Make A Plan: Actionable Steps to Accomplishing Your Goals in 2018

2018… Where Did You Come From?!? The New Year, as many like to say, is a chance for new beginnings. People make all kinds of resolutions: exercise more, make amends, de-clutter, sell the house, move on from the old and into the new. Resolutions are good things, but shouldn’t they yield results? Today we are going to discuss some actionable steps you can take to conquer your goals this year.

Make The Plan

Plan your life. It is a known fact that successful people set goals, yet the average person doesn’t even take the time to establish them. Success doesn’t just happen. Planning out your days, weeks, and quarters leads to years of fulfilled dreams.

* Action Step: Adjust your daily tasks to accomplish your yearly resolutions.

Plan For Imperfection

Despite our best efforts, we are only human. Humans are flawed. Can’t everyone agree with that? Our intentions in consistency, more often than not, fall apart at some point in the year. That is why many resolutions fail! So what do we do with that? I think the answer is to go ahead and plan for it. Plan for a “re-set”: for rest. Create quality goals that matter, and do so with a mindset of grace! Lara Casey’s Cultivate What Matters concept of goal setting is revolutionizing how we run our business and it can help you as well!

* Action Step: Plan for little “re-sets” throughout the year. Maybe you get away for a weekend, maybe you take a month off of your “plan”. The key is to get back to it!

Dream Big, But Start Small

To achieve the big dream, you need to realize that it’s the small decisions that matter. Big dreams are great! They can motivate you and propel you forward, but they can also be daunting! Take those big dreams and break them out into yearly and monthly goals, then create daily or weekly tasks related to their respective goals. Set reminders for yourself throughout the year and mark your calendar as *busy* during designated times, allowing you the space to accomplish your tasks.
PS. If you are not the journaling/scheduling type, then don’t jump all-in purchasing expensive tools. Just use your phone calendar to get started.

* Action Step: Start with one, achievable item on your goal list and set the tasks in place to get it done. Work on that until you complete that goal – it will feel great! From there, you can start scheduling more items.

 

The Big Dream

When it comes down to it, the drive or motivation necessary accomplish a “Big Dream” is far higher than what’s needed for a small one, so dream BIG! It will push you further in your life business.
The Inspiring Investment’s goals for 2017 were to buy 20 houses, 2 rentals and streamline our business. To be honest, we didn’t accomplish all of our goals this year. We bought 15 houses and 2 rentals; however, we are not disappointed in our efforts. Dedication and hard work allowed us to take some big steps in our company’s structure. This year, our biggest accomplishment is that we worked on the business, instead of just in the business.

 * Action Step: Starting at the end of December / beginning of January, set 3 major goals for your life / job / business.

Don’t Ignore Your Health

No amount of success should come at the expense of your health: physical, mental, or emotional. If something is causing you emotional anxiety or mental stress and inhibiting your goals, consider cutting it. Maybe it’s a house you need to sell (we can take care of it for you), a business that is crumbling, or saying “yes” to too many things. De-clutter and focus on what is important: your health, for starters! Find a physical activity you love and do it, regularly. **But don’t forget to plan for rest. Personally, I enjoy Crossfit and go to this gym. If you are local want to try it, let me know and I’ll go with you!

 * Action Step: Exercise doesn’t have to be intimidating, but it does need to be intentional. If you are new to it, start with one activity scheduled per week and increase from there.

** Scroll to the bottom of this post to read about what happened in my life to push me to prioritize personal health.***

Mentorship

Seek advice and wisdom from those you want to be like. Great articles have been written on countless websites about the benefits of mentorship.

 * Action Step: Find someone you respect who you can be mutually beneficial to. Study what they do, ask them questions, be generous with your ideas and try to avoid hoarding your own knowledge.

One of my favorite mentors is a man who I originally met thorugh a mutual friend; we get together and talk regularly. When we met, he had an amazing team and before we knew it, a partnership developed. He ended up teaching me a lot about business. Leadership, honesty, and strength are a few of the characteristics he displays and I am honored to now consider him one of my best friends. Although we are technically competitors in our market, I trust him: as a friend first and competitor, second.

Grow Quality Relationships

While listening to this podcast the other day, something the guest speaker, Eric Barker, stated intrigued me. He said, “networking is the worst thing ever”. The term “networking” can be extremely egocentric. It implies that you only want to know someone for what they can give you. He goes on to say that people need to stop networking and start making friends.
I agree 100%, and that is coming from an introvert! Large groups of people who I don’t know… I’ll pass. But when looking at a social situation differently, I can come to the gathering saying, “I’m going to find a new friend today”.

 * Action Step: Purse friendships in your industry or stage of life, step out of your comfort zone, and be yourself!

Why I Prioritize Health In Yearly Goal Setting

When I was in High School I was helping my dad move some furniture. (He wasn’t the healthiest guy in the world. He had a sedentary lifestyle with work and home life: didn’t go to the gym and let his weight rise over the years.) We had just finished loading a trailer with several large pieces of furniture and hit the road. After a few minutes, he pulled over and said he wasn’t feeling well. He asked me to drive the rest of the way. I got a couple of miles down the road and BAM! It hit. Uriah! Drive to the ER NOW!!!
Before I knew it, I was driving a loaded trailer and Expedition 100 MPH down HWY 485 in Charlotte headed towards the closest ER. I pulled up to the ambulance entrance, blocking anybody else from coming in, and ran inside. I yelled for help as several nurses rushed out. They quickly transfered him to a stretcher and he was admitted.
He suffered a massive heart attack that day. I thought I was going to lose my dad. By the grace of God I did not, however, the years ahead left him with ongoing issues: 2 more heart attacks and a heart transplant. 13 years from the original heart attack and he can finally play with my kids and get around like I would expect a 60-year-old to.
I say all this to tell you that the cost (whatever it is) of a gym membership is nothing in comparison to effectively losing 10+ years of your life. We are now members at New Order Crossfit and make our best effort to go consistently. It’s not cheap! But given the event’s I witnessed in my dad’s life, worth the investment. I encourage you to prioritize your health this year.

Your Life Is Bigger Than You

I have learned, and continue to learn, that no matter how hard I work or how many good decisions I make, I actually have very little control over my life. It can all be swept away in a moments notice. That is why I put my faith in something bigger. As members of The Summit Church, we strongly suggest you consider this fact and invite you to join us in learning more of what the Bible teaches about your purpose, what can drive you to a meaningful life.

 * Action Step: Consider your purpose and your drive. Write it down. Talk about it with your loved ones.

 

What Are Your Goals?

Have you given any thought to the year ahead? What are your goals? We want to hear from you!
Uriah