This Year, Focus On Goals Rather Than Resolutions -- www.OnlineOrganizing.com

You Are Here: Home - Newsletters - "Get Organized" - Article

	This Year, Focus On Goals Rather Than Resolutions

	by Stephanie Calahan

New Year's Eve has always been a time for looking back to the past, and more importantly, FORWARD to the coming year. It's a time to reflect on the changes we want (or need) to make and resolve to follow through on those changes. Since one of the most popular New Year's resolutions is getting organized, the National Association of Professional Organizers has declared January as National Get Organized Month.

MAKE THE SHIFT

This year, do something a little different. Set new year's GOALS rather than resolutions. Oftentimes when we make new year's resolutions on December 31, they are forgotten by January 2! Goals, on the other hand, if written correctly, are revisited and attained!

SET LIMITS

National success coach, Brian Buffini, once noted that Americans significantly underestimate what they can do in a year and drastically overestimate what they can do in a week. Be REALISTIC about what you can accomplish. As you create your goals, do not set expectations that they would all be accomplished at the same time. Every person, regardless of intelligence, age or education can only process a few changes at a time (if the changes are to be lasting.) Define no more than 5 major goals for the year.

HOW TO CREATE A GREAT GOAL

Make your goals VIBRANT -- living -- hold real meaning and you will attain them! A vibrant goal will help you retain focus on what you are trying to achieve as well as what it will take to get you there.

CREAT A SMART GOAL

When you write your goal, make sure that it is "smart":

SPECIFIC -- detailed enough to know exactly what you should do
MEASURABLE -- you will have a way to know you did or did not reach the goal
ATTAINABLE -- the goal is something that is reachable
REALISTIC -- can you really accomplish this task?
TIME-LIMITED -- set a date

So, a not so "smart" goal would say something like, "Loose weight." A "smart" goal would say, "Loose 3 pounds a month for a total weight loss of 36 pounds in a year."

VISUALIZE

Work to IMAGINE and then write out what it will look like when you succeed. Know your "Why." Understand why you want to attain the goal and what benefit you will have once successful.

KNOW THE COST OF ATTAINMENT

Understand the EFFORT or cost to you in attaining the goal. What action steps will you need to take to accomplish your goal?

KNOW THE COST OF NON-ATTAINMENT

What are the CONSEQUENCES if you do not make your goals? What will happen if you are not successful?

WRITE IT OUT

Studies have proven that goals that are written down are way more likely to succeed than those that are just thought about or VERBALIZED. Good luck with all of your goals. May you experience great success!

Stephanie Calahan is a professional organizer and speaker as well as founder of Calahan Solutions, Inc. -- a premier professional organizing and consulting firm, serving a national and local clientele in corporate settings, home-based businesses, and residential environments. You may visit her website at www.calahansolutions.com.

Would you like to reprint this article in your publication -- or distribute it to a wider audience? Click here for reprinting instructions.

Want to receive these kind of articles via e-mail each month? Sign up for a free newsletter subscription.

Click here to return to "Get Organized" -- December 2009...