Getting [Back] On Track
We’ve all had those moments when we realize that we are not on track to complete a project or goal. Or maybe if we are completely honest with ourselves, it was never on track to begin with. Or maybe you have suddenly remembered a goal you had totally forgotten.
No matter the specifics, how many times is your response some combination of:
Keep ignoring it and just hope that somehow it won’t matter, no one will notice, it will go away, and/or it will miraculously get done … somehow. Essentially, total denial.
Gather yourself and power through to complete it on time but in the process, sacrifice other goals and priorities including your sleep and well-being.
Beat yourself up, telling yourself some version of “If I were just more disciplined, more organized, a better person or just had it together . . .”
I’d like to suggest another way.
It starts with calling a timeout – full stop – and acknowledging what happened – or didn’t happen. Allow yourself some grace. Forgive yourself for whatever you need to forgive yourself for.
Ask yourself these 4 questions
Then ask yourself the following four questions as presented in the podcast Focus on This with Michael Hyatt & Co. Here’s a quick summary, but I highly recommend listening to the entire podcast. They provide some great tips and strategies for each of the following steps.
Do I still want to achieve this goal? Circumstances may have changed, or you may have restructured priorities since you originally set your goal. So before you plow ahead to get it all done, check in and see, do you truly still want or need to do this? You may also want to revisit why you set this goal to begin with. Is the reason, the larger purpose for the goal, still relevant and clear? Is the method or modality for achieving the goal the best approach? Can you see another way to achieve your goal?
What’s the new timeline? Take a reality-check. You want doable. A stretch or challenge can be good, but you want to steer clear of delusional or a set-up for failure. One indicator of whether or not you need to set a new timeline is your level of overwhelm. Feeling so overwhelmed or stressed out that you are losing sleep or experiencing negative impacts on your health or relationships is a strong sign that you need to adjust your timeline. Or if you can’t change the timeline for this goal, then make a conscious, informed decision to change, delay or eliminate another goal.
How can I plan for the obstacles I’ve experienced? Be ruthlessly honest with yourself. What has really prevented you from achieving (or possibly even starting) this goal? If something unexpected occurred, was it really a one-time thing or can you anticipate something similar happening again and adjust your goal, timeline or find ways to mitigate the impact.
How can I keep my goal visible? Out of sight, out of mind. Biggest reason many goals are not achieved is that they are simply forgotten. They sound great when we create them and we have the best of intentions but … forgotten goals happens to the best of us. You could write your goals in your planner and then have a weekly or daily routine to revisit your goals, set action steps, and/or block time in your calendar. Or have your goals visible in a place where you will see them each day. Or have a visible way to track your progress on your goals.
I also invite you to remember to listen to your heart as you revisit goals or set new ones. And to consider creating a goal to include time in your schedule to pause, breathe and listen for God/Spirit’s voice and your own Inner Wisdom.