5 Steps On How to Respark Your Goals?

Is this sound familiar? That last few nights of December, when you were lying in bed and thinking of the things you want for next year. Days went by, and you finally came up with your “ehem” updated NY’s Resolution. You had reviewed it enough to memorize it by heart and promised to commit to it.

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

As the clock strikes 12, NEW LIFE, NEW OPPORTUNITIES – A CHANCE to rewrite your story. You already listed it all, made all these grand plans, feel all pumped up & READY TO ROCK THE WORLD — But after a week or two, slowly but very surely… they fall off, break the momentum, and all progress stops.

Sad but true.

Why most of our goals/ NY Resolutions end up in the graveyard of all your other goals/ideas/dreams? SIMPLE! It’s because some of the goal/s we set are NOT IN-LINE with what we truly want. The biggest reason why most New Year’s resolutions fail is that we know what we want, but we don’t understand WHY we want it. Our goals are not genuinely connected to the very core of our being.

The first thing it often comes back to is consciousness – becoming more aware of who you are and what you really want in your life. Some people call it clarity. It’s hard to be clear about things in your life if you’re not present and aware to them (will discuss more of this later). So, if you’re trying to figure out how you’re going to get ahead, ask yourself first: “What is it specifically that I want to get ahead to? And, is it what I really want? Why?”

Do you want to lose weight, so you’ll feel confident and sexy? Whether you’re getting in shape because you want to live longer; be a good example; boost your energy, feel confident; be able to wear hot trendy clothes, or increase your likelihood to date hot and interesting men and hopefully find your one true love is up to you. Know your big WHY.

The more specific your goal, the more vivid your imagination, the more encouraged you’ll be, and the more likely you will succeed.

Don’t just set goals that you only “uhm-kinda” want to do, think that you HAVE to do (maybe because your parents, friends, or others expect it from you), or set specific goals just because it’s what everybody else is doing.

Below are 5 questions you MUST ask yourself that will help you respark your goals, and set goals that are not just the usual goals (lose weight, save more, travel more, read more, etc.) — but goals that are truly aligned to what you genuinely want to do in life, and what kind of person you really want to be.

Question #1: What are the proudest things I accomplished last year?

Before listing down your goals or resolutions, first — you *must* do an annual review.

Like what I said earlier, we need to be present and aware of where exactly we are in this moment of our life. In this way, we can have clarity and be able to effectively write down our goals because this time, we have the basis.

This is the most crucial step, and yet people skip it – ACKNOWLEDGING WHERE THEY ARE.

I got all these concepts from Arriane Serafico, a teacher, writer, and owner of Purposeful Creative. She has been teaching and mentoring young adults for more than 6 years now about goal-setting. I swear by this process, and it really works for me, so I’m sharing these tips with you too, my lovely readers. 😀

I did mine in bullet form. I list all the things I accomplished during the previous year.

Something as specific like these (for example).

House/Apartment – I am finally renting my own studio apartment and not just “room for rent.”
Travels Abroad/Local – I was able to travel to Singapore and Bohol, and do mini-weekend getaways
Career – I’m almost in my 2^nd year in the job that I love and care about. I got an outstanding remark in my 1st-year evaluation.

So it’s like an inventory all your accomplishments for the past year. Taking notes of what went right instead of what went wrong, of watering the parts of our life that we wanted to flourish – like some sort of a Gratitude List.

Question #2: What are the things I wish I had done better/ devoted more time to?

Here goes the list of all your “Wish I Had Done Better.” To be honest, I think this may feel uncomfortable at first but eventually will turn out to be really liberating.

I believe there are no wrong ways to do this, so long as it serves you. No matter how messy it may turn out, just write it all down.

Question # 3: What are the roadblocks that prevented me from doing better at these things?

The next step is just explaining further Question #2. Identifying why you weren’t able to devote attention/time to this goal. All the reasons/excuses (you can think of) why it didn’t work out the way you wanted it.

Take a deep breath and listen intently to your inner voice. Be honest. Also, you may notice that you will never run out of excuses. That’s okay. No one’s gonna judge you anyway.

Question #4: Where do I want to be by December 2020?

Yay! Here goes my favorite part! Where do you want to see yourself by the end of the year? Figure out exactly what you want. Again, be specific. No worries coz you don’t have to figure out the HOW… yet.

Question #5: What do I want to invest a lot of my time, effort, money, and attention this year?

This is the detailed version of your THEME of the year. Your theme is your focus for this year. I like to do it in a #hashtag form coz duh that’s how we millennials do it LOL

Here are some of my hashtags last year:

#WorkHardPlayHarder2019 – I said to myself that 2019 will be the year where I will enjoy myself with no guilt. I make sure I regularly go for an adventure, whether an out of the country trip, a dining experience in an unusual restaurant, mini-getaways during the weekend or just a movie night out with friends – whatever that will make my heart skip a beat, I will go with it. I worked hard so I deserve to play harder.
#AdultingTheKhimsWay – I told myself that aside from enjoying my life, I need to be a responsible adult too. I made sure I save and grow my money, and of course, making the right purchases. This also includes a healthy regimen. I told myself that I will consistently workout and eat a balanced meal to stay fit.

Setting your theme of the year is like asking the question: What story do I want to write for myself this year? I did mine in a #hashtag form but you can do yours in a paragraph, or a sentence, etc. Whichever you like. Make sure there is a strong emotional connection that will trigger you to commit – something that you really really want in your life.

Sit and reflect on what is/are most important to you. What brings you the greatest joy? What fuels your fire? What fills your sense of purpose?

This theme or your short mantra will serve as your daily reminder to focus on your goals. Don’t pressure yourself on the results. Let it all go and trust the Process. Plant the seeds and watch your intentions bloom.