With regards to reaching your targets, are you caught on autopilot? Likelihood is, when you’re wanting again at your progress all year long, you will have misplaced contact with the goals you’d set out for your self in January. In truth, only 9% of Americans actually accomplish the resolutions they set for themselves. Why can we battle a lot to achieve the targets we set out for ourselves? It could be partially as a result of what it takes to set targets efficiently is definitely very totally different from what it takes to obtain them. With July already right here, it’s time to debate the significance of a mid-year objective evaluation—and the way it may also help you stage up within the subsequent six months and past.
As a career and life coach, I’ve made it my mission to assist folks create transformational change of their lives. From making a profession pivot to uncovering a deeper sense of function—setting and dealing towards our targets is vital to constructing a life we love. Let’s dive into the what and the why behind doing a mid-year objective evaluation.
Featured picture from our interview with Janessa Leoné by Teal Thomsen.
The Significance of a Mid-12 months Aim Assessment
Setting your self as much as create actual change in your life requires three key components of profitable objective setting. This seems to be like:
- Setting the correct targets.
- Creating a transparent plan of motion.
- Driving accountability towards your progress.
If you happen to accomplished Camille’s Vision Workbook in early 2023, then you definately’re possible all set with the primary two steps. Now, with summer season in full swing, it’s the right time to reconnect along with your function and decide up momentum to realize your targets within the final six months of the yr.
Didn’t get an opportunity to make targets in January? No drawback. There’s no time like the current to take a breath and create area for your self to consider what fills your cup personally, professionally, and past.
Before You Start
Summer can be the perfect moment for reflection, a time to thoughtfully slow down and check in with yourself.
The mid-year point is a good marker for progress. By this time, you will likely have made some headway toward some of your goals. And if not, you can use this time to reflect on what blockers you may have or what changes you may need to make to either your lifestyle or the goals themselves.
If you’ve set your goals and vision up for success with accountability check-ins, this exercise shouldn’t require a ton of heavy lifting. Plan to approach this check-in with honesty and rationality—be deliberate with what is working and what needs to change.
How to Do a Mid-Year Goal Review
1. Revisit Your Goals to Make Sure They Still Resonate
If you’ve taken the time to write down your goals or complete a Vision Workbook, this can be a nice likelihood to revisit that work and put pen to paper. Make a duplicate of your workbook and mark it up as a part of your mid-year objective evaluation.
Ask your self these questions when your Imaginative and prescient Workbook:
- Will the targets I’ve set nonetheless assist me obtain my imaginative and prescient for happiness and success?
- Do I nonetheless really feel dedicated to and excited by these targets?
- Are there new targets which have appeared up to now few months that it’s essential incorporate?
- Are these targets achievable and can or not it’s clear to me after I’ve succeeded?
2. Truthfully Assess Your Progress
For every objective, you possibly can tactically reply and jot down notes to a few of these questions:
- What’s working. What techniques or habits have I established to progress towards these targets?
- What’s not. What blockers are getting in the best way of my targets? Are there components I can management in these eventualities?
- Are there any underlying ideas holding me again? This one might require a deeper reflection because it asks for a sure stage of honesty and vulnerability with your self. Pay specific consideration as to whether these patterns are aware or unconscious. Be aware of components akin to imposter syndrome that could be getting in the best way of your progress.
Whereas we wish to take time to replicate on the general progress, this additionally makes for an ideal alternative to rejoice your wins. You’ve possible achieved some portion of what you set out in your imaginative and prescient, even when it’s solely a small slice of a bigger pie. Progress, whatever the measurement, is value celebrating!
3. Assume About Methods to Set Your self up for Success for the Subsequent 6 Months
When you’ve taken inventory of the place issues stand and have come to phrases with what is possible, the following step is to set your self as much as make continued, long-term progress on these targets. Listed below are some nice techniques to make these targets come true and stay true:
Techniques for Lasting Success
- Tie your objective setting to a calendar or particular moments. Use a calendaring system (i.e., Google Calendar, iCal, alarms) as a car for reminders and check-ins. Want a reminder to meditate as soon as a day? Set an alarm!
- Safe an accountability buddy. Bringing another person (a accomplice, member of the family, good friend, or colleague) alongside in your journey is not going to solely assist you keep sincere however will present exterior perspective and partnership in forging a brand new path for your self. On the finish of the day, your greatest accomplice and advocate for realizing your imaginative and prescient is YOU!
- Have a look at objective setting over the course of a yr. Break large transformational targets into smaller chunks that take three months and align your check-ins with this timeline. Measure progress towards your targets on a weekly foundation. Use colour coding to indicate the place you stand. Instance: pink = not began, inexperienced = on monitor, yellow = in progress.
For additional help in making your targets a actuality, Saray’s free goal-progress check-in worksheet takes you thru the method, step-by-step.
Tips for Getting Back on Track
When it comes to goal setting, there are countless factors that can shift the viability of our vision. In light of changing conditions, you can use this mid-year goal review to reevaluate the salience of your goals. This pause for reflection helps you see if the existing goals make sense or if you need to shift and map out a new course.
If you are looking at your list of goals and everything still seems out of reach, it may be time for a reset. At this point in the year, you still have plenty of opportunity to course correct and plan a new path ahead.
Set Aside Dedicated Time and Space for Reflection
Creating intentional space for reflection helps you take stock before the rest of the year zooms by. This could be marking a few hours in your calendar to look back at your Vision Workbook or even setting aside time for a longer weekend “visioning retreat” somewhere you’ve always wanted to go.
- Could you take yourself for a long walk and use audio messages to journal your reflections?
- Do you have the space to book a day or two away from everyday life to focus on your vision?
- Could you use a staycation to create area for some reflection?
By carving out area and time with intention, you possibly can finest equip your self with the instruments to get you again on monitor.
Discover Your Success
Start by acknowledging areas the place you’re already making progress. You could notice that you just’ve hit a few of your targets already! Life is simply too quick to not rejoice even probably the most mundane or small victories. Did you purchase these trainers and run as soon as across the block? That’s nice—you’re already forward of the place you have been earlier than writing down these targets. Take a second to note what’s working so you possibly can sustain the momentum.
Determine The place You’re Caught
Are there different areas the place you’re not making any progress? These areas of stagnation could also be because of psychological, recurring, or tactical boundaries. The excellent news is, step one to getting “unstuck” is noticing what’s holding you again. Understanding these boundaries may also help you unblock your self within the later half of the yr. This may occasionally even be because of priorities shifting—that is completely OK! Don’t be afraid to shift your targets midway via the yr and begin contemporary.
Preserve It Easy
Having too many targets can typically make it laborious to seek out focus. Edit your targets such as you would your closet: solely maintain those you are feeling most joyful and enthusiastic about. Be sure your targets are clear and attainable, and restrict your self to only 2-3 large targets for the remainder of the yr.
Double Down on Help
Now’s the right time to enlist your accountability buddy that will help you nail your targets within the second half of the yr. This is usually a coach, a member of the family, or a good friend. Share an inventory of the highest three belongings you wish to accomplish with them and ask them to test in with you on progress.
Summer time is a pure time to mark the half-way level of the yr. We will use this time to test in with ourselves and what we actually need in life, to ask the laborious questions and make daring modifications. Your desires are at all times value investing in and there’s no higher day than at present to start. So take a second at present to ask your self:
- Am I legitimately clear on what happiness and success appear to be for me sooner or later?
- Do I do know what I would like to do that yr to maneuver me nearer to that imaginative and prescient?
- If there was one factor I may change within the subsequent six months that may make me happier, what wouldn’t it be?
- If there was one change I may make to be extra profitable, what wouldn’t it be?
- Now ask: what’s one small factor I can do to maneuver in the direction of my targets at present?
The Takeaway
Remember, there is no perfect formula for goal setting and achieving success. At the end of the day, goal setting is a journey, often nonlinear and non cyclical. By taking time to reflect on where you are in the journey, you are giving yourself grace and space to grow. In my experience, this act of setting aside time, of investing in yourself and your dreams with intentionality and purpose is the first step toward building a truly abundant life overflowing with joy. Wishing you all this abundance this year!
