Goal Setting: How to do it Right This Year

Is goal setting something you love or hate? I have to admit it's one of my favorite things! I totally geek out about goals and always have, BUT I haven't always been great at following through with them. Does that wound like you?

Through the years I've honed the skill and I'm excited to share a better system to break it down and make THIS the year you FINALLY start to reach your dreams!

Goal Setting Failures

Why don't we keep our New Years resolutions? Why do goals sometimes feel so out of reach?

Often it's because we try to take on too much at one time and have no idea how to break it down into manageable bites. So let's do it better this time. Whatta ya say?

Goal Setting Worksheets

If you're ready to dive in I've got a workbook created just for you to break down the most important areas of your life.

Mind, Body, Soul, and Heart

Dream Big – 5 Year Goals

You want to start by first printing out the worksheets and doing a brain dump for each of your life categories.

How do I do a Brain Dump?

It's pretty easy. Think about where you'd like to be in 5 years in terms of health, work, family, and soul, then write everything you think of. Don't think too hard, don't edit, JUST WRITE. And keep writing until you can't think of anything else. Use another sheet of paper if you need to.

Really visualize it. Where are you? What does that thing look like? How do you feel now that you have it?

Then choose a specific item from each category to focus in on. Here's an example:

• Mind: I will teach people how to make their lives better through their events
• Body: I will actually apply my nutrition knowledge again and maintain a healthy weight
• Soul: I spend more time on self-care
• Heart: Have un-entitled tweens/teenagers who talk to me about the things going on in their world

1 Year Goal Setting

Choose one important thing in each category to focus on in the next 12 months. JUST ONE. You don't have to start in January for this to work. Start now. April 17th? Yes, start now! {But if you want to begin at the first of a month, I totally respect that.}

Now that you have the 4 big goals you want to work on this year, take each one and break them down into 4 steps. It looks a little something like this:

Have confident, un-entitled tweens/teenagers who talk to me about the things going on in their world

1. Research common struggles for tweens and teens
2. What does my child respond to? What do they most care about?
3. Plan service activities for the year together, how to give back
4. Spend one on one time with each child to talk and listen

Quarterly Goals

Once you break your goal into 4 sections you now have your goals set for each quarter. Take the first logical step and continue breaking it down:

Research common struggles for tweens and teens

Read articles and listen to leading parenthood experts to address:

1. Technology Traps: social media, pornography, etc
2. Fear of failure – Fixed Mindset
3. Tools for connection

Monthly Goals

Because you've got your 3 areas of improvement for the quarter you can now choose one to focus on each month. Or for recurring items, break them down and focus on each one a little bit every month.

This is a list from my very own family goals:

1. Educate family on media to keep kids safe and smart by starting Family Tech University when kids turn 12
2. Purchase a Big Life Journal to help create a growth mindset and complete it together
3. Learn how to better communicate with Positive Parenting Solutions

Weekly Goal Setting

If you spend 5 hours a week on your most important goals you will make significant progress. Some days will be great, others not so much.

If you take the time to schedule in your specific goal actions it's much more likely to happen.

For example:

• Monday evenings 7pm: Do a Family Tech University lesson
• Every 2nd Friday have a date night with one of the kids

Overcoming Goal Setting Failures

If you aren't failing, you aren't trying

Woody Allen

Bad days happen. You eat poorly or fight with your child or spouse. The great news is…..tomorrow is another day to start fresh.

Incremental improvement of 1% each day provides incredible results over time. MUCH more than having 150% improvement for 8 weeks and losing steam.

Plan INTENTIONAL Events

Plan your events with intention and it is life changing. That 1% with each gathering, dinner, or birthday party adds up to children who understand the value of giving, who can have fun without all the sugar, and kids who are excited to learn and use their imagination.

I hope you enjoyed our goal setting session and if you missed the live session you can watch it here. If you'd like to join me next January join the VIP group and I'll let you know when to put it on your calendar!

If you use the Goal Setting Worksheet I want to hear about it in the comments below. And if you share photos, I want to see it too! Please tag us @partieswithacause on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. We love celebrating all your hard work! 

To Help Keep Your Goals:

• How-to: Making Healthy Party Food Fun for Kids
• What is a Party With A Cause