All too often, we buy into the idea that we have no control over our lives. The circumstances of life make it too impossible to plan for the next month, let alone three or five years into the future. It’s challenging to own up to the fact that we make choices all the time that determine our future and do have responsibility over our lives. Once we realize we can determine the outcomes of our life and external circumstances don’t always control us, we can begin mapping out long-term goals. It’s not just about 2019, it’s looking into 2020 and beyond.
As we mentioned in the previous article, achieving long-term goals requires commitment and not just interest. You need to be all in or else the excuses, circumstances, and challenges of life start to derail the process. But how do you get started? Here are a few tips to get you thinking about your long-term goals and how you want to achieve them:
- Write goals down to crystallize them and give them force.
- State each goal as a positive statement.
- Be precise by adding dates, times, amounts, etc. to increase your level of accountability.
- Set priorities to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
- Invest in a coach. An objective and non-judgmental sounding-board can be very helpful.
Maybe some of those ideas gave you food for thought. It’s just the beginning of what you can do to set attainable long-term goals, both personally and for your team. Please call Leah M. Joppy and Associates at 301-670-0051 or email us at leah@lmja.com and let’s work together to plan your long-term goals and make them a reality!