get ready, get set, goal! - day 3 - breaking it down

Miss any part of our GET READY, GET SET, GOAL series? Go back and check out previous posts in a flash!

• Day 1: The Brain Dump
• Day 2: Choosing Just A Few

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When it comes to goals, you've probably heard all about DREAMING BIG and don't limit yourself. Hell, I've said that in this very blog. The issue, though, is that I believe there's a difference between dreams and goals. We use the words interchangeably and maybe it's time to re-think it.

Over the past couple of days, we've written down a list of things we want to accomplish. Let's call those our dreams or our hopes. Today, we're going to start to move from daydreams to getting things done. And, that's where GOALS come in.

For me, goals are all about making a commitment to making my dreams come true. It's taking ACTION. 

After I wrote down my list of 50 dreams, I decided to narrow in on a few I wanted to address sooner rather than later. These became my goals for 2019.

Here's my list of 2019 goals: 

1. Complete my book manuscript
2. Get to "Onederland" (in other words, get out of the 200's on the scale)
3. Read more books
4. Weekly date night with Jon
5. Make more time for friends

 
Are there other things I want to do this year? Absolutely! But, these are the five things I've decided to commit to on a regular basis this year. 

But, looking at that list is still a bit overwhelming. I mean, finish my book draft? Lose 80+ pounds? Read more? Socialize more? HOW HOW HOW??

By being as specific as I can and then breaking it down into bite-size pieces (hard to resist the eating metaphors.)

Let's take a look at a couple of my goals. I've wanted to complete a book manuscript for 15 YEARS!! Just thinking about it has given me writer's block. It's a lot to process.

But this year, I've committed to writing a minimum of 500 words a day. That's it. 500 words. For me, that's a pretty easy number to reach. It doesn't seem like much. But, if I did that every day of 2019, I'll have 182,500 words down! That's probably two manuscripts' worth of material there. 

Have I written every day? No. But my goal is manageable enough that if I miss one day, then I can make it up pretty easily. Less is more in this case. It allows me to show myself some grace (which is a MAJOR challenge for me.) At 500 words a day, I should be able to finally get a crappy draft done, which will hopefully lead to bigger and better things in the future. 

I have to start somewhere. Why not small?

Because small often seem like not "enough."

My perfectionist, all-or-nothing self HATES the word "enough." It sounds like settling. 

I call bullshit. Bullshit on my thinking and bullshit on yours.

What is your "enough" when it comes to your goals for 2019? What's a small step you can take that is enough to get you farther than you ever have before when it comes to one of your dreams?

Will I finish all my goals in 2019? Who knows? But, I'm pushing aside the fear and doubt and moving toward it one tiny step at a time.

Today, take the goals you chose from yesterday and figure out the small steps you can take to get closer to it. Share it with me in the comments or send me a message. Whatever you want! 

You are enough! Doing a little bit of something every day is enough! Let's take the stigma out of "enough" once and for all.

See you tomorrow!

~Marie