Over the past few years, I’ve helped facilitate vision board parties. This is always a fun time for me because I staunchly believe in setting goals in order to accomplish my visions. It’s an organizational trait in my bones that I can’t deny.
In the past, I’ve started with a blank slate and created a board by adding pictures and sayings to define my goals for the coming year. This year, however, I plan to take a different approach to the process.
Vision boards I’ve previously created hang on my office walls. Every time I enter the room, goals I’ve made in the past stare me in the face, demanding I examine where they stand.
I suggest you join me and practice what I’ve preached - organize and prioritize your goals. Instead of starting from scratch, take a look at the previously envisioned goals on your vision board(s). Like me, the first thing you might realize is you’ve included far too many. While you’ve deemed them all important, there is probably no way you can accomplish all the goals you’ve expressed within a reasonable amount of time. So, this year I will decide the relevancy of the goals I’ve defined (are they still a top priority?) and determine what progress I’ve made.
Taking an honest look at how long it will take to achieve a goal is equally important. Because let’s face it, the longer it takes to complete something, ‘life happens’ circumstances often interfere with your plans. Therefore, organizing your goals with a reasonable timeline will make the process more reasonable and easier to accomplish. Once you set your timeline, it becomes easier to determine two to four goals you want to concentrate on immediately.
This next step is the key to success. After developing a timeline, it is most important to map out a road map for achievement – define how to get from point A to point Z for each goal. Following these four steps will allow you to complete this process.
Take a step back to define your values by determining your personality traits.
Think about how each goal fits within your overall vision. How will accomplishing the goal enhance your attempts to achieve your life mission?
Break your goal into time segments. For example, if you’ve decided it will take you a month to achieve the goal, divide your tasks down to weekly periods. If your timeline is a year, then look at one-month periods.
Determine what strategies you need to employ in order to meet your daily, weekly or monthly time segmented tasks.
How you define, develop, and achieve your goals is a highly personal concept. A friend of mine is a mechanic, so he defines the process as retreading. Whatever your definition, consider creating a vision board. Choose the traditional old-fashioned way (poster board, magazines, scissors, glue, etc.) or use Canva, PowerPoint or another online resource to create a digital version. Personally, the old fashion method works best for me because I need visual stimulation. My Millennial friends convinced me to create a digital board last year. Although satisfied with the results, I never bothered to look at it again throughout the year. Seeing the boards hanging in my office each day provides much more incentive.
I’m curious. Which type works better for you?
Comments