It’s that time again when no one eats cake anymore because they are all on a diet for the new year. My head spins from the conversations about what people are giving up, losing, or finally going to change this year.
Today, I chose three myths to tackle with a mindset shift for each.
MYTH
This dream is too big, “I can’t do that, it’s reaching too high”. Conversely, there’s also a pervasive fear of playing too small, “I really want this, but am afraid it’s not big or important enough.”
TRUTH
There is a myth in the air that goal setting is only for HUGE plans. If you’re not aiming for a million dollars or to change the world, then you shouldn’t even get out of bed, let alone set a goal. Relax people! The point isn’t to be as big as Oprah or Tony Robbins…tomorrow. Goal setting is about clarifying what your personal best life looks like, so that you can move forward with purpose. Being your best self and living a life that brings you joy does serve the world! The ripple effects are huge.
I know that I have been inspired most in my life by people who are living their truth on purpose. Quietly, consistently, joyfully staying in their truth. Yes, I am inspired by the huge world-changing goals such as the purpose of Rachel Hollis motivating women around the country Tony Robbins-style.
But I am also inspired by a friend, who is environmentally-focused, to switch to cloth napkins and ditch paper at home. Her goal wasn’t to change the world – her goal was to reduce paper waste in her home. And that inspired me to do the same.
Your dream is your dream. Your goals are your own. They are not up for judgement and there is no comparison. Be who you are, love what you love, and stay true to your path. You may never know how far your ripple goes.
MYTH
I’ll set this New Year’s resolution to fix that thing that I hate about myself or my life.
TRUTH
New Year’s resolutions like “lose 40 lbs” or “get out of debt” may sound like things you want, but I have to tell you, it’s like running a marathon — backwards. When you are running (or even driving for that matter), you move towards the place you are looking. It has been said that if you’re in the lead, the fastest way to lose a race is to look behind you. Where you are looking, where your eyes are focused, is where you will go. So it stands to reason that the weight or the debt are things you want to leave behind, right?
Where do you want to go? What are you moving towards? Keep your eyes on the positive end result that you want. Flip the script.
Lose 40 lbs becomes: Feel good in my body by moving and exercising three times per week. Play outdoor games with my children. Find a menu plan that works with my schedule that’s full of delicious, healthy food that fuels my body.
Get out of debt becomes: Take a financial literacy class. Create a budget that allows me to feel confident and aligned in my spending and saving habits. Work with a financial planner to be able to send my kids to college with ease.
You are not bad. There’s nothing ‘wrong’ with you that you need to fix with a New Year’s resolution. You’ll be amazed at how fast things change and how good you feel when you focus on something that lifts you up.
MYTH
I tried setting goals but I have failed to reach them. I will fail again and feel bad, so I don’t set goals or resolutions anymore.
TRUTH
Is a dollar bill worth anything less than a dollar if you tell it repeatedly that it’s not worth that much? If you disparage that dollar bill enough, will it lose value? If you hand it to someone behind a register will they look at you and say, “I’m sorry, this dollar bill is worthless and you should throw it away. Do you have another more accomplished dollar bill in your wallet?” Nope, not gonna happen. The same is true of you.
Setting goals is not a pass/fail binary! Allow yourself the grace to say, “I tried getting there one way and something about that didn’t work, perhaps I can find a way that will”. Goal setting can be incredibly empowering, even if you don’t get it right on the first try. Switch up the word failed for the word learned. It’s a great way to flip the script in your own head regarding goal setting or anything else in your life for that matter.
I have so many more radical and fun ideas about goal setting and achieving your purpose in a new way and I’ll be sharing a few of them when I take over the @GirlSesh Instagram on Thursday, January 17th.
I’ll also be sharing my full goal setting practice at the Visual Goal Setting workshop on January 24, 2019, 9 AM – 12 PM at The Creative Chateau and I hope you’ll join me! Ticket information can be found here.
Alignment, focus, and envisioning your ideal future with a group of like-minded, goal-oriented women in a historic Parisian-style apartment in Houston surrounded by creativity and art supplies, led by a visual artist. Can you think of a better way to spend a morning?
