Let’s be real… we’ve hit March and while some of our #18thingsin2018 may be on track (totally nailing this ‘#7 read at least one page of a book per day’ thing) others may have fallen through the cracks.
Exhibit A: ‘#2 Implement a $ spreadsheet and be in control with my savings’. January – money spreadsheet is complete, good feels. February – would you call being in control having over $6000 in dental work? No, not quite.
Let’s not be the stereotype that sets goals and doesn’t achieve them, 2018 is our year! It’s time to pull up your list (go scrolling through FB if you haven’t looked at it since posting) and stop, reflect and reassess to make sure we’re on track for #18thingsCOMPLETION!
How to make these 18 goals stick:
1 Write it down (& put it somewhere you can see it).
Don’t let when you posted your list on Facebook be the last time you saw it. Get out a pen and paper and write that bad boy down. Done? Now stick it up on your wall/bathroom mirror/pantry door – when you see your list on the regular there’s actually scientific evidence it’s 42% more likely to happen (when we just think about our goal it only harnesses the imaginative side of our brain, but by writing it down our logic side is turned on too! Read the article for the legit explanation)
If you’re too tech savy for a piece of paper… jot your list down in notes, screenshot, then make it your lock screen!
2 Make it a date.
Set each goal a completion date. This gives you something to work towards, rather than hoping it will tick itself. Break your list into segments to see where your energy needs to go – those you need to do daily (e.g. #9 moisturise daily), weekly (#11 keep 3 pot plants alive… watering may help. I killed a succulent, literally the EASIEST plant to keep ALIVE), monthly, and occasionally or a once off.
3 Don’t just write it down, break it down.
Achieving a certain GPA or saving a certain amount of money is great!! You go Glen CoCo. But this kind of goal can sometimes be 1) overwhelming & big, 2) vague & unspecific. Let’s break it down into small, manageable, specific steps.
-You want a GPA above __? Awesome, how much time are you going to commit to studying each week?
-You want to play an instrument? Before you even pick it up, pencil in times to your diary to play.
-You want to eat less junk food? Me too! I’m allowed a sweet treat 3x a week until April, 2x a week until July, and then only once a week.
It’s cliche but these small steps are what takes us to the bigger boulders, and then eventually we’re standing on top of the mountain! If all we see is the peak above the clouds, no duh we’re gonna be scared. But man, those stepping stones in front of me look manageable!
4 Go and DO IT.
We make lists, we write charts… but we actually have to DO IT. Make the appointment (‘#8 get a root canal’ – March 9, it’s in!), go to the gym, pick up that instrument, buy those tickets, organise the coffee. Reality check peeps.. you actually have to take action. Your goals aren’t going to tick themselves. Instead it’s going to be YOU with a big red pen feeling proud!
But how??
-Eliminate those bad habits and instill self-discipline to create new habits – I know it’s hard (try being healthy when you love ice-cream as much as me), but the more you practice the better you’ll get.
-Limit your distractions – we all know what a time sucker social media is!
-Avoid procrastination – set a 15min timer on your phone and committ to filling it with something productive.
-Welcome failure – we don’t try because we’re scared we’ll fail. It’s time to take the leap.
Check out this cool article for the full 15 tips!
Steven Jaggard – SA yTeamer: Completed his goal of enrolling for university!
“Just take the first step – it’s so easy to say tomorrow, and as cliche as it is, the first step is the hardest! I feel so motivated after making a decision on just taking action”
5 #YouDoYOU – don’t compare your epic self.
Final step… don’t compare your goals or your progress to other people. Sure, you can do some of your #18things with other people that share the same goal (how fun! Can I be invited??)
But…
1) Don’t make your goal just because you saw it on someone else’s list. Channel your hobbies, your values and your passions when making your list. What is it that will add the most value to your life in 2018?
2) Don’t compare your progress to other people. We all work at different paces, don’t let that discourage you from all the kick butt things you’re doing! Give yourself a hi-5 and keep tackling those small stepping stones.
2018 is OUR year. Who’s stopping us from making it the best one yet? Sorry to inform you, but most of the time it’s us!! Time to stick these goals up, break them down, and go DO IT!
Sean Law – VIC yTeamer: Completed his goal of changing degrees and writing a blog!
“‘Some people want it, others just kinda want it.’ The goals aren’t going to complete themselves. They might be genuinely challenging or confronting at first, but if they were super easy would they really be worth it?”
Keep the yLead fam up to date on all your progress in the yTeam page. We’d love to be your accountability buddy!! (I’ll let you know how my next succulent goes)
Jack Fordyce – QLD yTeamer: Completed his goal of starting an Early Childhood Education course!
“Break through the barrier and take action as cliche as it is… You can’t achieve something if you don’t even start it and also I know that I have a lot of yTeam friends that can keep me accountable so just checking in and letting them know how I’m going at achieving the goals.”
