Hey, Audacious You!
I’ve got one question: Are you ready to #crush your fall goals? 🙋🏽♀️
It’s Time to Fall Forward!
Like me, perhaps you, too, have left a few goals unchecked on your summer-to-do list and felt the sting of disappointment. To be clear, these goals weren’t #summergoals but rather, important short-term goals you’d hoped to accomplish during the summer season.
Well, it’s time to shake off any lingering doldrums and gear up for the work and season ahead.
In this blog post, I share four (4) practical steps to get back on track to finish the year strong. Let’s get ready to fall forward for greater success and fulfillment!
Step #1: Clarify What Happened
Was it a lack of preparation and effort?
Did you underestimate the challenges or timetable?
Was your approach realistic and manageable for you?
As you reflect, avoid using reactive language (“This tends to happen to me…”) or positioning yourself as a victim (“If that didn’t happen…”).
Instead, be direct and proactive (“I was inconsistent in following through and need to address this going forward.”)
Your review should include an honest appraisal of obstacles and challenges including your own limitations. Where possible, consult any data such as your checklists, benchmarks, and metrics to achieve a fuller portrait.
Whatever the reason(s), the goal is to leverage the review as an opportunity to make changes, adjust your strategy, and grow as an individual.
And, to clarify your WHY. That’s the focus of the next section.
Step #2: Reconnect to Your WHY
Reconnect to your why to stay focused and motivated especially when the going gets tough. Consider . . .
What led you to set the goal in the first place?
What makes the goal important for you?
What’s at stake if nothing changes?
Once you’ve answered these questions–preferably aloud–you’ll probably feel a shift in energy. That’s the power of your why and your desire to achieve it!
Build on this upward spiraling, confidence-boosting energy by reminding yourself of your wins. That’s next!
Step #3: Because Sometimes, You Need to be Reminded of Your Wins
When things go awry, we have a tendency to expect and fixate on negative stimuli. That’s because our brain is hard-wired for negative events. Known as the negativity bias, this hard wiring (and our conditioning) then leads to unhealthy mental chatter and reactive thinking and doing.
For example, negativity bias can affect our ability to draw a broader perspective, including minimizing the good we’ve accomplished and that’s around us.
N🚫 NEGATIVITY ALLOWED HERE!
Remind yourself of what you’ve achieved thus far. Jot them down–or type them for added impact–and display them prominently in your environment. (As for me, I celebrated quite a few victories including conducting my annual review to start the year and developing my Something Beautiful curriculum for teen girls. Big FLEX! 💪🏾 )
More importantly, remind yourself of the qualities and character traits that powered your achievements such as your self-belief, creativity, and grit.
Flex for what your power has brought forth. 💪🏾
No matter how insignificant they may seem, celebrate your wins. Each step forward reinforces your self-trust, moves you closer to your outcome, provides a sense of accomplishment, and boosts your motivation.
This energy booster is exactly what you need to fall forward with renewed purpose.
In the next section, I share how to make smart adjustments using micro-goals and accountability measures to stay on track.
Step #4: Make Smart Adjustments with Micro-Goals & Stay on Track
Let’s suppose your goal is to purchase a house, then a micro-goal could be budgeting for it or getting pre-approved for a loan. Suddenly, buying the house feels less daunting and more attainable, right?
This is the effect of micro-goals. Setting micro-goals allows us to manage our goals by segmenting them into smaller, more manageable goals and tasks. They offer us a road map of sorts to our destination.
What micro-goals could you set towards achieving your bigger goals?
Jot them down and prioritize them to ensure productivity. Not every micro-goal is equally weighted or carries the same urgency. So, get clear about which ones to tackle immediately, in the short-term, and in the long-term.
Holding Yourself Accountable
Plan to hold yourself accountable by periodically evaluating your progress and making adjustments along the way. Decide for yourself the frequency of check-ins that you feel good to you: weekly? bi-weekly? monthly? quarterly?
And, be sure to schedule your check-ins in your calendar or agenda.
Resources such as to-do journals, checklists, productivity apps, or even an accountability partner can also be effective in keeping you on track. Find a tool and system that works for you and stick with it.
Throughout this blog post, we’ve explored evaluating what led to your setback, reconnecting to your “why,” celebrating your wins, and making adjustments with micro-goals and measures to stay on track. These are all powerful tools that can propel you forward to achieving your goals and personal effectiveness.
May this season of metamorphosis bring you growth, inspiration, &
the daring to pursue your dreams.
Fall forward, Audacious You!
Also by Glenda: Understanding Your Resilience: Strength vs Liability
Need support getting back on track and implementing some of the steps outlined? We’re here to help and only a click away. Contact us.
About Glenda M. Francis
Glenda M. Francis is the founder of Audacious Inner Works Institute in New York, a personal development and capacity building service organization. She is an ICF credentialed life coach specializing in confidence building, life design, and women’s wellness and power.