Valerie Grubb

Summer has finally arrived! If you (like most people) made resolutions at the onset of 2013, the halfway point of the year is a great time to assess how you’re doing on them. Now is the time to stop, look back over the first six months of 2013 and ask yourself how you’ve done with your list of resolutions. Have you accomplished your goals? Or have other priorities or everyday life sidelined many (or all) of them?

The arrival of July presents a great opportunity to dust off that list and start anew. After all, you still have six more months to get things accomplished in 2013! These tips will help you get back on track to accomplish your goals by year’s end.

The world wasn't formed in a day, and neither were we. Set small goals and build upon them.
-Lee Haney, professional bodybuilder and eight-time Mr. Olympia

To jump start your unfulfilled resolutions, first revisit your original list and prioritize those items in order of importance to you. Whereas your January list may have been expansive and unruly, now's the time to pare down that list to your top two or three objectives. Which goals point you in the direction of your long-term future plans? Which ones have the most personal meaning to you? Remember, you have only six months to wrap up your 2013 goals, so force yourself to prioritize in order to make your list achievable.

At the same time, break your goals down into smaller chunks rather than commit to "one major change." By focusing on (and achieving) more manageable goals, you can celebrate your progress instead of fret over the fact that you're not "there" yet. Use small predetermined rewards to mark each milestone, and enjoy a larger reward once you achieve your final goal.

Imagine, for example, that you want to learn a new language in order to qualify for an overseas position. Rather than set a goal of achieving fluency by the end of the year, instead resolve to learn two new phrases every day or converse in your target language with at least one person each week. Successfully tackling these smaller goals lets you enjoy a feeling of accomplishment-and gets you closer to your ultimate goal.

The secret to productive goal setting is in establishing clearly defined goals, writing them down, and then focusing on them several times a day with words, pictures, and emotions as if we've already achieved them.
-Denis E. Waitley, American, author of The Psychology of Winning

Once you’ve refined your goals, keep them in front of you constantly. Post them in your home, at your work space, and wherever else you will see it regularly. Carry your list of goals in your wallet and save a copy of it on each electronic device you use (perhaps as your screen saver!).

This may seem excessive, but without such reminders it can be easy to lose sight of your goals. We all know from experience how easy it is to get caught up in day-to-day life and let resolutions fall by the wayside.

Every success I have ever had or will have in the future comes not solely from my own ambition and hard work, but also from those that have encouraged, supported, and challenged me. Success is never, ever a one-person job.
̢ۥT.S. Tate, American author

Another strategy, sharing your goals with your inner circle, can help you refocus and recommit. The members of that circle (whether friends, family members, mentors, or coworkers) can hold you accountable for your goals and help you stay on track. (And if your friends and family are anything like mine, they won’t hesitate to point out when you stray from the path!) Whenever you think you’re veering off course, be proactive and ask your support network to remind you of your priorities and seek their advice when you feel like giving up. You may also find it helpful to connect with someone who shares your goals, so that you can assist each other when one (or both) of you hit a road block.

Goals are dreams with deadlines.
-Diana Scharf Hunt, time-management expert

At least once a year, your HR department probably tasks you with establishing SMART goals to help the company reach its financial targets:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Realistic
• Time-bound

The SMART framework is just as effective on personal goals, however, as it is on organizational goals. First, adopt for your personal goals the same rigorous approach you use when defining and pursuing company goals. Notably, this includes establishing a completion date.

Once you've determined the timeframe for completion, create a project plan that lays out the path to on-time completion. And if you find that you spend more time helping the company succeed instead of focusing on your own success, you should seriously rethink your priorities!

Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire.
-Reggie Leach, former player in the National Hockey League

You can’t accomplish your goals without continuous effort on your part. So start each day by writing down that day’s small goals-and move one step closer toward achieving your larger resolutions.

Remember, it’s not too late to dust off those 2013 resolutions and get to work on them! Don’t beat yourself up for what you haven’t done so far this year. Instead, focus your efforts on what you’ll accomplish over the next six months.

And to help you stay motivated, check out Val Grubb and Associates Facebook page for daily reminders designed to help you accomplish your goals.

For more of Val's insights, visit her website: http://valgrubbandassociates.com/