We all agree that it is important to set goals for ourselves in our personal as well as professional life. People set goals all the time. Lose weight. Sleep more. Drink less. Spend more time with my kids. We set goals at such a fast and furious rate that we barely notice when we fail to achieve them, which happens...a lot.
As you know setting goals is easy but staying committed to them when the going gets tough is another story. Research suggests that 92% of people who set goals fail to achieve them. Unfortunately, setting goals is just the first step. Following through and achieving them is the hard part.
In order to write this blog I read quite a few articles on this topic and came across a book called "What works: A comprehensive Framework to Change the Way We Approach Goal Setting" by Tara McMullin. I bought the Kindle book and all I can say is WOW. The differentiation between "commitments" and "goals" is a key takeaway for me: Goals celebrate outcome, while commitments celebrate process. Or put another way, it's the difference between the destination (goal or outcome) and the journey (commitment or process).
Goals are important and valuable, but they typically focus on a target somewhere out in the future and can create anxiety around meeting fixed expectations or behaviors. Commitments, on the other hand, emphasise the present moment and the small-but-powerful everyday choices we can make that move us forward. That subtle shift in thinking feels like a better way for me to navigate, since life is constantly evolving and we are constantly learning.
After this great book I chose three main Commitments for myself.
COMMITMENT 1: Show Up
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Commitment 1 is simply to show up. That's the easiest way of saying 'be ready to do the work.'
This commitment is about honoring yourself, your future self, and all the loved ones in your life you care so much about. It's about being consistent, creating routine, and even embracing routine in certain areas that you've resisted. It's about facing choices, and discomfort too, with your best foot forward. And it's relevant in every aspect of your life - health and wellness, business, personal life, relationships, and all those annoying tasks that never end.
Showing up is much easier said than done. But it's a critical choice to make each day. ⠀
"Take pleasure in doing what needs to be done... versus doing what you're in the mood for."
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COMMITMENT 2: Create Energy
It's easy to end up in patterns of doing things, big and small, that chip away at your energy. And this has a knock-on effect on your mood, attitude, movement, food choices, and so on.
Commitment 2 builds on showing up and is about taking a hard look at what you do and think about each day, and then intentionally prioritising things that boost positive energy. Things that generate good vibes, deeper and slower breathing, creativity, laughter, lightness, motivation, a growth mindset, feelings of possibility and love and connection. This is the kind of energy to fill your days. ⠀
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As you move through each year, how you choose to create energy will naturally shift and evolve. But the basics will always include getting enough quality sleep and starting each day with healthy routines... water with lemon, a healthy real-food breakfast, simple yoga practices to stretch and breathe, and choosing mantras to keep on loop in your mind. ⠀⠀
There will always be responsibilities in life that are draining. That’s part of life. But your commitment here is to SHIFT. Shift the focus and the balance in favor of things that create energy for you. Magnify, amplify, prioritize those things. And squeeze out and reduce those that do not. Each day, each week, each month.
Because no matter how we slice it, life is all about energy and energy flow... and we get to choose how to direct it.✨
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COMMITMENT 3: Choose Courage
Your third Commitment is to choose courage. Another book to read d is Rising Strong by Brene Brown, and a phrase that stuck with me is 'courage over comfort' (go check out Brene Brown). It's a reminder to be true to who you are and make choices that honor your own inner voice, even when it's hard. Especially when it's hard. ⠀
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Why? Because that's where the good stuff is. Being courageous enough to step outside your comfort zone means being vulnerable. And being vulnerable (open, honest, real) allows you to share yourself more freely, to create more meaningful connections, and to push yourself to grow. And that's where you want to go ... towards more depth and connection and learning. To keep expanding into greater joy.
What are you committing to or shifting towards in the days and months ahead???