Sticky Goals

Step into my bathroom for a moment.  Upon first glance you will find my little secret to achieving goals.  Right in front of you in hot pink, lime green and bright orange, you will see my weapon of success.

Here it is, this is it . . . Sticky Goals.  Yep, that’s my secret to reaching goals.  Sticky Goals are visual reminders of what you will accomplish this year, written on Post It Notes. You read that right; those great little self-stick notepapers are your answer.  You probably have a stack lying around your house right now. 

Write your goals for 2012 on individual Post-It-Notes.  Keep it short, a few words is perfect, and put it in present tense, positive terms (I weigh 140 pounds, I get a promotion, I take a vacation, I am smoke-free).  These must be tangible goals. 

A dear friend of mine has a slight shopping obsession at Macy’s.  Once in the store, she can’t seem to help herself.  She shared with me her goal was to cut back on her shopping and spending.  GREAT!  Now we just need to reword that goal and make it a Sticky Goal.  Less shopping or less spending is subjective.  When there’s a huge clearance at Macy’s her “less” may be compromised.  So, my suggestion is to make a Sticky Goal that says “I spend a maximum of $100 in one month shopping for clothes” or better yet “I do not go to Macy’s for one entire month”.  Now those are goals she can look at every day and at the end of the month she can without a doubt say YES I did it or NO I need to try again next month.  Sticky Goals take all the guess work out of goal achievement.

If you have a large goal like training for a marathon, losing 50 pounds or organizing your entire house, break down those big goals into smaller mini goals that can be achieved one week or month at a time.   Layer the mini-goals on top of your large ultimate goal.  (for example, if your goal is to run 10 miles, the top sticky goal should read 1 mile, under that 3 miles, then 5 miles, working your way to 10 miles.  For now the only goal you can see is run 1 mile and that's doable, right!)

Put your Sticky Goals in front of your face, not hidden away in a notebook to be easily forgotten.  Post them on the left side of your bathroom mirror where you are forced to look at them and yourself every morning and every evening.  Read them, say them aloud until you are so sick of looking at them that you take action and achieve them.  As you accomplish one of your goals, write the date on the note and move it to the right side of your mirror.  Left side equals goals ~ Right side equals accomplishments.  Whatever you do, LEAVE THEM ON THE MIRROR!  Left side pushes you to keep focused; right side inspires you with the reminder of what you have already accomplished.  (I was introduced to this great little secret of success by the sales and business expert, Jeffrey Gitomer.)

Perhaps you have lost faith in yourself.  It’s time to prove that you have what it takes ~ you still got it going on Mama!  Now you know the secret, get out the Post-It Notes, a pen and your list of goals for 2012 and add some color to your bathroom mirror!  These Sticky Goals stick with ya and help you create the life of your dreams.  Grab 2012 by the horns and make it call you Mama!

*(Want to SEE us explain Sticky Goals and show you how it works?  Watch this special episode of Smokin' Hot Mama Club TV!)