How to make your goals your reality

To help me get clear on my vision and goals for the year, I do a fun exercise where I write myself a letter from the end of the year. I describe the future vision of my life as if I'm talking to a close friend. I dig in deep, starting with how I feel when I wake up in the morning. I talk about what my life looks like, how I feel, and what I've achieved along the way. When I want to focus on my long-term goals, I will do the same exercise but looking ahead 3-5 years.
 
I make my vision so juicy that it pulls at my heartstrings and becomes the “fuel” to my motivation.
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Once I'm clear on the vision, I create a plan for how I'm going to achieve it. Taking time to do this not only prepares me to stay focused on my BIG, stretchy goals but helps me stay on track throughout the year.
 
You can't hit a target that you can't see, so…
 
Connect with your future vision
Journal what you want your life to look like over the next 12 months. Living a happy and healthy life is all about finding YOUR balance, so be sure to include your vision for your career, relationships, health and well-being, spirituality, and any other area of life that is important to you.
 
Describe each area of your life the best you can. What does it look like? How does it make you feel? What have you achieved along the way? If you get stuck, look at someone you admire for inspiration.
 
Don’t forget to include the reasons why you want to achieve these goals in each area of your life. Your “why” is what connects your heart to your goals and will keep you committed to them, especially when things get tough. If you're not clear on your “why,” it's harder to stay motivated when "life happens," which it always does!
 
Create a powerful plan.
Someone said to me the other day, "what if I like to fly by the seat of my pants?"
 
Here's the truth: When it comes to your goals, flying by the seat of your pants is like throwing noodles against the wall and hoping they'll stick. You need a kickass plan to help you achieve your BIG goals.
 
Achieving your BIG goals will require you to do things differently than you have in the past, step outside of your comfort zone, and practice new behaviors and habits…ALL of which should be included in your plan.
 
"Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success." -Pablo Picasso
 
Make your well-being your #1 priority
I may sound like a broken record when it comes to this, but your well-being is the foundation of everything you do or don't do. A healthy body, mind, and spirit is an essential part to achieving your BIG goals.
 
Take some time to think about the things that give you energy and make your heart smile, and incorporate them into your plan!
 
Create powerful morning and evening routines
I found countless articles stating that successful people contribute their success to creating a routine that supports their goals. Most of them include getting up early, exercising, being grateful, planning their day, and reflecting.
 
Something as simple as making your bed in the morning will set the tone for the rest of your day.
 
Create a nightly habit where you review your day. Reflect on your challenges so you can learn those valuable lessons and find areas to improve. Don’t forget to acknowledge your accomplishments and successes, even the little ones. We don't pat ourselves on the back enough, and taking the time to acknowledge yourself will build your confidence and happiness.
 
I also encourage you to plan your day the night before. It will not only allow you to wake up with a game plan for your day, but having intentional actions in place will prevent reactive decision making. It’s a game changer!
 
Review your plan regularly
Take the time to review your goals on a regular basis and tweak your plan with the actions you are committed to taking.
 
When you are committed to creating big things, there's a good chance you'll have some failures and setbacks. Don't get too discouraged because that’s where you'll learn and grow the most. That's why it's so important to make time to review your day, week, month, and year.
 
"If you learn from defeat, you haven't really lost." -Zig Ziglar
 
Reviewing your goals will give you the chance to either recommit, adjust, or decide not to move forward on goals that are no longer in alignment with your vision.
 
Please be sure to enjoy the Journey
Although I'm excited about achieving my goals, I believe living a happy life takes enjoying all the stuff that happens along the way.
 
Of course, when you achieve your goals, you'll be happy with the outcome but remember, your real achievement is the strength, wisdom, and confidence you've gained along the way.
 
When life gets busy, it can be easy to get caught up in all the little things that we have going on. That's when we lose sight of our goals. Taking the time to get connected to your vision and creating a plan will be the foundation to keeping you moving toward your BIG goals.
 
And the more your vision tugs at your heartstrings, the more power it has to help you stay committed and on track when life throws you curve balls.