With the pandemic and everything else this crazy year has brought us, staying FOCUSED on our goals – and not giving into fear, paralysis, procrastination, depression – may be challenging. It’s so much easier to be motivated, determined, and committed when life is going swimmingly. . . or even predictably. And 2020? Well, it’s been anything but predictable and normal.
So how DO YOU get back on the horse when you fall off? How do you get back to working on your health goals, writing your novel, changing your career path, working on a house project, etc. . . .
. . . whatever it is that had you excited and motivated?
That is, until it didn’t.
And instead of it being a priority focus for you. . .
It became too much.
Or seemingly unobtainable.
Or no longer important to you.
Most likely, those things are still important to you, but for some reason or another, you stopped . . .
. . . and starting again?!?
THAT is the rub. It’s the starting again, trying again (especially if you feel that you’ve been failing), and working through those old muscles – literal and figurative muscles – that now stand before you as obstacles. And, oh man, it just seems like so much work.
How do you take that deep breath and – well – jump into it again?
I will be honest, getting back on the horse IS like ripping off a bandaid or jumping into the pool. You just have to push yourself to do it.
To make things easier, I posted this Getting Back on the Horse Workbook to Success (click to download; it’s free) to guide you through the process.
STEP #1: Know What You Want.
Determine your focus. Pick no more than 2 – 3 goals and be very specific and clear. Use the workbook to WRITE DOWN these goals.
STEP #2: See Yourself Achieving Your Goals.
Take some time before your begin to VISUALIZE yourself in the process of working on your goals. See the sweat, the work. And then, see the after effects. The RESULTS. Keep that image of you having completed your goal in your mind’s eye.
STEP #3: Write Down Specifically How You Will Achieve Your Goals.
What are the steps needed to make this happen? Don’t overwhelm yourself, just take it step by step. Write down the specific things you can do to get closer to your goal. This is the WORK. And, by knowing HOW you can achieve your goals, you can take that first step (and then a second, then a third) to making things happen.
STEP #4: Schedule Your Action Steps.
Take a calendar (I know, calendars seem strange in the year of 2020) and write down WHEN you will do the action steps needed. Scheduling these steps provide an added accountability that is needed. Feel free to use the monthly and daily calendars included in the Getting Back on the Horse Workbook to Success to schedule those actions that you will not put off. (The daily calendars have motivational quotes for each day). Stay motivated. You can do it. Again — concentrate ONLY on the STEP IN FRONT OF YOU.
STEP #5: Commit Yourself to Your Goals With Accountability Insurance
Tell at least 2 -3 people your goals and have them serve as your support system. By telling someone (and not keeping your goal to yourself), you are more likely to stick to your goals and stay the course. After all, it’s easier to quit something when no one knows that you are even trying.
THANK GOD, 2020 is almost out the door. Hang in there!
Join me in not allowing it to defeat us. Let’s turn our goals into reality. Who’s with me?! 🙂