes, it’s probably worth a try to see if it works for you.
Ready to test it out?
Take these three simple steps now to visualize with intention:
1. Create an image in your mind of what you want. Connect with your innermost desires for true fulfillment and happiness. Be honest with yourself. What do you really want?
2. Be specific. Imagine any physical sensations, scents, sounds, the presence of others, and any other details relevant to your ideal future.
3. Visualize often. It’s best to visualize as you’re falling asleep and when you first wake up in the morning. This helps your body recognize your goals as achievable and second nature.
The following guided meditation will get you started on visualizing your goals, using optimal health and a fulfilling career as examples.
What goal do you want to make a reality through visualization?
