Hey Moms. đđź Guess what I've been doing? Reading! It's amazing that I can find the time to do this long lost activity since motherhood. 𤣠And, as I'm being blessed by this occurrence, I want to bless you with everything I learn. đ¤
I'm reading an amazing book called The 12 Week Year by Brian P. Moran, and Michael Lennington. This book perfectly confirms how I've been able to move the needle on goals, year over year, but it takes it further. I thought I was 'loca' (which I still may be) but it was reassuring that the strategy I've used, actually works. Here's why:
Start with Vision
Now, I know people think vision and vision boards (fun activity of picture collaging based on vision) might not be important, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Without knowing where you are going, you intentionally don't go anywhere, or end up somewhere you aren't supposed to be. And, I bet you've thought about the life of your dreams before, right? The one where you live at your full potential? That's where vision comes in.
We must carve out the time to get quiet, tap into your inner voice and see what is possible for you. Your life is such a gift! Your future self needs you to show up for it and invest the time now to see her. Your time is so precious. We must not settle for complacency. Appreciation, yes. Static, no. Life comes at you fast and if we don't make the time to pause and assess, we limit ourselves. Have you done your vision board for 2023 yet? Book me with your circle of mom-sisters and let's set ourselves up for success. #privateparty
Get to Planning
Now, this is the gold mine. Once you have vision -- you know, the one that excites and motivates you -- you plan it out. A goal without a plan, is just a dream. The plan is where's it's at. Because, it's all about execution. As the book quotes, "Weâre held back from achieving our potential, not by a lack of ideas, but by a lack of consistent execution." Greatness happens today, not later. It happens when you do the little extra stuff today that will ensure you attain your goal. #greatnesstoday
The plan should describe your tactics, "the how" of attaining your goals. It should be specific and it should be measurable. For example, if you have a goal of getting healthier, you could commit to strength training 3 days a week and doing cardio for 2 days a week. You could further say you won't surpass 1200 calories a day, 6 days out of the week, get 8 hours of sleep and drink 1 liter of water daily. Describe what success looks like. Otherwise, it's too blurry.
Think in 12 Week Chunks
The biggest point of this book is to only focus on 12 weeks at a time. I have lived my life by quarters (got that from the business world), but I didn't realize, it's actually powerful in our personal lives. As the book states "Thinking on an annual basis is a way to guarantee complacency and poor results." This is primarily because there is no sense of urgency with annualized goals - they are too far out.
Additionally, it's hard to convert annualized goals to what needs to be done today. Anything could change in 6 months so it's just too hard to predict that far into the further. Fun fact: I actually do list out my objectives every quarter but I only focus on each quarter at a time. The book says that by making the "deadline" 12 weeks, we can operate with greater urgency and find our high-value daily activities with more ease. Those are the acts that actually help you achieve your goals versus the other stuff that doesn't. đ I'm looking at you social media scrolling.
In my Moms Manifest 2023! workshop, we did both the planning for the year and the quarter. If you missed it, plan a private party now. đ¤
And remember moms, some years, it's all about just making it through. This method can still apply. When I was struggling the most, I made sure to think about what I want to get better in. I was trying to parent better (aka shout less), take care of myself better (aka ask for help) and get mentally healthier. So, even if majority of your goals are parenting related, because that's your world, then that's the assignment. I'm who I am today because I dove into motherhood like an assignment to be more patient, a better communicator and a better teacher. Motherhood is leadership. I hope you give yourself permission to be right where you are, and bloom.đˇ
Let's Win â¤ď¸đ
