We’re over halfway through the year and Christmas is coming. And we all know what that means, don’t we? …. Time will literally fly by until Christmas is here. So, what would you like to achieve before Christmas?
It’s a fact isn’t it, that things tend to get a bit crazier as we get busier in the lead up to December – it’s the end of another year and we need to manage all the commitments around Christmas and New Year.
So, it’s worth asking now – almost five months out, what would you like to see yourself achieve before Christmas?
You see we can make choices about what we do and don’t do. We can decide what we want to be our focus between now and the end of the year. We can set ourselves goals to work towards during this time.
The truth is though, if we don’t make choices about how we use our time, it just “flies away”! Sometimes we waste it doing unimportant things or we do everything for everyone else, but don’t do the things that are important to us.
Maybe it’s about getting better prepared for Christmas or the holidays; or maybe there’s a personal goal that you’ve secretly dreamed of completing for years; or something that you know would mean a great deal to someone else. Is there a relationship you’d like to develop further or people you’d like to spend more time with?
So, sit down; grab a pen and paper; or use your laptop or phone and jot down some of the things that you would really like to focus on for the next five months.
Ask yourself these questions:
- What would I like to know that I’ve done when I get to the end of this year?
- What is something that I would really like to achieve this year?
- Is there something that’s been in the back of my mind that I’d like to do, but I haven’t given it space?
- What is it? Write it down. Think about it. Is this something you’d feel good about having completed when you are at the end of the year? Think about what it would feel like.
- Is there something I haven’t given myself permission to do, but I would really love to do it? Is now a good time to investigate it and go about achieving it? Why wouldn’t it be a good time?
- Is there something that’s been in the back of my mind that I’d like to do, but I haven’t given it space?
- What is important to you and your family right now? Is there something you can do to help you and your family move forward in this area?
Once you’ve got an idea of what you’d like to achieve before Christmas, write a detailed list of the things that you are going to need to do to achieve this goal.
Next, write down when you are going to need to achieve each step by, to be able to complete your goal on time. It’s important to be realistic about the timing. You want to achieve this and so you need to set achievable, realistic goals.
Maybe at this point of time, you realize that it’s not possible to achieve this before Christmas. (That’s okay, as long as you’re being realistic about it and not just “giving up” because it’s too hard.) Maybe it might take a bit longer, just make sure that you set realistic steps and plan out when you will complete your goal.
At this point it’s great to be able to tell someone close to you what you’re going to work towards. Ask them if they’re willing to give their encouragement and support to help you achieve this and outline what it might look like. Having someone else who knows what you’re trying to achieve helps to keep you motivated and accountable.
Of course, every goal that you set needs to be adjusted at times, and that’s okay, but ensure that you make choices about it and don’t just give in to other, competing demands without evaluating the best path to take from here.
Finally, as you work toward your goal, imagine what it’s going to feel like knowing you’ve achieved it! Each time you feel like giving up, remember this, and use it to motivate you to keep on going.