We’ve reached that point of the year where many people have slipped on the goals that they set at the beginning of the year. It feels discouraging because we often feel like we can’t just refocus on goals like that.
But, just because you made some mistakes or life got crazy, doesn’t mean all is lost. You’ve still got almost a whole year left to reach those goals. This post is going to show you how to refocus and make it happen.
How To Refocus On Your Goals If You Slip Up
If you’ve found yourself giving up on your goals already, I want you to give yourself some grace and try again. I’m going to show you how to refocus on those goals, no matter what time of year it is.
The points I’m suggesting are a mix of reflection and hands on tips. Keep reading to be on your way to a refocused mind.
1. Get Rid Of The All Or Nothing Thinking
The first thing you need to do is the most important. You have to get rid of the all or nothing thinking. If you are in your head right now saying that “you might as well throw in the towel and try again next year,” I’m talking to you here.
Instead we are reframing New Years Resolutions to simply just be yearly goals. These are goals that can be started, stopped, and restarted at any time of the year. This way of thinking relieves some of the pressure, and gives you permission to keep going when it comes to your goals.
2. Take A Second Look At Your Goals
Now that your mindset is in the right place, it’s time to take another look at your goals. Upon further examining the goals you originally set at the beginning of the year, you may come to a few conclusions:
- There is a goal or two that you feel aren’t important anymore and should be let go
- You need to do a little tweaking and refining to a few of your goals
- You have become fired up about your original goals again
It’s important to take a look at your goals after some time has passed because it will give you clarity on how to move forward and motivate you to get back to it.
Your problem may be something as simple as needing to turn your goals into SMART goals, or maybe you need to not focus on certain goals right now. Take a look at what you are hoping to accomplish and determine the next steps.
3. Get Some Accountability To Help Refocus On Goals
Getting accountability is a great way to ensure that you stay on top of your goals. Fortunately, it’s not as hard as it seems as there are various ways to find accountability as well.
You can opt for individual accountability partners (whether that’s a friend, a trained professional, a mentor, etc.), or you could even form/join an accountability group. Another way to get accountability is through things like apps and progress trackers, which I’m talking about next.
4. Track Your Progress
There are a few different ways to track your progress on your goals. It all depends on your preference between digital and handwritten. You’ve got habit tracking apps that you can download if you are always on your phone. However, if you are more of a pen and paper person, creating your own habit tracker is simple to do.
I would set up a monthly tracker so that it’s not too overwhelming to set up. All you need to do is take a spare sheet of paper, or designated notebook, and draw blank circles of how many days are in the month.
Each day you do something to complete your goal you mark it off. If you are like me, the dopamine of checking off that day will carry you into doing your habit the next day as well. Being able to refocus on goals this way means a slip off the path was only a slight detour.
5. Go Easy On Yourself
For our last tip we are going back to the mindset. It’s possible that even after doing all of this, you still may fail. That’s okay though! When that happens you just get back up and try again.
You want to be gentle and encouraging with yourself when it comes to your goals. It’s not truly failing if you give it another shot. You won’t know that if you give up though. Remember to speak positively to yourself, reach out for help if you need it, and then recommit to what you want to achieve.
Final Thoughts On How To Refocus On Goals
It’s time to get refocused on the things you want to happen this year. Follow these tips at any point of the year and you’ll be ready to go after your goals again. What are the goals you are focused on this year? Let me know in the comments.
We at GenTwenty love talking about all things goals. If you need more goal setting tips check out these posts.
Financial Confidence: Goals To Achieve In The Next Year
4 Steps To Set Achievable Short-Term Goals
50 Epic Short Term Goals For College Students To Succeed
125 Motivational Quotes for a New Month To Inspire Goals
The Ultimate List of 35 Ideas For Goals In Life – Living a Fulfilled Life
About the Author
Kelly graduated from Liberty University with a degree in Advertising and Public Relations and a minor in Journalism. Even though it took her a little while to find her career path, she was always meant to be in Communications. She remembers writing poems and songs when she was a little girl and pitching to my parents the reasons why I should have a cell phone when I was a teenager. She currently has a blog (budding-joy.com) where she talks about her weight-loss journey, mental health and personal development. Her hope is to encourage and inspire readers and let them know they are not alone. Reading blog posts like that are what helped her in tough times and she wants to pay it forward. She loves dance fitness, listening to music, and creating layouts in her bullet journal. She's a big fan of planning, especially when cute notebooks and pens are involved. Her dream job has changed so much over the years; right now she'd love to co-own a dance studio.
Website: budding-joy.com