We all know the importance of setting goals, but do we all know the importance of reviewing those goals?
Goal Reviews
We all want to run a 5k, add 20 pounds to our deadlift max, or lose 10/20/50+ pounds. But once we set those goals, how often do we go back and review them? Achieving your goals requires engagement. Today is October 3. Do you remember the goals you set for yourself back in January?
If the answer is “no,” then this blog post is for you.
Why?
Reviewing our goals regularly helps us to see our progress, as well as keeping us motivated and connected to those goals. We need to be able to see if we are heading in the right direction or if our goals have gone off the rails.
And if your goal progress has gone off the rails, that’s okay. Sometimes the way we begin isn’t the way we finish up. Trial and error is a natural part of achieving goals. No one way will work for everyone. Try one approach, and if it doesn’t work out, modify the plan and approach, not the goal. Remember, a failed approach does not equal a failed goal.
When?
Regular goal reviews are a key habit to seeing your goals through to completion. I recommend reviewing them once a week for yourself and once a month with a coach or an accountability partner. Knowing someone is watching you makes it more difficult to slack off.
Choosing a good accountability partner can be difficult. At the very least, you want to make sure that the partner you choose is supportive of your goals. If you don’t have that at home find someone who is supportive, whether that’s a coach at the gym or an online support group. Surrounding ourselves with the right (or wrong) people can do just as much help or damage to our goals as we can.
Another way to review goals is to approach them from a high level and work down to a more granular level.
- Yearly review –
We all know about new year’s resolutions, but you don’t have to wait until January 1st. “Today” sounds like a pretty good day to establish some long-term goals. We all have to start somewhere. Dream big. Write them down. Share them with a friend.
- Monthly review –
Okay, now that your long-term goals are in place, we need to break them down. Long-term goals can be intimidating, so after you’ve set your yearly goals, set some smaller goals for the current month. Don’t set yourself up for failure: make these easily achievable. These goals should feed up and tie directly to your yearly goals.
- Weekly review –
Set aside some time each week to review your progress for the last week and set goals for the coming week. These should be mini goals that feed up into your monthly goals. Schedule some actionable steps that will help you achieve those goals throughout the week. One step per day is a good place to start.
- Daily review –
Daily goals are a where your real payoff happens, and so the word “goals” might feel overwhelming. Instead of forcing yourself to complete daily goals, focus more on your daily process. That process will become habit which will make room in your day for your long-term goals without obsessing over them. Make your daily process one of your top priorities. I like to complete my process first thing in the morning. That way if everything else falls apart at least that one thing went right.
How?
A very simple way to review your successes and failures during the goal review process is to ask yourself four questions:
- What things went well last week/month/year?
- What things didn’t go well or according to plan?
- What did I learn?
- What can I do differently?
Once you have a clear answer to these questions, update your action plan accordingly.
We all get off track with our goals. Life happens. Don’t beat yourself up. Instead, make a point to celebrate what you’ve accomplished so far. Goals are flexible with constantly shifting motivations and life circumstances. Give yourself the gift of regular goal reviews to remember why you started in the first place and don’t be afraid to begin again.
Erica
Ps. To set up a goal review session, send an email to [email protected]!
