Smart goals for 2018
This is my post about setting smart goals for 2018. If you can’t see the video click here. This video was taken from a Facebook live so is poorer in quality and you need to be logged into Facebook to watch it.
Walking the walk
As many of you will know I am a life coach so I like to walk the walk as well as talk the talk. So I’m regularly setting and reviewing smart goals.
The start of the year particularly excites me because it feels like a fresh page, with so much potential.
My first post of the year was about making your home supportive of your resolutions, but it occurred to me that some of you may not know where to start with the goals bit!
I always put the best part of a day aside for this January goal setting exercise. I review what’s happened in the year just passed and set my targets for the one ahead, with a strategy to reach them.
You could see this as a guide for you to do the same – after all I can’t help but boss people about! I went through this in a Facebook live session as you can see on this post’s video, which you might also find motivating.
1. Review 2017
An important part of setting smart goals is to celebrate what you HAVE – and only what you HAVE – achieved in the previous year. This helps you to assess where you are, but also puts you in a positive frame of mind.
You will probably be surprised at how much you did succeed at. If you struggle with this, force yourself to find at least 5 things that you did well – even if it was getting to the dentist twice! If recent reports are to be believed that puts you at the top of the pack!
It’s so important this is written positively, without dwelling on those aspects of 2017 you are happy to leave behind.
My 2017 achievements
I recently came out in public for the first time touching briefly on my postnatal depression. I’ve only just felt able to talk about this outside of my close friends and family because I’m starting to feel truly better.
Having come out of 2017 feeling the best I have since my beautiful little girl was born (OK welling up now) is definitely my number one achievement. This also fills me with absolute joy for 2018.
Despite my personal struggles though, 2017 was actually a good foundation laying year.
Here’s what I’m proud of in my career from last year:
- Successful blog/vlog name change from Property Porn (what was I thinking?!) to The Home Genie.
- Finishing my latest, and most challenging property.
- This property being featured in 25 Beautiful Homes magazine.
- Being approached by a literary agent and a publisher and signing to write my first book (this was a goal for much further in the future so result!).
- Putting in for planning permission for my first own build.
- Becoming a judge for The London Upcycling Show.
- Starting as a regular home improvement expert on Martin Roberts’ show on Talk Radio.
- Being nominated for the UK Blogger Awards 2018 and then getting through to the finals.
- Becoming an ambassador for Groundwork, a charity that provides upcycling and DIY training to underprivileged communities whilst encouraging a reduction in waste, among many other building projects close to my heart.
- Presenting BBC weather for a variety of regions.
- Writing for The Sunday Telegraph, The Sunday Times, The Independent, The Guardian and 25 Beautiful Homes.
Let’s face it, every day we have little goals. Just making it to work on time might be one of them. The goals for the year need to be special. They need to be bright, clear, vivid and make you say yesssssss!
I’m sure you will have heard of ‘SMART’ goals, but if not, here’s what it stands for:
- Specific – make your goals elaborate, with minute details so you know what you’re aiming at. ‘A new home’ could be a mansion or a shack, so make sure you know which one you’re working towards!
- Measured – find some way of measuring your goals so you know when you’ve hit them. Don’t just say I want a bigger home – how many square feet will it be, with how many bedrooms?!
- Agreed – this means agreed with anyone else who might be involved, or at least make sure your support team are aware. I also think this should also be agreed with yourself – as in is it definitely your goal? Are you truly passionate about it? Does it make your tummy flip?
- Realistic – make sure it is attainable, otherwise you are doomed for disappointment. Always aim slightly higher than your first thoughts though as you may find a way to reach that slightly better insulated shack!
- Timed – give that goal a deadline, but also have some milestones along the way to make sure it’s not too overwhelming. If you want to decorate the house, maybe assign a room to each month.
My smart goals for 2018
I have to tell you it’s pretty scary putting this out there as it means you can all hold me to them! I will spare you the smaller details though! Here I go:
- My own property or DIY show on terrestrial TV
- Get a regular strand on This Morning as a home improvement expert
- Grow The Home Genie to 15k followers
- Become an award winning blogger/vlogger obvs!
- Successful book published
- The Home Genie online course
- Work with brands to help fund The Home Genie
- Finish own build successfully
- DIY and upcycling workshops with Groundwork up and running
3. Blue sky thinking
Now you want to get a big piece of paper or a white board and come up with all the possible options you can think of to get you to your goals. Push out any negative, nagging doubts and go for it. If they’re wacky it doesn’t matter, they may just spark some more sensible ideas.
4. Where are you at?
This is the stage you work out what your current armour is. This should include your personal qualities as well as tangible attributes.
For example, if you take my first goal of getting a terrestrial property or DIY programme. Two years ago I screen tested for Homes Under The Hammer and Coast v Country and apparently did very well. I was gutted I didn’t get them obviously, but I can take the positive feedback as great encouragement. This is just as important as factors like having a popular blog set up and my work with the BBC.
Now pick out the ones you do feel are worth having a go at.
I like to draw a timeline that has my colourful smart goals and milestones but I also pick out those ideas for steps I need to take to get there. Doing them along a timeline means I can be careful not to overload myself and so give each step a manageable space in the year.
For example, I plan to make my own pilot for a TV programme. I’m not going to do that at the same time as writing a book, filming an online course and building a property am I?!
I also know I can be my own worst enemy sometimes so I make sure I anticipate what might get in the way and how I will leapfrog over that hurdle.
6. Decide, commit, achieve
One thing I find very powerful is putting together a vision board with pictures representing my goals.
Stock visualisations are great to have up your sleeve. I find imagining I’ve already achieved any one goal really motivates me. This picture my little big brother (he’s 6’4″) photoshopped for me is a great example. How excited and raring to go do you think that make me feel?!
I’d love to hear your goals for the year, so please either send them privately or post a comment.
Make sure your home is working alongside your goal setting by reading my earlier post about Home Resolutions.
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