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The Big 5

So where do we start with goals setting? Which areas of my life need the most help and improvement? As I shared yesterday, I am so overwhelmed at times, that I just don't know where or even how to start. Baby steps! Remember? Okay, so let's focus on the "Big 5" i.e. Faith, Family/relationships, Health, Career/calling, and Finances. I was trying to start each word with the letter "F", but I am not that cleaver! I think we can safely say that these five categories comprise most of our lives.

What if we start out by setting just one or two goals for each of these areas? Doing the math that would be 5-10 goals for the year. Remember, we are trying to not be overwhelmed, so we don't want to set the bar too high. Also try to categorize each goal in terms of being SMART, specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound. For example under the category "Health", for me to write down "I am going to run in the New York City marathon this August" would be stretching my realistic and achievable criteria. It is certainly a specific, measurable, and time-bound goal, but just not something I plan on doing this year! 

Think about formulating "compelling" goals. This would be the "WHY" behind the goal. Does completing X goal really matter in my life? In the life of others within my circle of responsibility/influence?  Will achieving it make a difference in my happiness, peace of mind, calmness of spirit? For example, is the goal intellectually stimulating or physically challenging? Is it worth even writing it down? Think about stretching outside of what your are comfortable with, or what your "normal" is like.

Make sure to write your goals down and then assign a deadline. This will create a sense of urgency and help you balance your priorities. Turn negatives into positives. Instead of saying something like, "I won't eat any junk food this year", rephrase it by saying, "I choose to eat 1 serving of fruit or vegetables at each meal." By focusing on what you "get" to eat, rather than deprivation, we build healthy habits without much thought or effort.

Tomorrow, we will continue this discussion, and we will be specifically thinking about how to personalize our goals.

Have a sunny day!  

 

 

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