How to write your goals.

Creating Goals That Rock!

Do you ever wonder why some of your goals never quite get off the ground? You’ve got good intentions – yet with everything else going on in your busy life, you lose the plot.

Everyone needs something from you, your to-do list is a mile long and there are already not enough hours in the day to cram it all in.

How are you also supposed to devote time to your personal goals?

Here’s the truth. A lot of your day to day struggles would disappear if you just sat down and devoted a little time to figuring out a better way. Honestly!

The kind of goals I’m talking about are the very ones that are going to help you feel calmer, better organised and able to handle the daily juggle a lot easier.

The choice is yours. Stay on that crazy hamster wheel and keep spinning away, hoping things will get better on their own – or make a decision to do something about it.

In my previous blog, The Power of Designing Your Year, I gave you a great way to get started by using the Project Me Life Wheel® tool.

If you haven’t carved out some time for this yet, schedule in a date with yourself.

Get up early one morning or stay up a bit later. Call off that coffee morning or sacrifice your Netflix fix for one evening.

After you’ve done the homework you’re going to feel fired-up and ready to keep moving forward!

Here in Week 2 we’re going deeper.

It’s time to get clear about what and why behind each goal. (We’ll get to the how next week.)

Often we set goals that are too vague. If you don’t know what you want how can you get it?

You also need to understand why you want it. How will it improve your life?

Open up your notebook – here’s what to do next:

1. Re-write your top wants into clear goals using present tense and positive language. Add the reasons why you’re setting this goal and how you’ll feel when you’re living it.

2. Answer this powerful question: What happens if I do nothing?

An example to help you:

  • I want to stop shouting at my kids and get better cooperation.

Now here it is, re-written using present tense, positive language and adding the why:

  • I’m a peaceful parent who talks to my kids in a reasonable tone of voice. I do this because shouting doesn’t work and there are better ways. I feel great about myself when I stay calm and my kids are happier and behave better. If I do nothing I’ll continue to beat myself up about it. My relationship with my kids will break down. They’ll grow up and shout at their own kids.

See how I’ve used the present tense – as if it’s already happening? I am instead of I want.

Notice too how to phrase it positively‘peaceful parent’ rather than ‘stop shouting’.

Create positive goals around the outcome you want – not what you want to stop doing.

Your mind latches on to the language you use. Using the positive tells it the action to take. Using the present tense makes you believe you’re already doing it.

Adding the why is crucial. Your goal’s got no legs without it. Thinking about what happens if you do nothing is a real incentive to get going!

Here’s another common example.

  • I want to lose weight and get in shape.

Let’s juice that up, breathe some soul into it and get you visualising how great that’s going to feel. (And how you’ll feel if you do nothing.)

  • I wear everything in my wardrobe! I have high energy. I feel great on the beach on our trip. If I do nothing I’ll keep feeling bad about myself.  I won’t be able to wear half the clothes in my closet. I’ll feel tired and crap. I’ll cover myself up on the beach.  (Ditch negative self-talk that tells you it’s not possible – the how comes next week. For now – dream big!)

Here’s an example of one of my own Work goals.

  • I want to make Project Me a huge success.

Very vague. What does it mean exactly? How about:

  • I create a truly successful business that genuinely changes lives and that makes me incredibly happy and fulfilled! Not only does it generate an impactful income for my family, but a percentage of all profits goes to help disadvantaged women. Project Me will become a global movement! If I do nothing, I’ll have let myself and my family down. I won’t be reaching all the people I know I can help. I’ll be wasting my talents.

Examples are powerful so let’s take a few of your comments left under our previous blogs and work with those:

Michelle says: I want to stop feeling overwhelmed all the time by the things I have to do which cause me to feel more anxious.

Her re-written goal could look more like this: I’m in control of my to-do list. I have systems in place, feel productive and more organised than ever before. I feel clear headed and on top of my busy life this year.

Bonnie says: I’m going to try to work on decluttering my house.

Can you see how passive I’m going to try sounds? There’s no power behind the word try. There’s no trying, only doing!

How about this instead: My house is clutter free and looks amazing! I can find everything when I need it. I’ve eliminated the unnecessary and not only does my house feel happier, I feel relieved! I’m determined to keep it this way!

Laurie says: I want to be a better wife / communicator.

Here she needs to get really clear with herself about what being a better wife and communicator means. She can start off by writing ‘I am a wonderful wife and strong communicator’, then continue with more details of how that looks and feels.

Tammy says: I want more fun in my life.

Re-written: I have a lot of fun in my life! (Go into more detail about how that will make you feel – and what will happen if you don’t get proactive about it. Remember – next week is where you’ll explore ways of making this happen. For now, concentrate on how you’ll feel when it does.)

Ok, now you have a bit of fuel for your fire!

Get going this week on re-writing your wishes into real goals that’ll make a true difference to your happiness.

Getting clear about what you want and writing it down in this powerful way is how you’re going to create goals that rock.

In Part 3 you’ll be creating action plans to move a few of your top goals into take-off position. Hold on tight – it’s going to be a great ride! 

Are you using the Project Me Life Wheel® to help you with all of this? Just pop your details into the box below and be sure to look for the confirmation email. It might be in your junk folder, so get it outta there! 

If you’d like extra help with all of this, join Project WE – a private online membership club for women with a growth-mindset who want to achieve their goals – while enjoying the journey. Get full details here.

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6 Comments

  1. Leslie on January 13, 2014 at 5:25 PM

    I am a woman who eats healthy. I eat a minimal amount of junk food, even at work where I’m constantly tempted. I do this because I feel so much better about myself when I eat properly. If I don’t do this, I will continue to gain weight and feel worse about myself with each pound gained.

    • Kelly Pietrangeli on January 13, 2014 at 5:33 PM

      Fantastic Leslie! You’ve used the present tense and been exceptionally clear in how you’ve written you goal. You are SO going to rock this goal out this year!!! 🙂

  2. Olivia on January 14, 2014 at 3:50 PM

    I take my regular running activity up a notch. I sign up for the London 10K this July. I continue training three times a week working on my pace and running longer distances. I’ll raise money for charity and feel really proud of myself. If I don’t do this all the effort I’ve put in so far will have been for nothing.

    • Kelly Pietrangeli on January 14, 2014 at 4:07 PM

      Great goal! Raise some great money for charity AND get fit at the same time 🙂

      Next week we’ll help you create a step by step action plan and the week after that – ways to make sure you stick to that training schedule and get across that finish line (literally).

      Good luck Olivia!

  3. Maxine on January 15, 2014 at 12:10 PM

    I am a calm mum even when my kids push my buttons. I do this by taking care of myself, reading positive things about parenting and life, having more fun and feeling happier. I do this because I love my kids so much and they deserve it. If I don’t do anything life will stay the same so I know now it is the time to make changes!

    I want the above to come true this year so I can say this for real next year. Thanks so much gals for helping me see that the time has come for me to set some real goals for myself and stop being “Just a mother” and be a better mother because of that. I hope that makes sense??

    • Suzie Shpaizer on January 15, 2014 at 4:19 PM

      Loving your positive phrasing Maxine. Well done for putting the focus on you – it’s easy to become so totally immersed on being a great mum that we lose ourselves in the process. By making time for yourself, finding more fulfilment and having more fun you’ll have more to give – without question! You’ll look back this time next year and see what a hugely positive difference this step has made to your (and your family’s) life. We’re proud of you! Stay in touch and share your progress with us.

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