What’s Your Plan for the Rest of the Year?

Do you like to revisit your goals in the fall? I do! Fall is a perfect time to recommit to your goals for the year.

It’s a great time for renewal. The heat dissipates and fades into crisp fall weather, giving me a burst of energy.

When my main job was a work-at-home Mom, I had more leisure time. I often would watch Anne of Green Gables in September with my children.

I agree with her sentiment:

“Tomorrow is always fresh, with no mistakes in it yet.”
~L.M. Montgomery.

Do you feel the same way about fall and revisiting goals left unfinished?

I’ll help you out with those goals. Today I’ll share best practices for getting back on track with your goals—business or personal ones.

In January, I posted about SMART goals. Following the SMART formula works for many people like you and me.

Renewing Commitment to Goals

First: Remind and reconnect with the goals from the beginning of the year.

I like to read over my goals at the beginning of each month and track my progress in each. Sometimes I am doing great, and other times I have dropped the ball or abandoned a goal or two.

I want to notice my gut reaction as I read through my goals. What ones am I most excited about? What ones cause an apathetic (lukewarm or tepid) or even guilty response?  To try this yourself, look at your goals and jot down your primary response to each one.

Now is a great time to follow my call to action: take time to revisit your goals and recommit!

Second: Reprioritize your goals.

Which goal will you focus on first? This would be the one you’re most excited about at this time. Which goal is second priority, third priority, and so on.

When you set out on this yearly journey and created these goals, your mindset and ambitions may have been different. Also, some things may have changed at work or in your personal life. Consequently, you may decide to pick a different priority one goal.

For example, if you received a well-deserved promotion to a different position with more responsibility, the goals you had for your former post would be obsolete. You would need to create a new set of goals that correspond to your new job.

And personal goals would alter if a major change like having a baby or becoming empty nesters is your new normal. If you had a baby, (or are a new dad), the goal of blogging or writing 1 hour a day is unrealistic. For empty nesters, the goal of traveling once a month is now totally possible.

Third: Note which milestone you’re currently working on.

If you broke it into milestones, are you at milestone 3, for example?

Note how many milestones or steps you have left in your goal. It’s time to plan.

Then, take a few minutes to look at the next steps for your goals. When could you reasonably accomplish each step? If you are fond of a structured approach, you could even sketch out a timeline at this point.

Take into account how long each step would take, the time you have to work on your goal, and any resources you’ll need. Other people may be willing to help you, but they may not be available right away, for example. Factor that in when you create your timeline.

Say you are working on some professional development classes to further your career. When will you finish your current class? Also, do you need a break between classes? Be aware that in college programs, some classes are only available either fall or winter semester. It’s wise to check on class availability.

Fourth: Revisit your motivation to achieve the goal.

What motivated you to create that goal or objective in the first place? Better pay, more recognition, a promotion, personal peace of mind, or health?

What drives you now? Which goal are you most excited about?

I firmly believe that each of us will be more successful when we focus on some goal or objective we are passionate about. I don’t believe in forcing myself to accomplish something I’m no longer motivated to do.

That being said, I am my own boss and I set the direction for my company. When you have a manager or boss running the show, you do need to accomplish the tasks and projects they set out for you. In a perfect world, your passion and your profession intersect.

Fifth: List the resources needed for success.

This is related to point #3. What resources do you need? Education, money, a mentor, experts within your company, time, and passion may play a part in reaching the objectives you’ve set.

Planning the steps in detail takes some time and thought. In fact, I’ve found it’s best, if your company permits it, to go off-site, turn off your phone and email notifications, and do a planning deep dive.

I know one company where the top admins go offsite for a planning session once a quarter. They see a huge benefit from this. (Company leaders are often the people who get interrupted the most onsite.)

The GM and her leadership team return with renewed enthusiasm for their projects and plans.

Sixth: Remember to celebrate your success!

This is something I don’t always do. I just smile, give myself a nod, and fall into an exhausted heap. Just kidding!

When I finish something big, I do celebrate. I did a happy dance the moment I opened that cardboard box and gazed on my book Get Organized Quick!

It’s healthy to celebrate your achievements; when you work hard, you deserve it!

Each of us have individual ways we celebrate; choose the reward that appeals to you. 😉

Remember my call to action? I’ll add one thing to it.

Take time to revisit your goals and attack the ones that excite you with renewed vigor.

What did you learn from this blog? I’d love to hear your comments here or on Facebook or LinkedIn.