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How to Set Goals so You Can Become The Person You Want To Be

Many people say that you should set huge, outrageous goals. The kind of goals that scare you and make your palms sweat. They say that those are the kind of goals that inspire you to achieve greatness.

I'm sure there is something to that philosophy, but to be honest, outrageous goals don't work for me. Mostly, I find them to be soul-crushing, because I know - right from the start - that I have zero percent chance of achieving them.

 

What I need is success - and lots of it. Right from the get-go.

 

I've found that success breeds success - and I'm not saying it's magic, but I'll let you draw your own conclusions after you experience it.

Small goals - achievable goals - are the keys to getting me from intertia to forward movement.

Let me give you an example:

When I was a young mama, and thoroughly overwhelmed with taking care of babies and keeping up with the house and getting dinner on the table, I imploded. The house was a mess, babies were crying, there was no food in the fridge and Days of Our Lives consumed my thoughts. Would Beau and Hope finally get together?

I set a couple of small goals: make my bed every morning, and pick up the clutter for five minutes before bedtime.

Nothing fancy, but for me, these were huge. These goals took ten minutes a day, tops, to achieve, but wow, what a difference they made. I began to feel successful, and that success spilled over into other areas of my life. These two successes got the ball rolling in my parenting, my marriage, and my personal pursuits, and helped me see that there was more to life than Beau and Hope.

Small successes lead to big successes. I'm convinced of it. And after you get some small successes under your belt you can start thinking about those outrageous goals. But, one thing at a time, my friends. Baby steps.

 

So how can you find the right goal that will start you on a course toward being the kind of person you want to be? Here are three tips:

 

1. Start with the Simple.

The Obvious. The Thing that's weighing on your mind. Is it your health? Is it a lifestyle habit? Is it a personal wish? A professional achievement? Pick one thing as your target and focus on it. Don't make a bunch of New Year's type resolutions. Zeroing in on one thing is the way you'll start becoming that person you want to be.

 

2. Find an inspiration.

Seek out someone who has done what you're attempting to do. Research on the interweb. Talk to people. Is it possible to go from the couch to running a 5k in nine weeks? I've found people who have done just that, and it helps me believe that I can do it, too. Are there people who have finished their college degrees while working full-time and caring for children? Yes, there are! How did they do it?

I've found that people are generous with sharing their experiences, and eager to help newbies like you and me.

 

3. Make a plan.

I've heard it said that the difference between a goal and a wish is a plan. I might have just made that up, I don't know. But the point is, you need a specific action that you can do each day that will propel you to the finish line. Again, don't bite off more than you know you'll keep up with. Right now, the goal is SUCCESS.

Success will start generating its own energy and then you'll be busting at the seams for a bigger goal.

 

Let's stop here for today. On Monday, I'll share some more tips on how to become the person you want to be. I am still "becoming" that person, and I'm convinced that it doesn't matter how old you are, how many times you've failed in the past, or what you've had to overcome, change is possible.

Growth is achievable. Goals are attainable. We have gifts to offer the world - gifts of grace and beauty and generosity. But we can't affect the world around us when we are sitting around wishing. We've got to take the first step - today - to make a difference. I want you to do this with me.

 

Question of the Day: What small, achievable goal will you set?

I'll go first: I will sign up for a 5k and walk 30 minutes a day, three days each week. It sounds really pitiful, but that's where I am. This will be a challenge for me, but I know it is also very achievable. My inspiration is Chrystal Hurst, who has made an AMAZING journey toward fitness.

PS This series on Becoming the Person You Want to Be started here.

How to Be the Person You Want to Be

{a mini-series}

 

On Sunday, my son-in-law, Robert, crossed the finish line of the Hottest Half Marathon in Dallas.

 

It was horribly hot that morning, hence the name, "Hottest Half."

And yet, hundreds of runners braved the heat to run the race.

Young, old, thin, not-so-thin, every ethnicity, every background and lifestyle was represented.

Boy, it was hot, standing out there, watching them run, waiting for Robert to enter the homestretch. I wore the wrong shoes and my feet hurt. I was drenched in perspiration.

Wiping my brow, I watched a silver-haired lady, (she had to be in her seventies,) cross the finish line and make her way through the crowd to collect her medal. Tanned, fit and dripping with sweat, she was congratulated by her family with hugs and bottled water. She looked amazing.

And I admired her. I thought, "I want to be her."

I want to be that fit lady who runs half marathons.

The instant that thought entered my mind, another thought arrived right on its heels.

"Yeah, Rachel. But if you want to be that lady, you're going to have to BE that lady."

I suddenly realized that I wouldn't wake up one day and just run a half marathon. I wouldn't snap my fingers and be "that person" who collects a medal at the end of a run. I wouldn't wave a magic wand and find myself fit and accomplished.

 

To be her on race day, I'll have to be her on every other day,too.

 

That lady, just like Robert and all the other runners, gets up each day and decides to take steps toward her goals. She laces up tennis shoes and pull on shorts, applies sunscreen and grabs some water...and then she runs. Or walks. Or trains.

Oh.

Just like the writers, who get up and tap out 500 words every day.

And the artists, who create something - a sketch, a doodle, a painting, a collage - every day.

And the lifelong learners, who read non-fiction books and attend classes and seminars and meet at coffee shops with discussion groups.

And people who learn to fly airplanes by saving their money and going to flight school and learning about things like "lift" and "attitude indicators."

And mountain climbers, who start on little hills and put dates on their calendar to attempt bigger hills.

 

If you want to be that person on graduation day, or race day, or book release day, or solo flight day, or summit day - you've got to BE that person who did the work it took to get there.

 

But first, you need a goal.

 

And I'll talk about finding, and setting the right goal in my next post, on Thursday. Join me?

Love, Rachel

 

Today's Question: Have you ever admired someone and thought, "I want to be that person?" Or, "I want to be like her?" What is keeping you from taking the first step toward making significant changes in your life? 

The next post in this series is this: How to Set Goals so You Can Become the Person You Want to Be

Catching My Breath

Oh, what a whirlwind the last couple of weeks has been.

First, there was this:

The joy of having Heidi arrive safe and healthy and perfect is almost more than my little heart can bear. I've said, "Thank you, God. Thank you, God. Thank you, God!" over and over and over, because there are simply no other words.

All the fingers. All the toes. Hair so velvety soft you swear you can hardly even feel it. Milky breath and glimpses of smiles as she sleeps.

That new baby smell that you just can't get enough of.

Thank you, God. Thank you, God. Thank you, God. You are good.

 

 

Then there was the Declare Conference, and speaking and decorating. Which was followed by a visit with Jan Long Harris and Sarah Atkinson of Tyndale House. They wanted to meet Flash in person . . . and so there we stood, in my barn, with my donkey.

In my barn. With my donkey.

It seems so ludicrous when I put it that way.

But I have the pictures to prove that it actually happened and I didn't just dream it. 

 

I think Flash is smiling!

 

Topping off the day was a visit from Ruth Samsel, my agent. We talked about projects and books and book covers, and took a field trip to Barnes and Noble. (We left Flash at home, for obvious reasons . . . he can't make the seatbelt fit.)
 

 

I am catching my breath.

On Monday, I took at nap at 10:30 AM. Is that too early? I didn't think so either. It was delicious. On Tuesday, I spent the afternoon with my grandbabies, replenishing my need to feel their skin and kiss them all over. Ivy, my fifteen month old, is getting very good at giving kisses and it makes me very, very happy.

 

 

Today, I am back to writing and editing. I fell a wee bit behind over the past week or so, and have some ground to cover. But my cup is full and I feel re-energized to make it to the finish line. Sleep, food and connection with people I love are the things that recharge me and inspire my best creative thinking. I am ready to take on the day.

 

What fills YOUR cup?

What do you do to get refreshed and re-focused? Do you have a special juice concoction that gets you going? An exercise regime? Or a nap philosophy, like mine? I'd love to hear the ways you rejuvinate, catch your breath and charge your batteries. 

Heidi Joy is Here!

Heidi Joy finally made her debut on her mama's birthday, Saturday August 2! And she is perfect.

8 lb. 6 oz. of absolute heaven.

Meghan (my daughter) had days of false labor, then a whole day of early labor, before the 16 hours of "active" labor. At 42.5 weeks, she was so ready to have this baby, but even so, could not have imagined the long, hard delivery process. I was invited to be with her for the whole process, and all I can say is....it was intense in every way.

When Heidi was finally born, it was at almost the exact time that Meghan was born, twenty-six years ago. Talk about a moment. I really have no words to express my gratitude and amazement.

Thank you for all your prayers and well-wishes. Our family appreciates them more than you know.