I have set New Year's resolutions every year for as long as I can remember and I never achieved ANY of them until 3 years ago when I first achieved not only one, but all of my New Year's resolutions.
Ever since then I have set my goals higher each year and continued to achieve them all. So what made the difference for me?
One simple task that I started doing everyday that literally takes me 3 minutes.
I review my goals everyday.
That’s it! That was the gamer changer for me.
By reminding myself everyday what my goals are and why I want to accomplish them in 3 quick minutes, I have been able to reach every goal I have set each year.
I know that might sound too simple, but one of the main reasons that people don't reach their goals is that they simply forget about them.
We set our goals with the best of intentions, but then we go back to our over scheduled lives and our goals get drowned out by busyness and we completely forget all about them.
Reading through your goals not only helps you to remember them, but it also gets your brain to start working on achieving them. All day long your subconscious is going to be looking for opportunities to help you achieve your goals.
Once you set a goal you need a quick and easy system to keep you focused, motivated and consistent. Taking these 3 minutes each day to review your goals is that system.
How Do I Review My Goals?
1. Make a List of Your Goals and "Whys".
Your "whys" are the reasons why you want to achieve your goals.
Your “why” is a big source of your motivation so you want to be sure to reinforce the why behind your goal at the same time as you remind yourself to work on the goal itself.
For example, if my goal is to lose 20 pounds by June 30th, then my "whys" could include an upcoming beach vacation that I want to look good for.
Both your goals and your "whys" need to be written down.
2. Read Through Your List Everyday (at least 5 days per week).
Take 3 minutes to read through your list.
If you make this a long process then you will burn out and quit. The key is to make is simple and short, yet impactful.
I recommend reviewing your goals in the morning so that your mind can get straight to work on achieving them, but the "right time" is the time that you know you will actually do it.
The 3 minutes that you take to review your goals is so important that if you are not going to take the 3 minutes each day to review your goals I would tell you to not even waste your time setting goals.
4 Creative Ways To Review your Goals
Writing your goals on a piece of paper that gets tucked away and is never seen again for 6 months is actually making a wishlist not a goal list. Be honest with yourself, if you really want to achieve a goal you need to think about it everyday and track your daily progress.
Below is a list of ways that you can write down your goals to make them easy to review everyday.
1. Vision Board
Are you a visual learner? Are you creative? Do you get motivated by looking at pictures of your goals?
If you answered “yes” to any of those questions then a vision board might be the best strategy for you.
A vision board is literally a board that you fill with pictures, inspiring quotes or affirming words. Anything that will help reinforce your goals and motivate you to achieve them.
Be sure to include things that evoke emotion and help you visualize yourself as someone who has already achieved your goal and what that will feel like.
Sticking with our example goal to lose 20 pounds, my vision board might then include a quote like the one above.
Be sure to include your goal and "whys" written out so you can read through it each day. Then use all the other pictures and quotes for reinforcement.
2. Write Them In A Journal
Do you learn by “doing”? Are you a hands-on person? Then writing them in your journal each might be the best option for you.
This means sitting down with your journal each day and rewriting your goals and "whys". This might sound a bit overwhelming to you, but to be honest it only takes a few minutes to jot them down.
Your journal entries should not include more than 3 goals at a time. Remember: keep it simple.
3. Write Them On Your Bathroom Mirror
Do you take a long time to get ready in the mornings? If so, then posting your goals in the bathroom might be the perfect way for you to sneak in your goal reviewing sessions.
The reason the bathroom mirror is so great is because it is somewhere that you go every single day...hopefully!
Also, in the few minutes it takes you to brush your teeth you can complete your entire goal review session.
It doesn't actually have to be the bathroom mirror, it can be anywhere that you go to daily that you will see it and remember.
4. Carry Them Around With You
Are you always on the go? Then bringing your goals with you might be the best option for you.
Having your goals in your phone so you can pull them up and read them anytime you want or on 3 X 5 cards that you carry with you is a great way to stay on track.
Life is full of waiting moments: waiting at the kids school for after school pick up, waiting at the doctor’s office or waiting for the kids to finish soccer practice.
If you have your goals with you all the time then you can pull them out anytime to review them. Rather than wasting time on social media while you wait, you can use the time to help motivate yourself towards your goals.
Your Turn
It's time to make reviewing your goals a part of your daily routine. I have given you a few ideas to get started, but there is no right or wrong formula.
Below is a little "to-do" list for you to get started. I can't wait to hear about the amazing results that you are going to achieve by adding these 3 minutes into your daily routine!
