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When setting goals for ourselves, it is absolutely essential that they are realistic. It is possible to achieve any goal no matter how big it seems. The key is to break it down into realistic doable portions.
About 6 months ago, I set a goal that I viewed as impossible. But when I broke it down, I saw that it was very possible. The technique that I used was a mind map. The goal that I set for myself was responsibility. I spent many years completely dependent on my parents because of my many mental and physical challenges. My mother did all of my laundry, paid for my car insurance, and my gasoline. She cooked for me and even cleaned my room. When I finally decided that I was going to become responsible, it encompassed such a wide spectrum of things. I didn't even have a checking account much less a credit card.
In the middle of my piece of paper, I wrote the word responsibility and drew a circle around it. Then I branched it out into 5 categories: self-care, finances, personal relationships, career and education, and spiritual growth. This was the beginning of my action plan. I'm going to use my finances as an example. I came up with a list of every action that I needed to take in order to change my financial situation. My list is as follows:
Finances:
Establish checking account
Establish savings account
take over gasoline bill
take over car insurance payments
Learn to balance checkbook
Get a small secured credit card
put $10 per week into savings
Retain attorney for bankruptcy
File for bankruptcy
Save $5,000 for downpayment for new car
Save $3,000 for furniture for apartment
Save $2,000 for moving expenses/deposits
Get apartment
When I accomplished something on my checklist, I would check it off. Each time that i checked off something, I felt a sense of empowerment. Now there were a few things, sepcifically in the self-care category where consistency was the key. In those things, I kept a daily log. When I had done them everyday for 21 days, I would check it off. It is proven that it takes 21 days to change a habit.
One of the most important things that helped me as I tackled this huge goal was support and accountability. I picked people that I trusted to be my support buddies. I made them aware of the goals that I had set for myself. I checked in with them regularly, sometimes even on a daily basis. I let them know what I had and had not accomplished for that day.
Ultimately what happened is I started to hold myself accountable. I continued to have support, but I no longer needed to be accountable to them.
It has only been about 6 months since I swtarted my checklist and I have completed almost everything on my list. Anything in life is possible. I am proof of that. I encourage you to pick something to work on and break it down. The feeling of accomplishment when you've completed a big goal is an awesome feeling. Just remember to take it one step at a time! Good Luck!
About the author:
My name is Lynne Kaska. I am currently building up a successful coaching practice. My many years of personal experience have given me many unique abilities to help other people to make the necessary changes to create a life of happiness. If you feel that you can have more, be more, and do more, then I invite you to visit my website at www.visionarycoaching.comor email me at Coach_Lynne@hotmail.com
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