“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.”
Henry Ford
Have you ever had a goal but you didn’t track it and in the end found you got nowhere? A classic example is having a weight loss goal before a big event or a vacation and feeling like you have lots of time on your side. But with the confidence of having all of that time on your side to get the pounds off, you don’t track what you’re doing when it comes to food intake, nutrition, hydration and exercise. Without tracking with the scale, the measuring tape or the way your clothes fit, there’s no clues that you need to work harder or be more serious or that you’re right on target. Suddenly, the date for your event or vacation is looming in front of you and you realize you’ve run out of time. This. Is. Not. A. Good. Feeling.
When you do track your progress, it’s empowering to see things moving in the right direction toward meeting your goals. It seems that small successes spur on further momentum. I’ve definitely seen that when helping clients declutter. They go from feeling stuck and overwhelmed to seeing some progress which spurs on more progress and projects!
How can you track your progress when working on your goals? There are so many options that you just need to find a way that works with your natural tendencies and a system that you can use consistently. Are you a pen to paper person? Do that! Are you a digital person? Do that! Use an app, create a spreadsheet, write in a journal, make a list, create a vision board, check in with an accountability partner… Just do what works for you and keep at it so you know where you’re at on your goals at all times.This will allow you to know if you are on the right track or if you need to make adjustments while you still have time on your side.
Remember when creating your goals you need to:
- Be concise with what your goal is-name it
- Set a deadline for reaching your goal
- Break your goal down into smaller steps, each with their own deadline
- Track your progress
- Share your progress with others-don’t keep it a secret
- Evaluate your progress. Do you need to step it up or are you right on target?
- Celebrate your success-big or small!
