2020 Takeaways — Focus on Process Oriented Goals and Your Progress
This mindset shift was SUCH an impactful one for me this year! It’s been really fun because Geoff has also been going through this mindset shift with his music and goals there, so we've been able to have some great conversations about it. We’ve both been blown away by how much it’s impacted our attitude, resilience, and ultimately our progress!
Having big, longterm goals is important. A success or a promotion in your career, having your side hustle become your main job, buying a house or car, only or mostly having happy & healthy relationships, getting healthy while looking & feeling your best… They gives your life and days purpose and direction. But when you just focus on achieving big goals and don’t celebrate the progress and small wins regularly (because you don’t even see them), it can be so easy to get discouraged!
If you’re making sacrifices or hard changes in your lifestyle, like working extra hours, turning down fun times with friends for your side hustle, cutting back on your spending, ending toxic relationships, or cutting back on alcohol & sugar, it makes sense! Of course you want validation that it’s worth it! But change takes time and consistent effort; growth isn’t overnight. Sometimes, it even feels like or you actually are going backwards. Shifting to a process and progress focused mindset, while remembering your why, is how you can stay focused, motivated, and making progress on your big goals for the long haul.
Once you’ve determined what some of your big goals are and that they’re aligned with your values, break them down into short term, process oriented goals. Start with monthly, then break it down to weekly and daily.
Some ideas… for your job, pick one way you can add value to your boss each week. For your side hustle, pick a few things you can consistently do for growing it each week. For buying a house or car, pick an amount to save from each paycheck. For having happy & healthy relationships, set a reading goals each week for books that support you becoming the happiest and healthiest & books that help you learn about healthy relationships, then implement one thing you learned from each every week. For getting healthy & fit, aim to workout 5-6 days a week and aim for only having wine or dessert 2 days a week.
These short term, process oriented goals need to be doable and specific to you, your longterm goals, & your why, and when you check them off, you need to celebrate them! If you hate running, explore pilates or weight workouts. If you don’t like to read, find some great podcasts or youtube videos. You want them to be goals you can consistently hit in the long term, because equally as important as having goals is acknowledging and celebrating your progress towards & eventual achievement of them.
At the end of each week and each month, look over your to-do list and take time to feel good about all you achieved. If you did more than what you had set out to do, write it down and check it off! Or make a 'ta-da' list, all the things you're proud of yourself for that week. Taking the time to acknowledge and celebrate your progress helps you stay excited, optimistic, and motivated about your goals. It’s self-empowering!
If you’re not sure how to break down your long term goals, or have questions/just want to chat about anything I’ve been sharing in this series, I am more than happy to chat! DM me on Instagram @jordanlaurelle, comment below, or shoot me an email! I love hearing from and am here for you guys!