“I cannot wait for 2021 to work on my goals and become successful.”
That is one of the saddest statements I heard in 2020. COVID19 had many people waiting for things to get back to “normal” so that they can begin working on their goals or aspirations in 2021. A lot of people wasted their time binge-watching movies and TV shows, sleeping late throughout the day, and complaining about how miserable the year was.
The good news is that it is not too late to achieve those goals. I once read that life has a funny way of getting its way. One minute you were writing a to-do-list, the next thing you know is that a new virus is here, and anxiety takes over – you are no longer in control.
The problems that we experienced in 2020 will not magically disappear but, 2021 is a second chance to get back on track.
Here is how you can achieve your goals in 2021:
Find a Private Space and record the goals you wanted to achieve in 2020 and add new ones for 2021
Finding a private space allows you to meditate on what you wanted to achieve in 2020. How did you spend your time, what made you sad and what made you happy? Meditating on these gives you a clear understanding of what you did not work on enough and what you probably forgot about pursuing. I recommend collecting old diaries or journals, phone notes, or screenshots to help you remember the things you had planned. Make sure that there are as few distractions as possible. It is best to turn off your phone or switch the phone to silence or airplane mode.
For this you might need:
- Sticky notes
- Pen/pencil
- Paper/a diary/journal or your phone to write down your goals and brainstorm
- Highlighter or markers
While no goal is too big or too small, do not forget to make your goals attainable. It is therefore helpful to break down large goals into smaller ones. For example, writing a book within a year can be too much of a rush. On the other hand, writing the first few chapters might be more attainable.
Keep on track – get a journal or diary and record daily goals and achievements
Make it a habit to write out a to-do list or goals on the night before you start your day. If you are a nerd like myself then you probably love getting things down in hardcopy. There is something about writing with a nice small point pen in a beautiful, well put together journal. It feels amazing jotting down my daily goals and bible scriptures after bible studies – my favorite part of the day. It is also satisfying just crossing out goals achieved throughout the day and going over them after a while to see what I achieved over some time.
Getting a journal is really easy, so don’t worry. You can find beautiful journals on Amazon, Fontana, and any other pharmacy or local book store in and around your community. In some of these journals, you could even add your aesthetics. You could use markers, gel ink pens, and pencils to doodle or make small sketches.
For those who are not this nerdy, you can go ahead and use your phone – set reminders in your calendar to complete a task, download schedule apps, and make use of the notepad app that usually comes with your phone.
Be patient with yourself
I once tried exercising every morning but, that only lasted for a short while. So, I tried again, but it only lasted for three weeks. One day I might get it right as long as I want to and as long as I recognize that my excuses are just mere excuses.
Extraordinary changes happen not from a handful of tries, but that is how we tackle our goals or resolution. We often have to try over and over again until we get it right, so be patient.
Maintain a positive attitude
Like a wise man/woman whose name I cannot remember once said, “your attitude will always be reflected in your outcome”. Sure, 2020 showed us we can’t control many things, but our attitude is not one of those. We can choose how we react to a setback or negative outcome. Do we give up, or do we continue working on our goals? Because at the end of the day the only way is forward. We must continue to move forward no matter the cost.
2021 has allowed us to pick up on things we either left or forgot about in 2020. The pandemic was a distraction for a while, but it is time for us to see the opportunities around us as we get up every day and grab them as we have never done so before. 2021 is a fresh start and a second chance.
