5 Questions That Will INSTANTLY Help You Achieve Your Goals

You decide that this is the year that you finally achieve that goal that keeps escaping you. This is the year ... but what is it that is going to make this year so different than the others? Is there anything that can help make this time around the last time?  Rest assured that there is! Answering these five questions can help you boost your chances of success before you even start! For added impact, make sure to write down your goals and answers where you can see them throughout the year. I'm writing mine in my bullet journal. 

1. What is my motivation? 

Really think about this and consider your reasons beyond the obvious. 

E.g. If my motivation for the goal "lose the baby weight" is "because it's healthier," that won't motivate me much when I'm craving junk food. Instead, I can write: "more energy, better sleep, quality and length of life." (I want to be here for my boys as long as I can!) I'm worth it and owe it myself. Besides, I've given birth without medication now and I've seen what my body is capable of'! 

2. How will I know I have succeeded?

Set measurable goals. If you can't define what success looks like, you'll be staring in a gray area that will only get murkier with time. Set specific and quantifiable goals that will allow you to track your progress as you go. 
E.g.  "Drink no more than one soda a month" 
"Work out 3x a week" 
"Run an 8-minute mile"

 3. What is my strategy?

French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry once said, "A goal without a plan is just a wish."  You wouldn't start a long trek without first planning your route. You need to prepare and anticipate potential setbacks to ensure you reach your destination. Apply that same logic to your goals. How are you going to ensure that you keep moving forward? 
E.g. "I'm going to pack my gym bag and have the diaper bag packed and ready to go the night before I go to workout. I have a DVD workout to fall back on if I can't make it into the gym." 

When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps. Confucius
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/goals.html

4. What will my life would like if I achieve my goal? 

This is pretty self-explanatory. How will your daily life be affected for the better? 

E.g.  "If I achieve my goal, I will have more energy to play with my boys, I'll decrease my risk for hereditary illnesses, I will be more comfortable in my own skin, and I'll finally be able to justify spending some money on new clothes." Hubs and I plan to take the boys out to Four Corners to explore and do some canyon hiking and scrambling. I want to be able to keep up and enjoy the adventure!

5. What will my life look like if I don't achieve my goal?

E.g. "If nothing changes, I will feel like I've let myself and my family down. My energy level will stay low, I'll lack the endurance to keep up with my boys the way I would like, and my chances of hereditary illness will go up.Plus, my kids will show me up when we go hiking... and we can't have that."

I want to challenge you to write out your goals and responses to these questions, and I'd love for you to share them with me! Tag them with #5QGoalChallenge so we can all encourage one another!