With the New Year approaching, I would love to find a way of ensuring that Eric and I are constantly enjoying the fruit of small victories. The saying “a failure to plan is a plan for failure” is true and I have seen it play out in my own life. Good intentions are not enough to get the job done! If they were, I would be super-model thin by now. ~smile~
When we look at everything we want to accomplish at one time, it is far too overwhelming. But, when we separate our massive goal (e.g., an immaculate home, good health, a doctorate, etc.) into bite size chunks, we will reach it over time. We get more done taking small, systematic steps than we do jumping in with no game plan.
So, bite off a chunk each week, and see your life and relationship improve a little at a time. Here are the steps!
Step One – Have a Brief Meeting
Brainstorm tasks you would like to accomplish. At the end of each week, decide on one realistic common goal for the next week.
Step Two – Make a Game Plan
Write down a step-by-step plan for accomplishing the goal together. Decide who will do what to ensure that the goal is reached. Don’t leave any details to chance.
Step Three – Work as a Team Throughout the Week
Encourage each other, especially when you see your sweetie starting to get tired. When one of you is feeling strong, help the other – and vice versa. Depending on the nature of the task, step in and do the lion’s share of the work on weeks when your sweetie is simply too weary to pull 50%.
Step Four – Reward Yourselves with Each Victory!
When you reach your goal, celebrate! When I conquer a goal, I love to celebrate it! Knowing something fun is coming at the end of the marathon gives me the extra burst of energy I need to keep moving! The couple who finishes what they start together should also celebrate together!
I know I am more likely to conquer a new goal if I was rewarded for completing the last one. ~smile~ Adults have to work whether we are rewarded or not, but we also have the option of letting the non-essentials slide.
When we find fun ways to accomplish those non-essentials jobs, we are more likely to cultivate a forward moving lifestyle. That is, a pattern of achieving.
Attacking weekly goals can help you and your sweetie get in the habit of improving your lives, working as a team, keeping the promises you make to each other, and finishing what you start!
Consistently Improving Your Lives
Can you imagine how much you would accomplish together in fifty years if you completed a goal per week?
This week we will make sure the living room gets painted and the new pictures get hung. Next week, we will thoroughly clean out our closets and make a donation to Goodwill. The week after, we will practice an effective listening tool together every day to improve our communication.
After years of completing weekly goals, couples could expect to have wonderful, functional homes, well-maintained relationships, good health, and great friendships!
This may seem daunting, but it does not have to be. Once a habit is in place, it is not hard to continue it. Some weeks your goal may be rather large – We are going to build a new deck and install an above ground pool! Other weeks, your goal will be somewhat small – This week we are going to e-mail all of our friends we have not seen in a while.
The beauty of setting a weekly goal is that you can be confident in your ability to get to all the tasks you would naturally push aside.
“Yes, I know we need to clean out the junk room. It can be our weekly goal soon.”
“We do need to get onto a more workable budget. We can make that our weekly goal before the start of the new month.”
“We need to improve our health. This week we will find and begin a quality workout program and learn how to make three new tasty and healthy recipes.”
Crush it next year!
Consider beginning the New Year with this plan in place. Make a list of small goals you would like for you and your sweetie to achieve together. It will be challenging to work through these steps at first; but, once the habit is in place, it will feel natural, and hopefully exciting!
Keep a journal of your goals and accomplishments! Next December, look through it and see all you have conquered together!
How do you feel after setting and accomplishing your goals?