How to Achieve Your Goals in 2020 - Caitlin Inspired to Create

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If you set New Year’s Resolutions for 2020, but need a little help to achieve your goals, you’re in the right place. It’s one thing to set a resolution at the beginning of the year, but it’s a whole other to truly follow through. With some planning, consistent daily effort, and dedication, you can totally keep your New Year’s Resolutions this year. Keep reading for the exact steps you need!

1. Dream Big and Write It Down

Make 2020 the year you go after your dreams and goals for real. Belief by itself won’t make your dreams come true, but it’s a great place to start. Truly think about what you want your life to look like, and start taking steps toward creating it.

Write your down your goal and put it somewhere you will see it every day. Simply seeing your goal day in and day out will serve as a reminder for times when your vision isn’t so clear, so write it down and post it on a vision board, make it your phone lock screen, or simply stick it on the fridge. Every time you see your goal, take a few seconds to think about what it will be like to achieve your goal. Visualization and manifestation are HUGE for getting into the right mindset for success!

2. Know Your "Why"

It’s so important to have a strong reason behind your goals to help keep you focused when the going gets tough. Anything worth pursuing will have its challenges along the way, but as long as you know your “why,” maintaining the dedication to overcome obstacles and persevere through challenges will be easier. Achieving your goals won’t happen over night, so be prepared for the ups and downs and know that it’s all worth it!

3. Make a Plan and Set a Deadline

Make a plan for exactly how you’re going to achieve your goals so you always know what you need to do, what your next step is, and how far along you’ve come. I personally find that without a plan, I lose focus and achieving my goal seems much more daunting. I love Lily Pulitzer planners, but I know Erin Condren planners and bullet journals are super popular too.

Be sure to set a deadline for your goal to hold yourself accountable. If you don’t set a deadline, you might be tempted to put things off. Set a deadline and be intentional about the steps leading up to it.

4. Celebrate Your Wins - Big and Small

Having a consistent sense of accomplishment is so important for staying on track when you’re working toward a big goal. Celebrate every single micro-goal you achieve and build on that momentum. Sometimes when the big goal seems unattainable or totally overwhelming, simply focusing on the next step can be exactly what you need to get through a rough patch. Keep a journal of your progress and update it regularly so you always know where you stand. There are tons of planners and journals to match anyone’s planning style.

5. Do Not Quit! You Are Better Than That

You’re human and you will make mistakes. Don’t punish yourself for messing up. What defines you is not your challenges, but how you overcome them. Every goal worth achieving is going to have its challenges, tough moments, and setbacks. Take each one as a learning experience and keep going. I’ve had so many experiences where I felt like I was going backwards or losing all the progress I’d made. It takes grit to keep pushing through challenges, but I promise it’s 100% worth it. If the challenges aren’t worth it to you, then it isn’t meant for you.

If you have a vision for what you want your life to look like in 2020, now is the time to make it happen.

Stop waiting for Monday, the first of the month, or after a holiday. Do it now! If you have something in your heart that you want, you owe it to yourself to pursue it and give it all you have. Ask yourself, “What’s the worst that can happen?” and then do it anyway (obviously barring anything illegal and/or harmful to you or someone else). Life really is too short to not spend it exactly the way you want. Go out there and create a life you love to live!