How To Set Your Goals And Stick 

Have you ever made up your mind to do something amazing, and then failed? This post is for you. 

Brilliant Ideas - we have all had them. The kind that make you rush to your phone or laptop, scrambling to get to Pinterest, because you must.pin.all.of.the.things. relating to your beautiful, amazing genius idea. This is the one. The one that will change it all. 

Fast forward two weeks. 

Your feelings toward your genius idea are mostly grumpy at this point. Who has brilliant ideas, anyhow? Not you. Obviously. 

Now, I don't actually buy into that last bit. If you have breath in your lungs, then you are percolating brilliance somewhere inside, whether or not you realize it. I read a great article just yesterday about unearthing your passions, and the solid truth is that everyone is passionate about something. You have greatness inside of you. The hard part is fostering the perseverance that will give life and substance to your ideas and desires. 

It's time. It is time for you, and me and your neighbor down the street, to rush into the spare room of I-just-can't, or I'm-not-good-enough, or I-don't-have-the-time, yank those dusty dreams off of the shelf and get after it. Had enough word pictures? Good. Let's get started. 

Do You Even Own A Pen, Bro? 

Have you ever seen a fresh notebook with a crisp, blank page just laying there? It taunts you. You know to what I refer. 

No? (Yeah, me either.) Awkward analogy aside, there really is truth to the old adage, "Write it down and see it happen." No matter the goal you wish to pursue, getting it down on paper, physically, virtually or otherwise is your first order of business. 

Decide whether you're going to keep your goals and ideas inside of a notebook, on your phone, laptop or carved into stone. Whatever you decide, dump them from your brain into your tool of choice, and get a clear picture of where you're headed. (HINT: Making these simple and attainable is a great place to start.) 

Take Inventory 

I am a runner. So far, I have run 4 half marathons, along with a handful of 5k's and 10k's. Eventually, I have a goal of running several marathons and ultra races. It is the understatement of the year to say that I have to prepare for these. Duh. Also? I'm not going to run any of these races in heels. 

Once you know the goals you are heading toward, you take the next step of knowing what tools and preparation you will need to accomplish them. This sounds simple enough, however, it tends to be a step that we sort of brush over without much thought. You will not reach your destination without a vehicle and fuel. What makes you think you will reach a goal without the how? 

Some of us need to get healthy for real. (Not just subbing Special K in for the Cocoa Puffs.) Some of us need to take charge of our emotional health. Some of us need to finally start pursuing dreams that we've tucked inside because we're scared. All of us have stuff to do that matters. What do your specific goals require, in order to accomplish them successfully? What will you need in order to avoid dropping out of the race, half way to the finish line? Write that down too. 

Clear Your Schedule 

There is a big difference between the glorification of being busy, and the hard work it takes to fulfill a dream. Do not get caught in the net of just being busy with the trappings of false importance. Time is precious, and we must spend it on the preparation that will take us to our goals. 

Social media is a brilliant example of what it looks like to successfully waste your time, but it is not the only item on that list. Are you being intentional with your time? Or, conversely, are you wasting your time doing things that will lead you nowhere? 

Some things that will suck your time into the vortex of nothing: 

•  Social Media
• Binge-watching Netflix 
• Sitting on your ass
• Creating 'important' things to do that have nothing to do with your goals (I just need to run to the store for this one important item.) Nope. 
• Allowing yourself the luxury of thinking that you'll have time later (HINT: You won't.) 
• Saying yes to things and people too often, over-committing your time elsewhere 
• Always putting other's goals above your own 

There will come a day when all of your time will be spent, and you will look back on your life. Saying no to things that waste your time now is essential to creating the highlight reel of your dreams. Make every single moment count. Be intentional. 

Be Flexible With The Route 

In the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, the entire city is built on a grid. Everything is a square mile, and there are literally too many ways to get to any one destination. For those of you that are directionally challenged, this is a beautiful thing. It really does make a lot of sense. 

Let's say you take a wrong turn on your way from point A to point B. (Also, let's make point B coffee.) It isn't the end of the world because there will be an alternating route that will still lead you to your point B, and coffee. (Let's be honest here: all roads should lead to coffee.) You could pull over on the side of the road, leap from your car in a flurry of frustration, and wail and sob that you are a failure and you will never EVER get your coffee. Really, you could. After all, your original route is screwed up, and you have failed. 

OR. 

You could take a couple of extra turns, and still get to coffee. It's that simple. Do not make the mistake of disqualifying yourself because you fail. YOU WILL FAIL. The more you persist, the more you will fail. From your failure, you will learn. So yes, you can drive off the road, and quit. That is always an option. But why would you do that when you just need to make a few adjustments? 

Setting goals means taking a journey, and on any journey there are always unforeseen obstacles from a thousand different directions. Can you plan for these? Definitely not. Can you successfully prepare yourself to continue after a failure? Absolutely. Be willing to adjust your route in persistence of your goal. Keep going, and keep your eyeballs on that prize. 

Ask For Help 

If it takes a village to raise to raise a baby, then we adults need a civilization. You will never reach your goals by yourself. This is not a one-man show, and you are going to fail miserably if you cannot ask for help. Period. Over and out. Surround yourself with people that are further down the road than yourself, and watch them. Learn from them, and ask them for guidance. Intentional living requires relationships, whether you like it or not. (Sorry not sorry.) 

It is quit possible (and highly probable) that these mentors that you seek out will be the very people that scrape you up off the road and help brush you off after you crash and burn. They will also be the ones to give you that kick in the pants to get going again. Why? They have been there. Likely, they also had someone in their lives daring them to give it another go. We cannot do any of this alone, so stop trying. If you want to be alone, go on a hike. Then, come back and get yourself some people. 

Celebrate The Victories 

History shows us that centuries ago, when something significant happened in a group or individual's life, they would stop wherever they were, and erect an altar or a monument to signify that something happened there. When you are farther down the path, and you turn around, you should be able to see how far you've come, but you should also be able to point out the places in the journey where you had success. 

"See that pile of rocks there, over to the left? That was when I accomplished such-and-such." 

"That smaller stack of sticks and mud? Yeah, that was a good day. I will have another one of those." 

"See that flag over there? That's where I finally found the coffee." 

When you reach a goal on your list, conquer something of importance along the way, you must recognize it. Celebrate it. Get really, really excited. These moments are proof that you are doing what you set out to do! Does it look anything like what you thought it would? Maybe, but probably it looks much different than you ever anticipated. The way that it looks has nothing to do with the fact that you are chasing down a dream and seeing success! You will see success. So, build those altars, erect your monuments and take the time to remember what it took to get there. Then? Keep going. 

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