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Goals. We either make them or we don’t at the start of every New Year. A couple of week’s ago, I listed several of mine in my Tuesday Meme Mix Up post. It seems, as soon as we commit ourselves to doing something we get this sensation of being entangled in a snare or at least I do. There’s a trick to not letting procrastination flub up your well thought out resolutions if you’ll begin by putting into motion these 3 saving principle goals.
- Limitations. One big draw back is making goals you know you can’t successfully do. One goal I use to make every year was to organize my entire house. Wrong! I will NEVER be able to see this as a reality. Instead, I’ve learned to take it one room at a time using the use it or lose it rule. If there is no more practical use of an item, then I trash it. Unfortunately, I married a pack rat and we spawn three little pack rats. Daddy pack rat is coming around to my philosophy of, use it or lose it, though. Today, I tally more victories and fewer failures by not stretching my limits.
- Boundaries. I’ve learned over the years the sure-fire way to make me throw out all of my goals before I get even get things off the ground is by attempting to do too much at one time. Year after year, I would commit to losing weight. Who hasn’t been there, right? It was no to this, no to that. This mentality caused me to want these things more. I found denying myself of these foods completely is more likely to binge eat which resulted in horrible guilt. I found myself unable to push beyond the wall of negative feelings and my noble goals pushed out the window. I learned it was important to allow my psychological state to not only recognize my weaknesses but to give myself permission to fudge a little. Soon, my cravings vanished. Boundaries can help you to accomplish a greater good over a short-term fix.
- Tenacity. Don’t give up! The bottom line is this, you’re going to hit snags. Life throws a curve ball from time to time. It’s inevitable, you’re going to get knocked off your feet. Ask yourself this, if you were lost in a dessert, would you give up and die? Absolutely not! You would pick yourself up and keep going. Your goals will never be lost during life’s chaos again if you keep up this train of thinking. The stick-to-itiveness which separates whiners from shiners is tenacity!
Goals impossible or possible? You decide!
“…for with God all things are possible.”
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Cathy, what a great and timely post for the letter G.
You really express how I feel about setting goals but I’ve not been able to put it into words.
Lofty goals are wonderful but if they are unattainable they are just another frustration in life!
Thanks for a great link for the letter G.
A+
Lots of good advice here. Thanks for sharing.
starting early is another good way to make sure your goals get completed. Procrastination is a horrible thing to work against! {:-Deb
Great article!
I think goals are very much achievable, it just depends on the person making them and how much they are willing to sacrifice to get there.
Now that goes for me too
Awesome post! I am using Baby Steps as my way of achieving goals. Inch by inch I will get there. I have been losing weight since July. 24 pounds now. And Inch by inch I will lose 24 more or more or less. Every day is a fresh start! And inch by inch I will get my UFO’s finished too. Those are my main goals.
~Linnea
If we don’t try then we can only blame ourselves, right! Go for it, that’s what I say…it’s usually only ourselves that seem to get in the way….
Great post Cathy!
I don’t do the New Year’s resolution thing since I set goals year round. I find I am more likely to complete my goals if I keep them smaller and short term.
We have a “one in/one out” policy around our house. If we buy something another item has to go. I also make regular trips to Goodwill with a donation. I really dislike clutter around the house but it just keeps happening.
I think goals are always possible if we keep them realistic.
I am happy to take a year off and just do the easy stuff. No challenges this year – fingers crossed.
Good goal advice. I live by the use it or lose it philosophy…keep waiting for it to rub off on that sweet pack rat I married!
Had to chuckle about your “limitations” goal. I have since long given up on that, but I can put my foot down when guests are coming over:):)
I think they are totally possible!
what a brilliant post. I have my minamalist daughter comeing to stay next week and WE are appling use it or chuck it mantra to my whole house.
I stopped making traditional “resolutions” years ago for these very reasons. I’ve found that if I just look at the new year as a kind of fresh start, where the possibilities are limitless, I do a much better job at making some headway.
Like you said, if you put limitations on the things you can do, it usually only makes you want to do them more. I think it’s basic human nature to react like that.
Great post!