10 Reasons to Challenge Yourself to 10 Goals

Do you ever wonder what would happen if you put your goals "out there" for a little bit. "Out there" as in out in the open for anyone and everyone to see. What would happen if you became vulnerable enough to share with the world what your monthly intentions were and how you were going to accomplish them? 

For some reason in September I decided to do just that. I put my monthly goals "out there" with the hopes of gaining a little accountability. If people knew my intentions and my goals then I couldn't give up when I wanted to. I couldn't decide that completing the goal half way was good enough. I was encouraged and motivated to give it everything I had in order to prove to myself that I was capable of doing what I said I was going to do. 

Although sharing your goals out in the open is not for everyone, I do however truly believe that writing down 10 monthly goals is very beneficial. No matter how easy, simple, hard or challenging your goals may be, it is oh so rewarding when you can check them off at the end of the month.

Here are my top ten reasons why I encourage each of you to jump on the bandwagon with me and write down 10 goals for October:

#1. Goals help you determine a purpose and/or direction. 

Goals are a great way to help you separate what is important in your life from what may be irrelevant or distracting.

#2. Monthly goal setting is a great way to motivate yourself.

Sometimes it is hard to push yourself to do things, especially if they are things that you don't really enjoy doing. By setting monthly goals you can motivate yourself to tackle tough situations under a specified deadline. To me, there is really nothing that motivates me more than a deadline. 

#3. Goals help you to build enthusiasm. 

As you successfully achieve your monthly goals, an enthusiasm and light sparks inside of you that leaves you feeling more accomplished and productive. Achieving goals also helps to build your self-confidence.

#4.  Goals provide a foundation for discovering new monthly goals.

As you complete monthly goals, new interest or passions make arise that keep you reaching out for more. Goals are such a great way to help you convey who you are and invest and commit to things you love and care about. 

#5. Monthly goals are the perfect building blocks to bigger goals.

Do you ever have a task that just seems too outrageous and impossible to handle? Tasks such as this tend to weigh a person down and become discouraging. By using monthly goals, it allows you to chip away at larger goals, little by little, and day by day, in order to make them not so overwhelming. When you break down the larger goals into subgoals and spread them out amongst various months, they become very easily achievable and leave you feeling satisfied. 

#6. Goals teach you the importance of discipline. 

A goal without a plan, is ultimately just a wish. You have to put your goals into action. Designing a plan about how you are going to achieve your monthly goals is crucial and will determine your success. Remember, change is a result of making changes. If you change nothing, in return, nothing will change. 

#7. Goals help you adapt to change and overcome obstacles.

It is important to be flexible along the way. Remember to always be stubborn about your goals, not your methods. Sometimes alternative methods may just be the key to success.

#8. All goals don't have to be serious.
Life is meant to be fun. Taking it too seriously can be overwhelmingly stressful. Goals are definitely not meant to stress you out, they are meant to encourage you and motivate you to try new things. If you are on the hunt for the perfect fall nail polish, make that one of your 10 goals for the month. Maybe you really want to just tackle some of your Pinterest crafts that you have been pinning. There is no shame in adding that to your list of monthly goals. It is all about finding the perfect balance of what works well for you!  

#9. Goals can easily be turned into team goals for you and your besties or families.
Pick a goal for your family or group of friends and conquer the challenge together. Whether it be going on a walk together once a week to get more exercise, or all volunteer together at the same organization, completing goals along side the ones you love make the end result so much more rewarding. Embrace the challenge of starting something new together! 

#10. Monthly goals will enable you to see and rejoice over your progress!!!

I am telling you people, life is hard. The world can be a tough place to live in and defeat can easily overcome who we are. When you achieve a goal, give yourself some credit. Be excited about your results and embrace the positive changes that achieving these goals are making in your life. It is all about striving for progress, not perfection. 

Remember, every goal is uniquely yours, so own it, give it all you have and push through the obstacles. Can't wait to hear all of your success stories!!! Happy 'Goal Planning'!

Maddie