tips for following through

now that you have a beautiful year ahead of you, a plan for achieving the outcomes you want most, and reasons for why each outcome is important, the rest lies in your ability to follow-through and take consistent action towards results that mean the most to you.

here are some tips: * weekly review and planning - spend a set amount of time to review which outcomes you will work on this week. evaluate your results from previous weeks. i will cover the weekly planning process in more detail in another article.

* momentum - take action every week (everyday if you can) regardless of how small, to keep momentum.

* one outcome - focus on just one outcome at a time. you can have other outcomes, but only work on them when you’ve completed tasks for the most important outcome.

* review often - read over your written outcome blocks as often as you can in a day, in a week. especially review the purpose, to be reminded of why each outcome is important to you.

* visualize outcomes - before doing something, it helps to close your eyes for a moment to visualize the end result. when the outcome is a reality, how will you feel? how will you celebrate it? how big will you smile? feel the feelings of excitement in your being.

* tell people about it - we are more likely to do something when we feel accountable for it. let other people know what your up to, and you’re outcomes.

* visual reminders - post your outcome and its purpose up where you can see them - walls, bathroom mirror, on your desk, etc.

* find a buddy - find a buddy who is also working on something important to them. become each other’s best support and motivator. tell each other what you are currently focused on, why it is important and the actions you plan to take. on a regular basis, review your results with each other.

* divide annual goals - where would you need to be in 6 months, in order to achieve a particular outcome in a year? where would you need to be in 3 months? in a month? keep dividing annual goals, until you have a more realistic target to shoot for in the short term.

* reward yourself & celebrate successes - when you’ve succeeded in taking action or you’ve completed your outcome, don’t rush to work on the next outcome. jump up and down! treat yourself to something you enjoy (web surfing time, a snack, a stretch, a movie). celebrate and give gratitude for your wins!