The Pathway to Your Goals is Paved by Priority
At a recent goal-setting workshop that I facilitated, the attendees and I reflected on the obstacles that most frequently hindered our progress in achieving the goals we had set for ourselves over the past six months. While lack of time management was frequently cited as one of the primary obstacles, it was followed closely by financial constraints, bouts of self-doubt (imposter syndrome), and unforeseen life circumstances that derailed many from their well-intentioned plans to achieve their goals. Every one of these obstacles — financial constraints, self-doubt, unforeseen circumstances — undoubtedly holds validity and resonates with many of us, myself included. However, at the core of these obstacles lies a fundamental challenge: effective time management.
How we choose to invest our energy and time within each 24-hour day directly impacts our rate of success, achievement, and feelings of personal fulfillment. Each new day presents an opportunity to allocate our time purposefully and intentionally. Perceived “time management” troubles often stem not from a lack of time itself, but from a misalignment of priorities, unwillingness to change unhelpful habits, lack of boundaries, or lack of focus. By consciously defining our highest “Return-on-Investment” activities, and then relentlessly protecting time for what matters most by holding our boundaries, we take charge of our lives in a way that not only sets us up for success, but will almost guarantee rewarding outcomes.
What you prioritize reaps the rewards of your attention and intention. What your life looks like right now is the result of what you have prioritized for the days, months, weeks and years leading up to today — that’s powerful! (Keeping in mind that sometimes we have to prioritize the needs of urgent situations that arise — and that’s okay!) Take a moment to reflect and see if that resonates with you, and if so, what can you celebrate about knowing that you’ve directly helped shape your current life? What changes might you want to make moving forward? Just remember as you reflect, do not judge yourself. We have a tendency to beat ourselves up, but I encourage you to also give yourself grace in this process. It’s all about progress after all, not about perfection.
This week I encourage you to write your list of goals you would love to have accomplished by this time next year. What actions can you put into motion this week to get you moving towards them? What will you need to prioritize each day in order to make this happen? All is possible when you set your mind with intention, open up to new possibilities, enlist others into your journey to help support you along the way, set boundaries like walls around your priorities, and most of all, do all things through a place of self-love without judgment.
Have a great week!
This is an excerpt from an article published in April 2024 in The Fentress Courier Today — a newspaper publication in Jamestown, Tennessee.
