Since January is always the start of resolutions and goals, I wanted to share what I've learned about writing goals and I'll share a few of mine. Sharing makes you more accountable - it's something I'm learning!
I'm always checking out biz ideas for the yogipreneur (as yogis who own businesses are called) and I learned about doing this thing called a "brain dump." It's basically taking everything that's in your brain, and writing it down. Sounds easy right? You time yourself, say 10 min, and then just write it all down. Don't organize it, just get it out of your head. Keep writing until the timer goes off. This practice has helped me to organize my biz, home, personal, Zephyr stuff by first getting it all out of my head. I found this exercise to be extremely satisfying. Once it's all written down, then you can organize it into categories. So with my business now going into its 11th year (wow!!) I've never formally sat down to write goals for my business each new year. I know, crazy right? I'm a great list maker and brain dumper, but daily, weekly, monthly, yearly goals- not so much. I've even taken many many yoga biz courses and still, it has been something I simply have not done. I've decided this is the year that I will finally do it.
What I've learned about goal writing:
1) set realistic goals for yourself - Cutting out sugar for a week or 2 is something I can do, but longer than that doesn't work for me. I am all about the pleasures in life but moderation is key. Knowing that about myself I understand that it is important to set a realistic goal that I can achieve.
2) set up a timeline - I'm doing daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals for my business. I am currently doing a 90 day workout/yoga challenge and a 40 day meditation challenge. I have given myself realistic timelines for the important work goals as well. I just read this great article on why 90 day goals are the most realistic b/c they are do-able. I love that!
3) don't beat yourself up if you don't make a goal - Just make it your next goal to achieve.
4) write down every single idea and mark off tasks done - How satisfying, right? I take my brain dump and then make my daily or weekly lists from it. The daily list has been crucial for me to actually get things done.
5) daily goals when done long enough become habit - Since this new year started I'm working hard to incorporate a few specific actions into my day. One goal that I've tried time and time again to incorporate consistently into my life is exercise. I've always made excuses -- no time, I'm already teaching yoga all day, no childcare, hurt knee, blah blah blah. A friend/colleague of mine was offering a 90 day challenge- 10 min of bootcamp, 10 min of yoga. That is so do-able to accomplish. I've added my 15 min meditation to it and my mornings are now off to a great start.
6) Share your goals and recruit support - Here I am, sharing some of my goals with all of you: scary but important. Also, I have some friends I've shared with to support me in attaining some of these things I want to accomplish. It feels great to have the support of others.
Some of my goals!
~daily goals - Get up early enough so my mornings are not rushed, my workouts & meditation, daily to-do list and taking mindful breaks throughout the day. A biggie is no technology (except for my exercise video) until after I exercise and meditate.
~weekly goals - Continue baking with Zephyr on Friday mornings! Write my to-do list for the week on Sunday night, weekly blog post.
~90 day goal - 90 day challenge, A family yoga fundraiser based on the video "Peace Begins With Me" we created to raise money for the kids yoga program we started with the Africa Yoga Project.
~6 month goal - Create a mobile app to go with my new Full of Joy Yoga Kids Yoga book.
~9 month goal - Write, photograph and publish a volume 2 of my Kids Yoga Book completed in time to be a seller at the 2nd Annual Kids Yoga Conference.
~1 year goal - Collaborate on more projects with other yogi's, have a business making money that doesn't include my teaching hours (books, apps, products, etc), FINALLY have FOJY products - shirts, bags, etc., a family vacation to Costa Rica.
~Future - Facilitate a family yoga retreat.
While doing this goal writing exercise, I'm learning what priorities I want for me personally and professionally. As I add class after class to my schedule, I start thinking to myself- "how am I going to achieve some of these goals when I have no time to work on them?"
A goal I set for myself when I took a Kids Yoga Business Course last year was to add working ON my biz time to my calendar. While I have all the classes I teach IN my business listed there, I have never added the time I sit at my computer to do my social marketing, working on my book, flyers, emails, etc. That stuff is just as important and is how I can reach any of the goals I set for myself in my biz.
Stay tuned for the next blog post with my winter warmer kids yoga sequence.
What do you have to share about goal writing? Do you have any specific goals in mind for the next 90 days? or the next year? I'd love to hear your tips and tricks to sticking to your goals.
Thanks for reading!
Amani and Namaste,
Lani
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