Today is day 66 of my 66 day challenge. So here is the take away.
Can we have flexible goals?
Thanks to my recent 66 day challenge, I think we can.
On Monday 15 March 2021 I set myself 3 goals which were to run over 66 days.
Why 66 days? Because according to Gary Keller (The One Thing), this is how long it takes to form a new habit. This means that today, on 20 May, my 66 days are up.
I had challenged myself to take 3 actions:
- shoot a video for Instagram reels – every day
- post an uplifting Instagram story – every day
- write a helpful email – once a week
Did I achieve this?
In short – no.
Why not?
As I made progress, learning about each one – reels, stories and emails – I discovered that churning out content for content’s sake is not a good solution for me. So my priorities shifted, in a good way. This lead to my adapting my goals.
Why did I set these goals?
- Because challenges help us grow, by taking small steps towards a goal.
- Because I want to connect with people I could support in their evolution. So I need to get my message out there to reach people who want to connect with me. Via Instagram and email.
- Because I am creating my future work which is to support people who need to focus on themselves again and create a life of quality that they love.
What did I achieve?
- I learnt a few skills – like adding text to a part of an Instagram reel.
- I grew in confidence speaking into a camera on reels, and also shared some real content about my life. Life outside the comfort zone!
- I realised the importance of Instagram stories and that that is where a lot of the Instagram action takes place.
- I am more comfortable with the messaging I want to share in my emails – and learned that I should edit a number of my existing emails to reflect this new knowledge.
- I learnt that being flexible with my goals is acceptable!
About flexible goals
Was the challenge worth it? Yes it was.
So things didn’t work out as I had planned.
But I made progress and I learned new skills and had some valuable lessons in mindset.
In the past I might have been disappointed with myself. But now I am focusing on what I learnt and the progress I made. My goals became flexible – they were still beneficial, but they changed as my circumstances did. I am ok with this!
- They fitted into my current reality.
- They progressed my business.
- They added to my self-growth.
- They moved me a little closer to my goal of running a successful digital business.
- They also showed me where I need to focus – I need to edit a few emails, and I need to focus on and post more Instagram stories.
- They motivated me to share reels.
They also helped me let some self-imposed rigidity go.
They allowed me to do a little less, breathe a little more, and learn a bit more about the way I live and work.
And I believe self-awareness is one of the big keys to life. It is a valuable and life-enhancing result of any learning experience!
Do you set goals?
Depending on who you are, you may thrive working with goals, or you may not.
I work well with structure – so I need a system of goals to move me forward. I am a system-oriented productivity-lover.
My husband, however, doesn’t like anything too planned or controlled. He works with greater flexibility. He is a great ideas man and problem solver.
So set goals if that is how you like to work.
And if they slide and slip – here is my permission, my applause in fact – of letting them go, lovingly if you will.
Goals are there to improve your life. They are not there to be used as a tool with which to berate yourself.
To flexible goals! May they change with our life, yet remain a tool to our progress.
And if you want to join a most wonderfully alive and up to date and ever-evolving and supportive community teaching current online business skills and with a major focus on developing an entrepreneurial mindset (take a breath), like I am doing, add your name to the email below.
There is a free workshop for you that is highly likely to open your eyes to all the possibilities and opportunities available online. This is exactly how I started my real and expansive journey of personal growth.
My life gets better and better – even through the tough times.
To your progress however you choose to do it!
