Take a look at the intentions for the year ahead from Step 2  which you set out in your worksheet (or wherever you wrote down your intentions) and try and aside even just 10 minutes to…

1. Decide when you’d like it to happen
Do you have a date in mind when you’d like to achieve each intention/goal by? Without a time frame, goals can easily drift and so it’s important to anchor them with a date.  Be realistic as it can affect our motivation when we don’t achieve something when we said we would, but also be challenging and remind yourself how important this is to you. Consider what needs to happen to make this goal a reality (below) so you can be sure you’ve given yourself a chance.

2. Create some simple action steps
Sometimes our goals can feel overwhelming, but by breaking them up into a series of action steps, it all starts to feel more possible. Think about the resources you need (for example the money, the information, the equipment or the skill), the people you will need to talk to or get support from and the sequence of events that needs to happen. If you’re stuck, just think of the first step. I once heard about a Body Confidence Coach working with someone whose goal was to be able to wear a bikini on their next holiday. Their first step was to simply buy a bikini!  Once you’ve thought of the first step, the next steps after that usually start to flow.

3. Priortise what’s most important
Once you’ve listed out your actions, another way to ease any feelings of overhelm is to prioritise what’s most important. For instance, if you’re in a full time job and you’re looking to set yourself up in business, it may be a priority to speak to your boss to see if it’s possible to lower your hours to part time before you launch into investing yourself further. There is often a sequence to events, and tacking certain things upfront can end up saving you precious time and money further down the line. 

4. Hold yourself to account
Where a lot of great intentions can fall down is at this point (after the goals and actions have been set) so this is perhaps the most important element to making that life change or career change. One of the main reasons clients come for coaching is to have some accountability for what they say they are going to do. I know that coaching is not an option for everyone, so as an alternative, try and find a trusted friend, colleague or family member who you can share your goals and actions with and who will help you stay on track. You may want to give them permission to give you a necessary kick up the bum at certain times! Some people also find it helpful to set up reminders in their calendars and on their phones as check-in points along the way. (And please don’t forget to celebrate you’re successes and the progress you’re making too).