We set our New Year’s resolutions with the greatest intentions in mind. We are motivated by the thought of a blank slate, excited by the possibility of the coming 365 days, and zealous in our efforts to create goals and stick to them. But, alas, while our intentions were great and our motivations high, even the best resolution can fall by the wayside.
When it comes to setting and achieving goals, there always comes a point when you need to check in. Did you set and forget your New Year’s Resolutions? Same. It’s time to reevaluate yourself and those goals you set at the start of the year, and we’re here to help you through it.
Rough Start
As a disclaimer, we realize the start of 2021 was not exactly easy or motivating. With an insurrection at the U.S. Capital and the effects of a worldwide pandemic still reeling in the headlines, it was hard to stay motivated, or even to find that initial spark to begin with.
That being said, there were moments of hope. The U.S. swore in its first woman and woman of color Vice President, and with vaccinations and herd immunity on the horizon, we can start to feel the shift in momentum.
With that shift can come newfound hope and encouragement to get back to the goals you set for yourself at the beginning of the year.
So, with the past behind us and the future in mind, let’s take a moment to reflect, realign, and recharge. Let’s turn those goals into reality in the latter half of this tumultuous year.
Reevaluate Yourself and Your Goals: A Process
Setting goals for yourself and achieving them is a process. Here are three pieces of the puzzle that are important when you’ve set goals and it’s time to reevaluate yourself and your goals. If you weren’t feeling inspired this new year (and we don’t blame you), it’s not too late! Check out these journal prompts to help spark your motivation.
1. Alignment
The first piece of the reevaluation process is aligning your future goals with your current self. What was that goal you set yourself at the start of the year? Do you still want the same thing? If not, why? If so, how?
It’s okay if your goal has changed.
Like we mentioned, this year has been a ride already. If you are looking back on your past self thinking, “I just don’t want that anymore,” or “I’m not the same person,” that is perfectly okay. In fact, it could be even better because it means you’ve grown as a person and want new and better things for yourself.
Take some time and reflect on who that new person is and what they want. If it’s just an embellished version of your original goal, what more do you want and how are you going to get there? If it’s something totally different, same question.
2. Humility
When you decide to reevaluate yourself and your goals, it’s best to approach the entire process with humility. There will be goals that you don’t achieve, at least right away. Life changes and gets in the way, and the goals you set will change along with it.
It’s okay if you set a goal for yourself and you haven’t achieved it. It’s also okay if you realize you may never achieve it. It’s important to realize those unrealistic goals and let them go.
TEDxMileHigh speaker and author Marcus Doe knows first hand the struggle of letting go of something he so desperately wanted. At TEDxMileHigh: Imagine, Marcus spoke of his personal growth and the moment he realized that a goal that had completely consumed his life for years was no longer what he wanted.
It may be a bitter pill to swallow, or you may not even think twice about it, but letting go of unrealistic goals will help make room in your life for new ones that are achievable and more aligned with what you want.
3. Honesty
This is a piece of the reevaluation process that doesn’t apply to everyone, however, it might be the most important. You’ve set a goal, you’ve worked really hard, and you’ve reached that goal, whatever it may be. But, even after all the time and effort, you still feel unfulfilled. That goal you set for yourself felt right at the time, but now that you’ve achieved it, you’re unsatisfied.
Be honest with yourself. It’s okay to feel unfulfilled even after achieving one of your goals. There are two very important positives to recognize in this situation. The first is that you did it! Regardless of how you feel, you set a goal for yourself, you worked at it, and now you can check it off of your list.
The second positive is that there is a strong chance you’ve learned at least one thing about yourself along the way that you can channel into fulfilling your next goal.
Even if it’s the feeling of unfulfillment, at least now you know that whatever it is, you either don’t want it or it’s not enough.
Now What?
Now you keep going. With your newly aligned goals, a sense of humility, and honesty, you keep working towards what you want. Just like working towards your goals, the reevaluation process doesn’t stop. Take a moment to pause every so often and reflect on where you are, what you’ve done, and where you want to go. This way you’ll stay motivated because your goals will always be something you want to be working towards.
