It’s time to check in on our goal setting plan for the year. If you follow a process similar to what I described in the January Prime Women article titled “New Year’s Resolutions Reinvented,” now is a good time to measure your progress and create new opportunities to reach your year-end goals.
The goals are divided into six areas and broken down by different time frames. oals are divided into 6 categories: The categories are Financial, Spiritual, Social, Intellectual, Physical and Family. It is now time to look at each area and review the progress made by March 31 and June 30. Also look at the year-end goals you set for each of the six categories to see if you are on target.
I keep my goals in a journal. Using different colors of ink, or if your goal setting journal is kept electronically, a different font, write a couple of notes by each goal for each time period. Write comments beside areas you want to focus your attention on over the next six months to stay on track.
Here are some examples from my goal setting journal
My physical goals
Weight targets, number of personal trainer appointments to complete and my Fitbit steps (my daily goal is 11,000 steps, approximately 4 miles).
While I didn’t hit my targets completely, I noted my progress and ideas to help me stay on track. I set reminders to weigh daily and check on my steps by noon to be aware of where I stood. I noted that I would begin parking my car away from the entrance of a building, rather than my parking as closely as possible.
My financial goals
A regular review of the size of my portfolio, spending outflow for the year, performance of each investment.
As a former financial advisor, this is an area that comes naturally for me. When I first retired from the wealth management profession, I only relied on the advice from my advisor. I quickly learned that no advisor will watch my portfolio as closely as I will. While I don’t want to micromanage my advisor, I want to be aware of where I am. I was pleased with this review. I was ahead of my goals in this area. (Was it the Trump Effect or my closer attention?)
Steps to successfully continue goal setting and tracking
Keep a positive focus
When looking at goals, it is easy to beat ourselves up because we have not achieved all we set out to accomplish. A coach I used several years ago would tell me not to get caught up in the GAP, which is the place between our goal and our current situation. We may never completely achieve everything we set out to accomplish, but it is important to acknowledge our accomplishments and actions we take – that’s called the positive focus.
Take the time to give yourself credit for what you have accomplished by writing down your positive focus for each goal area.
Stay current and balanced
Keep up the steps for the other four areas: Intellectual, Family, Social and Spiritual.
This keeps you balanced, rather than being focused in only a couple of areas. Remember to monitor progress, not perfection, and make each day the best it can be.
My motto is, “Life is not a Dress Rehearsal.” One of my favorite toasts is a paraphrase from Eleanor Roosevelt. “The past is history, the future is a mystery, but this moment is a gift, that’s why it’s called the present. To this moment.”
