It’s September: Do You Know Where Your Goals Are?
September is an interesting point in the year - January is far enough behind us that we can see what became real and what has stayed a goal, yet December is still far enough away that we can still get things done. This is when I like to ask myself a question: If the year ended today, would I be proud of how I used it? How have my consistent actions over time shown how much I was ready to take my goals seriously?
Your life is the outcome of the choices you consistently make, the behavior you exhibit regularly, and the way you spend your time.
If you want to write a book - you sit down and make the time (like my sister did!)
If you want to get in shape - you go to the gym, you choose differently at meal times, and you put the work in every day.
If you want to save money - you manage your existing debt and you adjust your spending weekly.
If you want to start a business - you break it down into manageable steps, get the skills and tools you need, and check it off one by one.
Big shifts don’t usually come from big steps. They come from small, consistent efforts made over time. Not magic. Not luck. Not some mystery blessing. Not wishing. Not planning. Not talking about it. Doing it.
Today’s Decision
If you decide to take a look at your year today you have four more months to work on your plans. Most folks? They will already decide they ‘may as well wait until next year’. Even though they technically have 33% of the year left. That’s huge!
Your decision is: Are you ready to make yourself and what you want a priority? If so, you’ll start today. Not on a Monday, the first or a new year. That right there is such a powerful move.
The only thing that separates people who are making things happen for them vs. those who are waiting is taking action. I know, I spent years making the same obnoxious goal list over and over again until I was so frustrated. Here I was, making the goals, writing them down, putting them up somewhere I could see them daily - and still - nothing was changing!
Become the Kind of Person Who…
Most of us aren’t born with all the skills and traits we need to live the life we dream about (or haven’t even dared to dream of yet)! That means we have to figure it out. I’m passionate about the work I do with my clients and in my courses, and I knew I had to get on camera regularly and become comfortable with public speaking. While speaking candidly comes natural to me - the moment a camera would turn on I would be incredibly awkward, stiff, and rehearsed. Nothing flowed. It was awful. A simple 30-second reel would take 500 tries and I’d hate them all.
I had to become the kind of person who was confident on camera.
How? By making myself get on camera every single day. Then watching the footage and looking at what read as inauthentic. Then finding ways to relax and be myself.
When I started doing triathlon training, I still liked to stay up late and go out with friends for drinks and heavy meals. That didn’t quite go hand-in-hand with 5am wake-ups for workouts. I had to become the kind of person who preferred the feeling of a good run over a long night out. And not in some visualization sense either - I would say it out loud to myself.
Now, I am the kind of person who:
Loves a schedule that includes daily movement
Prefers a healthy regular diet over heavy indulgences
Appreciates a clear head instead of any fun time that includes a hangover
Values financial freedom over the instant gratification of new stuff
Will hop on camera all day long or speak in front of a crowd because I want to inspire folks with my message
Your Next Steps
If you made goals, go back and check them out - don’t wait until December 31st! How do you feel? What do you need to adjust?
When you start treating your life like something you are actively in charge of it empowers every single thing you do in a new way. Athletes don’t become Olympians by luck. They follow a plan, the stick to the plan, the act out the plan. Your life is the same way, yet so many folks treat it like a mystery or magic. Sure, it can be awkward to hop behind the wheel of something that has been driving autonomously for 40 or 50 years, but once you get in and are willing to assess what needs work and what is working for you - you will see something truly transformative:
It is 100% up to you to decide where you go.
I’ve got resources for you if and when you need them. It’s the same work I did to change my life and it’s the same tools I use ongoing to not only stay on track but to shift into dreams that still feel out of reach. My purpose is to remind you that a life you love is entirely possible, no matter where you are starting from.
With Love,
