Goals, Goals, and More Goals!

As part of my summer blogging break, I was planning to share 1 week of re-posts in June, July, and August… however, I’m switching things up for the month of August.

Instead of sharing a week of reposts, I’m sharing a week of “compilation posts” where I compile all the information I’ve shared on a specific topic into one post for easy reference.

Today, I’m sharing links to my most favorite goal posts (pun intended!) from the past 8+ years.

Goals have always been a fun topic for me to write about… mainly because I enjoy setting goals for myself, working towards those goals, and experiencing the thrill of eventually achieving my goals.

Of course, there have been plenty of times when I don’t fully reach my goal, or when my goals change mid-way through… however, the act of setting and working towards various goals each day, each week, each month, and each year is one of the main reasons I’m able to accomplish more in less time, simplify my life and my schedule, and enjoy more time for the activities and people I love.

Goals are extremely important in my life, which is probably why I’ve written SO many posts about them!

As you read though today’s compilation of goal-setting posts and consider potential goals you might want for yourself, please also remember to Focus On ALL the Things You Already Do Really Well!

I know it can be easy to look at the big goals others around us are setting and feel like we need to set goals and make big changes in our own lives as well… but what’s right for your friend, sister, cousin, neighbor, or coworker isn’t necessarily right for you.

So take a deep breath and keep reading! 

I’ve divided today’s post up into 4 different topics for a more organized reading experience — simply click through the linked text to read more about any particular topic or subject.

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If You Feel Overwhelmed By BIG Goals

Before I get too far into this post, I want to  make it VERY clear that I personally do not set many big huge goals every year — that’s just not my style. I’m much more of a small, realistic, do-able goals type of gal… and that’s reflected in many of my posts about goals.

If you’re NOT the type of person to set big huge audacious goals, you’ll definitely enjoy this post I wrote 2 years ago!

If I do have a bigger goal to work towards, I almost always break it down into smaller, more manageable pieces so it doesn’t feel as overwhelming. Once I have my smaller goals, I Set Self-Imposed Deadlines for Myself and my goals. I’ve ben doing this for years and years (back to my college days) and the system is still working really well for me!

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If You Struggle to Stay Motivated…

The struggle to stay motivated and focused towards our goals is very real… and it affects basically anyone and everyone at some point in their lives. It’s one of the most common complaints I hear (I promise, you’re not the only one!)

The good news… it’s NOT your fault!

Did you know that Motivation is NOT Constant?

It’s basically impossible to stay motivated towards any of your goals 100% of the time! There will always be periods of time (maybe minutes and hours, maybe months and years) when you just don’t have the energy or will-power to continue pushing forward, even though the goal you’re working towards IS really important to you.

Don’t believe me? Read this post and learn more (I even included some nerdy graphs and charts!)

Oh, and just to keep things real, you should know that I too struggle with staying motivated! Earlier this year, I wrote about how I made excuses instead of actually working towards my goal. It’s amazing how quickly things turned around once I stopped making silly excuses and got to work!

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If You’re Frustrated With Lack of Progress Towards Your Goals…

There are so many reasons we get off track when working towards our goals (lack of motivation being one I just hit on above).

Here are a few more posts I’ve written to address some of these issues!

• The One Thing To Do When You Get Off Track (so simple… but not necessarily easy)
• How Overcompensating Can Sabotage Your Goals (one of the MOST common issues I see)
• Mastering Your Mindless Manners (this one gets me every time!)
• Progress is Progress… even if it’s only 5 minutes (I remind myself of this on a very regular basis!)
• Sustainable Change Happens Slowly (don’t let yourself get frustrated right away!)
• Lifestyle Changes versus Quick Fixes (I’ll give you a hint, the quick fixes often won’t give you the results you’re looking for)
• How I finally stopped making excuses and started working towards my goals.

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If You Want to Get Started Right Now…

Just DO IT! 

There is NO reason you have to wait until the beginning of a New Year, until the beginning of a new month, until you get that promotion at work, until you lose your next 5 pounds, until your friend sets her goal, until your house is cleaner, until your schedule is less full, until you have more money for a gym membership, until the weather is cooler, etc. etc.

Just get started right now and make as much progress as you can with the time, energy, and resources you have available right now. 

You definitely won’t make any progress towards your goal by waiting around for the “perfect time” to finally get started, because (in my opinion) It Is Rarely Ever the “Right Time” to Get Started.

Please keep in mind, though, that Sustainable Change Happens Slowly… so don’t let yourself get frustrated by lack of progress right away!

Goals are fantastic once we reach them… they’re also sort of annoying when we feel like we’re still SO FAR AWAY!

However, based on lots and lots and lots of personal real-life experience with setting and achieving various goals, I can tell you it’s worth it!

What Goals Are You Working Towards Right Now?

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