See that plate? The fact that it is even in my house, much less actually on the bookshelf properly displayed, is thanks to my setting goals for 2014.
At the end of last year I decided that I needed to take a hard look at what I wanted to do. I have a big, busy family and way too many interests of my own. I needed to have some priorities. I needed goals.
Enter Michael Hyatt’s Best Year Ever program. Introduced last year, it’s a five-day video course on setting and (importantly) actually achieving them. It was the first time I had ever made a list of anything more than resolutions that were put aside by January 15.
I ended up setting seven goals for the year. Some of the goals had several parts but it was all tied together. Limiting the number of goals was one of Michael’s points. Too many, and you can’t focus.
One thing I didn’t do was share my goals with anyone except Bill. That was a mistake. I have this weird idea that if I tell someone my plans, it is like letting air out of a tire and I go all flat on it. Michael swears that accountability and sharing goals is really important. I think I paid the price on this one.
Another place that I kind of fell apart was in regular review of my progress. I had put my goals in Evernote but, try as I might, I just don’t think I’m an Evernote girl. So after a couple of months I started forgetting to look at it. I did go back and review my goals a couple of weeks ago and was pleasantly surprised!
So without further ado, here are my goals for 2014. I have summarized them, and then said if I hit it or not. The actual goals were pretty detailed, with deadlines and everything:
- Make my home finished (by 8/31), decor-wise. I made significant progress that I absolutely would not have otherwise made. And hey, I still have two weeks left in 2014!
- Institute a family time every evening when we don’t eat dinner together. We tried this but didn’t love it. What we DID do, though, was institute a firm family dinner on Sunday evenings where we review the week past, look at the upcoming calendar, and set goals for the week. It has turned into a highlight of our week!
- Achieve several concrete riding goals, including qualifying for the regional championships in West Palm Beach. Well, Johnni P. the Quarter Horse decided that he really didn’t love dressage. I had to back up and work with my OTTB Dr. Finnegan. He is such a beginner that showing him didn’t happen this year. But I did ride a lot, on a pretty regular schedule, and I don’t feel terrible about missing this goal.
- Create photo albums for past years that have been neglected. I only got 2013 done, plus our vacation. The kids absolutely loved it. I should be able to get 2014 together pretty quickly. I do still need to go back and work on earlier years, but seeing the reception that the current photo books got certainly is incentive!
- Sew a quilt from scratch. Did it! Love it! Want to make another!
- Eat low-carb (like I used to do until it got so boring I couldn’t take it anymore) three days a week. Dead. In. The. Water.
- Get a family foundation started. Discovered this wasn’t the best vehicle for our goals! That was kind of cool.
One thing that is funny is to see how life interferes and makes some goals really crucial, and others completely irrelevant. Really important decisions presented themselves which weren’t even hinted at last New Year’s Day. (New house, I’m looking at you!)
So, am I doing this again? I think so! Michael Hyatt has completely revamped the course and is offering the VIP course to those of us who did it last year at a significant discount. I learned a lot about myself and I am game to try again, and this time to complete even more goals.
So what about you? Do you make resolutions? Goals? And do you keep them, and let them really change your life? Or are they made and then forgotten? I’d love to know what you think.