Strategically create your life: Turn your goals into strategy

​A few words on a piece of paper won’t change your life unless you move into action as a result of those words. To move forward, you need to turn your goals into plans. It’s time to take action towards making some shifts in your life.

How do you want to experience the next few months?
​Over the last few week’s I’ve encouraged you to look at how you want to feel in the coming months and to make a list of goals that will help you to achieve those feelings. I’ve explained how installing good habits can help you to reach your targets. If you’ve been following along, and taken some time to do the homework, then you now have a list of goals and habits.

Now what? Get mindful & strategic!
You may be wondering what the best plan of attack is to start moving ahead with those goals. The answer is... a strategic one. Before you get overwhelmed or try and dive into it all at once, I want you to slow down. Building a strategic plan to change your life takes mindfulness. 

Take a deep breath….and another one….and one more for good measure.

Behind the scenes
​Moses may have separated the sea with one sweeping motion of his staff, but it was years of behind the scenes work that got him there. It’s that behind the scenes work that many of us want to skip over. But…..you have to do it if you truly want to succeed, change your life or have a dramatic impact. You know that nothing really happens, simply by snapping your fingers.

Take the time, to achieve the results
To truly attain results, there are many steps to take. Along the way there, obstacles, both inner and outer, that you will need to overcome. Also, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but truthfully there also will be many times where you will have to put in the sheer effort and persist over time to get somewhere. 

• That may be studying night after night as you work on your degree
• It may be journaling daily for months, as you figure out why you keep losing it at work or
• It could be fighting that inner voice repeatedly that is encouraging you to “just skip your workout for today.”

Persistence and perseverance
It takes persistence and perseverance, over time to achieve anything. What is going to help you stay the course during all of that, is a plan. Your plan must be complete with strategy, timelines, and lifelines when needed. It is a plan that you develop and then put into action that allows you to be effective.

​Creating a strategic plan for life
Create your plan today by taking each of your goals and answering these questions:

• WHAT knowledge or skills do I need to learn?
• WHAT are the steps I need to take?
• WHAT obstacles do I need to overcome?
• WHERE do I need help?

Homework: Putting it all together
Now, create a strategic plan that you will work through in the coming months so you can achieve your goals. 

1. First, write down your goal and the steps you will need to obtain it. 
2. Indicate what habits you will need to install to reach your goals (i.e., study every Tuesday night, journal at 7 am each morning, go to the gym M/W/F)
3. Add timelines to the overall goal
4. Add timelines to the steps. 
5. Identify Obstacles – Make a note of the things you don’t know or challenges that might get in your way. Remember, you don’t need to know all the answers. They will come in time. Just make a note of what you need to figure out.
6. Identify Lifelines - Make a list of resources, people, inner beliefs and personality traits that can help you along the way as well as when you get stuck! (i.e., My Aunt, my faith, and Google!)

Coming up
Next week we will cover how to take move forward with the plan.  Remember to put the work in now. Do the behind the scenes work this week so that you can reach the feelings you want, achieve the goals you desire and shift your life so that you find more enjoyment and fulfillment. Being strategic gives you the peace you want.

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Kathy is a leadership coach for women who want to strengthen their leadership & find balance in life. 
She mentors women as they rediscover their purpose, passion, and persistence for life while dealing with office politics, jerk bosses and the challenges of family life. Kathy gives her ladies the hope and inspiration they need along with a kick in the pants to make positive changes in their lives. ​​​​​​​

Discover more in Kathy’s book Mastering Confidence: Discover Your Leadership Potential by Awakening Your Inner Guidance System ​​​​​​