Staying the Course: Five Tips to Help You Reach Your 2017 Goals.

It’s hard to believe that we are already six months into the year 2017. Where has the time gone and why has it gone so fast?

At the beginning of each year many of us start out with fresh hopes and dreams and a long list of New Year’s resolutions. “This year: I’m going to get in shape or this year I’m going to enroll in school, this year I’m going to stop smoking, or this year I’m going to start saving more money,” and the list goes on and on. As time begins to pass, and weeks turn into months, it is all too common to lose sight of our goals.

The month of June is a great time to revisit the goals you set at the beginning of the year or your deployment and recommit to getting back or staying on track. Take inventory of where you are and where you want to be and begin investing small steps every single day that bring you closer to your long-term goal. It’s no surprise that nothing happens overnight. It is the small sacrifices and discipline made consistently over a certain amount of time that will lead to the big return you desire.

If you have lost sight of your goals and are ready to get back on track here are few tips to help you along the way.

1. Make a vision board: A vision board is a simple collection of images, words or visual art depicting where you envision being in the future. Once you’ve created it, place it in a conspicuous place where you will see it every single day. Seeing you’re vision on a daily basis will help keep you motivated to stay focused and committed to your long term goals.

2. Write out a game plan/strategy to reach that goal: Long term success requires incremental progress. Getting to the end goal can seem overwhelming when first beginning. Before you start, develop a long term strategy with small milestones to accomplish along the way. These small yet deliberate accomplishments will serve as tangible building blocks leading to you the end goal.

3. Find a Battle Buddy: A battle buddy is an accountability partner or someone to help you stay on course. Having someone to hold you accountable for following through on your game plan will make you less inclined to make excuses for not meeting your milestones. This person could be a daily work out partner or a mentor offering advice to overcome an obstacle you encounter. Whoever you choose, be sure the person is willing to provide the honest feedback you need to keep pushing you in the right direction.

4. Persevere no matter what: Perseverance is a must when it comes to success! You are almost guaranteed to face some type of obstacle when you set out on your mission. Don’t get discouraged if you stumble and fall. Get back up, learn from you mistakes, and keep on moving forward. Don’t stop until you reach the finish line.

5. Celebrate your success: Your success may have been a long time coming but once you finally get there it’s time to celebrate. Relish in a job well done because you’ve earned it and you deserve it!

Remember: Reaching your 2017 goals may not come easy but if you can stay the course and not lose focus, your success will come!