New Year, Fresh start…
It tends to be natural to set New Year’s resolutions; exercise more, eat healthier foods, spend more time with friends and family, more self-care and reflection. But with the goal setting comes the flip side, New Year New Me, like everything will be different and everything I want to change will change magically because it is a New Year.
We know this isn’t true and this can discourage us to not set goals at all. I think first of all it is important to understand every goal set is a step in the right direction; every failure or mistake is not the end of the world. Get up, dust yourself off and keep going!
My first two questions to all the classes I have taught is; What is your definition of success? And Why do you want to be a pilot?
Here are several guidelines when setting goals and resolutions
- Set them anyway even if you haven’t met them in the past
- Set realistic goals, ex. I will lose 5 lbs in a month
- Break down the goals into small steps, manageable tasks
- Add “how to” notes for more complex goals
- Celebrate the tiny successes
- Forgive yourself for slip ups
- As you meet the goals, set new ones
The definition for success will change as you get older, as you meet goals set and as priorities change in your life and that is ok. My first two questions to all the classes I have taught is; What is your definition of success? And Why do you want to be a pilot?
You need to know how you define success so you know when you get there, and you need to know why you are doing something so when it gets tough and you feel like giving up, you go back to your unique reason and keep going.
One final piece of advice, if you have trouble keeping yourself motivated day to day as I do, before bed each night make a list of what you want to accomplish the next day, a short list is ok. Also write this list on a white board or post it on a wall where it will be seen a lot. These constant reminders will keep you going when you are really busy or you are feeling like you are going in too many directions at once. Here’s to a great goal-accomplishing 2022!
Author: Rebecca Barkhouse