Time for a Mid-Year “check in” on your goals. How are you doing?
"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” — Eleanor Roosevelt
30,000 FOOT VIEW
What happens at the beginning of the year? We start thinking, dreaming and planning our goals, preparing vision boards, selecting “a word for the year,” etc. We are excited… it is a new year! Fast forward six or seven months…now what? To keep that momentum going or re-ignite it, do a mid-year “check in” and see how you are doing.
For me, the mid-year “check in” is like a 30,000-foot view which gives me permission to reflect on the last several months to reassess what’s important to me, pivot where needed (and you will) and see how much I have accomplished to date.
Even if you do regular “check ins,” you can still use this mid-year mark as an opportunity to Pause, Step Back, Reflect, Evaluate, Adjust, Reset and Achieve. Do this whether you are behind or ahead on your goals. You may be someone who loves setting goals but may find it more challenging to keep the momentum going. Try utilizing a mid-year “check in” to help you create guideposts along the way to keep you moving forward.
WHY A MID-YEAR CHECK IN?
For most, setting goals over 12 months is a common timeline. However, as you have learned in the last year, a lot can happen in 12 months, so using your mid-year “check in” is a constructive way (and a gauge) to see where you are at in this journey. It can provide you the opportunity to learn more about yourself, grow, discover creative ways to accomplish your goals and fulfill your God-given purpose. Even if you are not where you want to be, it is not too late. Just Pause, Step Back, Reflect, Evaluate, Adjust, Reset and Achieve. You are in charge of the timeline….so be kind to yourself. You’ve got this!
“You are never too old to set a new goal or to dream a new dream.” — C.S. Lewis
Pause* Step Back* Reflect* Evaluate* Adjust* Reset* Achieve
Remember “WHY” You Set the Goal - Your WHY is what motivates you and it becomes your compass to do the hard work today so you can walk into your prosperous future of tomorrow. Why is this goal important to you?
What WORD Did You Pick This Year? – I pick a WORD each year to anchor my plans, goals, expectations and personal/professional accomplishments for the upcoming year. This year my word is INTENTIONAL. This way I can rewire my brain to help me filter out things that don’t line up with my word and keep me on track. Revisit that word during your mid-year “check in.” Check out my previous BLOG on this topic.
Where Are You At Today? - Appreciating and understanding this journey is important. Life happens and you may find yourself behind, right on time or further down the road on your goals. No matter where you are… embrace it and turn it into a win/win for you.
Create Accountability - “The American Society of Training & Development found that your likelihood of success increases up to 95% when you build an accountability structure. You are 65% more likely to meet a goal after committing to another person.”
What is Working and What is Not? - Are you making the journey harder than what it is? Are you working smarter? This is a great time to make any adjustments….what worked in the beginning may need to be upgraded, replaced or revamped.
Start with the End in Mind - Where do you want to end up and work backwards? When I used to work on a Corporate Annual Report…we always had a calendar with our drop-dead deadlines on it. Then, we worked backwards from those dates. This way, we did not miss the small steps that would lead us to the ultimate end result.
Check-In As Much As You Want - There’s no magical interval for a goal “check in.” You can do them daily, weekly, monthly, etc. What works for you to keep you on track? Put your “check in" on the calendar and make it an appointment.
Scientific studies have shown that the brain can’t always differentiate between what we see in our minds and our reality… use visualization as a powerful technique for creating the reality out of your dreams.
“Be a bush if you can't be a tree. If you can't be a highway, just be a trail. If you can't be a sun, be a star. For it isn't by size that you win or fail. Be the best of whatever you are.” — Martin Luther King Jr.
You can re-adjust your goals at any time, but don’t give up on yourself. BELIEVE THAT YOU CAN! BELIEVE THAT YOU WILL!
If you have lost the passion or gave up on your dreams, go back to the kid within you who dreamed without limitations… go back to that moment and stir it up within you. So… what’s next for you?