Goals and How to Set Them
Over the last weekend, the world saw some intense cosmic events. We had a solar eclipse, a new moon, and many of the planets were entering into very auspicious periods of their rotations. Without going into all the astrological meanings behind these events, it’s a great time to do some emotional spring cleaning, releasing things that no longer serve you, and manifesting the things you want. And regardless of whether or not you believe in astrology, it’s always a good time to plan your new goals around what you want to reach towards and what you want to leave behind.
One of the most rewarding aspects of being a life coach is helping my clients do just that. I have found in my personal, as well as my professional, life that reorienting your decisions around the goals you set is incredibly helpful. But it can also be challenging. So I take it upon myself to practice what I preach with my clients and regularly check in with myself about my goals, using the accountability structures I have in place to keep me moving forward and not stuck stagnating in The Passenger’s Seat.
In order to do this, I ask myself questions I would ask any of my coaching clients:
Where do I want to be in a year? Five years? Ten years?
What do I want my daily life to look like when I get there?
What is standing in my way of achieving that way of life?
What is my energy level like at this time? What can I reasonably do with that level of energy without pushing myself into Burnout territory?
What can I do on a daily basis to push myself towards my goals? On a weekly basis? Monthly?
What will my support structure look like while I am working towards my goal?
What will I do to reward myself for victories, big and small?
How often do I want to check in with myself and my support structure in order to keep me on track?
Some people may look at these questions and think that they are not necessary, but, believe me, they are absolutely imperative. Without this kind of structure around goal-setting, goals are just dreams. And dreams, though very nice to have, are not as actionable as solid goals. Making a dream come true is nebulous and romantic, sure, but achieving a goal is concrete and just as satisfying, if not more so. When you look back at your journey and remember all the work you put in, all the decisions you made with a purpose, all the time you spent choosing your destination and how to get there, there is a sense of accomplishment that is unparalleled. And getting to see my clients work their way to such a sensation is unparalleled in its own way. It is the reason I am a coach.
So whether you are spiritually inclined and have felt the shift in the universe from the series of stellar movements that have occurred over the last few days, or if you are just looking for the motivation to catapult yourself forward in your life, I highly recommend taking a look at your present goals and reevaluating them. Maybe add some new goals or slow down on goals that don’t really serve the person you are anymore. Maybe take a look at your current goals from a new angle. Ask yourself some of the questions listed above or meet with a life coach so you can gain a new perspective. Who knows? They might ask you powerful questions you would never have thought of on your own. No matter where you are on your journey, it’s always helpful to reflect on where you are headed and how you plan on getting there.