Every month, I use 43Things to update my monthly goals, so I can achieve my yearly ones. I had to revise them a tad bit after my sister passed away. This is something that I learned to do after reading tons of goal setting and time management books. You have to break down bigger goals into smaller chunks. It makes them manageable, and attaches deadlines to them.
What are some of the goals you have for yourself this March?
This year has been full of changes. In the beginning of the year, I was depressed, suffering from insomnia, and felt like I would never be happy. I decided to try and remain positive while writing my yearly vision statement because I knew that I had a fighting chance to be happy if I had a mantra.
Here is my 2009 Vision Statement that I created in January:
In 2009, I will work on my stress management and letting go of my past. Also, how I always think that the worst will occur. I will forgive all those who have wronged me and learn to not overthink things. I will lose 20 pounds and start getting some willpower. I will have a regular sleep schedule and start taking care of my physical and emotional health. The kids will be healthy in all aspects. I will start being more adventurous and not be dependent of others. My money management will be stable. I will also launch my own business where I will one day be self employed and not need a day job.
One of the things that I did was create yearly goals under each of my life categories:
I then created monthly short-term goals to fulfill those goals. It worked! I am 100% happier than I was when I started the year. I look at this vision statement, and I have fulfilled the more important parts of it. My emotional health is amazing. I have never been happier. Yes, there are still things that I have to work on, but for the most part, I can’t complain. I am not being the overanalyzing, negative person who used to never smile. People see that as well. Before, people used to stay clear away from me, and say that I was intimidating. No longer. I always have people around now. I also smile all the time.
I do want to make some revisions to my vision statement because I am never going to lose 20 pounds without looking sickly, and I want to talk more about my children.
Revised 2009 Vision Statement:
In 2009, I will work on not falling back into bad habits. I will continue remaining positive and not dealing with negativity. Also, I will not worry about what others think of me, and I will make the best decisions for me. The only other people I will think about when making life decisions are my children. I will focus on teaching them other languages and letting go of their shyness. The kids will be healthy in all aspects. I will continue focusing on my being successful in my freelance writing business. Most important thing is to enjoy my life, and not have any regrets.
SMART Goal Setting Motivational Mind Map Poster
Originally uploaded by IQmatrix
Goal setting is something that I think that every person should do in order to achieve their dreams. When I had my children, I really started to focus on ensuring that I reached my full potential. Why? I knew that anything that I did affected their future. Therefore, I created a five-year plan. My goal setting is a little extreme, but this is the only way I make sure I complete everything that I want to do:
The best way for me to track the progress is by using 43Things, which I have been using for years. It is great because you are able to read other people’s progress, which really encourages to keep going. Additionally, you are able to write entries, so that you are able to share your story with others. One great feature is that it can integrate with your blog, so that you can share it with your blog readers as well. Below are my top-ten goals for May:
Do you have long-term and short-term goals? Do you have a way to track them?
