You guys know I am ALL about accountability and check-ins when it comes to working on goals. I think they are so key for growth and making sure the things we’re working on actually still align with where we want to go. Plus, as cliché as it sounds, it’s important to remember that working on your goals is more about the journey than just the destination. When you decide you want to work on your goals you’ve made a commitment that you’re choosing a life of growth and hese check-ins are so helpful in keeping you on track.

Today I’m going to walk you through the framework that I use each month to look ahead, get intentional and set myself up for success. I’ve also included a free worksheet at the bottom of this blog post if you’d like to give the process a spin for yourself too.

Motto or Word of the Month

This is a pretty popular technique and it’s one I love because it allows me to set a tone for my upcoming month. Sometimes I’ll pick or more energized word or motto like drive, or momentum and other times my focus will be rest or reset. Sometimes a single word doesn’t totally represent my mood so instead, I’ll go with a phrase like “get shit done!” or last month I embraced my inner Kacia Fitzgerald and picked “do the damn thing!”

Top 3 Monthly Goals

While of course, I have bigger goals I’m working towards, I like to narrow things down to the top 3 things I want to get accomplished this month. For me, I’ve found writing down a huge laundry list of goals is the fastest track to failure so I like to only focus on 3 things instead. This allows me to really prioritize, which then carries into my weekly and daily activities.

Reminder of the Bigger Picture

The next section I check-in on, is how my monthly goals and the other things I’m working on support my bigger picture goals. Personally, I like to always have the big picture front and center so I know exactly what I’m working towards. This is a great way to really start to understand how small wins propel us and help us grow over time too.

Habits & Routines

This one is BIG! Habits and routines are really the backbone when it comes to making progress on your goals. That’s because there aren’t a lot of things we can do just a couple of times and hit our goals. So in this section, I’ll identify different habits or routines that I am making a priority for this month. Sometimes this section stays the same month-to-month ( if it’s something I’m continuing to work on) and then other times I’ll introduce something new.

A really valuable tactic when it comes to developing routines and habits is starting small and then piggybacking off of other tasks on things you’re already used to doing. For example, brushing and flossing before bed is a no brainer for me... it’s something I’ve done for years. If I just got some new face moisturizer and using it before bed before has been a struggle before, I may try to put it out next to my toothbrush so that I don’t forget. The stronger your routines and habits get, the more things you can start adding until they all just become things you naturally do.

Distractions I Need to Nix

This one is really important too. We all have the same amount of hours in the day, but the way we prioritize our time makes all the difference in what we accomplish. So if you want to start reading more or start a new workout routine then that time is going to have to come out of somewhere else. In this section, I try and identify different things I want to give LESS attention that month.

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Efforts I Made Towards my Goals

Then the last two sections are actually things that I fill in throughout the month. The first is making note of the different efforts I made towards my goals. This one is important for me because there are a lot of goals that are very much long-term goals and I’m not going to actually hit them for awhile. Or things that I need to put in a lot of effort before I’ll see real results. Having this section really helps me acknowledge the efforts I’m making and stay motivated. Another reason I do this is because sometimes life happens and you may be slacking some and realize you’re 3 weeks into the month and you haven’t made any moves that support your goals. Back to that accountability thing!

Wins & Milestones

Last but not least, I keep track of wins or milestones that happen throughout the month. A lot of which I’ll then share on my Instagram check-in updates! These are a step beyond the efforts I’ve made because these are actual results. So for example, if I want to work on my public relations strategy and be featured in the media more, an effort would be pitching x, y, and z publications, whereas a win, would be if I was actually featured in one.

I love this section because it reminds me how much you can really accomplish in one month plus it’s also really a gratitude check-in too. Life can seriously pass us by so fast and this section really allows me to reflect on life in real-time and be thankful for all that I have.

I hope you guys have found this helpful! I think it’s also important to note that my process has evolved a lot over the years and is a combination of a lot of things I’ve tried. So don’t be afraid to adjust it and make it your own!

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Could you use a little support with this process? I created a monthly goal planning worksheet to walk you through it step-by-step!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY

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You all know I’m all about personality tests (and if you didn’t, now you do!) There’s something reassuring learning about why you are the way you are and, more importantly, how you can use it to your advantage. So why do I think personality tests can be helpful when it comes to reaching your goals? It’s all about self-awareness! It’s something that I think is so key when it comes to not just developing but actually making plans that you’ll be able to stick to.

Understanding what your strengths are.. what your weaknesses are and how you work best — these are all key when it comes to mapping out how you’re actually going to accomplish your goals. For example:

• If you’re someone who tends to procrastinate, then you’ll want to make sure you have specific deadlines in your action plan.

• If you’re someone who gets overwhelmed at the bigger picture and tends to give up on things, having an accountability plan or partner may be something you want to consider.

• Or, if you’re more of a trial and error type of person then it may be better for you to set short-term plans for how you’ll accomplish smaller pieces to your goals instead of wasting time planning the big picture.

We all approach life differently, and when you take the time to identify key things about how you live your life, it will only benefit you when it comes to your goals. So today I’m sharing 3 of the tests I recommend you take a look (or second look at) to increase your self-awareness and come up with plans that will set you up for success.

Four Tendencies

When it comes to a deep dive on learning about your personality and how you can improve your own life and relationships, the Four Tendencies should be your go-to! Gretchen Rubin wrote a whole book on the topic, but you can also just take the test on her website. Essentially this framework is based on the question, “How do I respond to expectations?” which then categorizes people into four different categories: Upholders, Questioners, Obligers, and Rebels. I am an Obliger, by the way.

Finding out my tendency was a GAME CHANGER (all caps worthy) for me when it came to my goals because I discovered as an Obliger I do better when I have outside accountability sources. For example, I’m really great at meeting deadlines, and other people’s expectations but can struggle when I’m the only one I have to answer to. Learning this was HUGE for me because it was so true. It’s actually one of the biggest reasons I started doing my monthly goal check-ins publicly on Instagram too, which I also talk about in this IGTV. By knowing this, I was able to add an accountability tactic that I may not have done otherwise which has really helped me propel forward on a lot of things.

Enneagram

The enneagram is another really popular test that has gained more notoriety in the last few years — especially on Instagram. There are thousands of accounts dedicated specifically to it, and I for one am here for it! The exact history on its origins are a little debatable but it’s focused on defining 9 different personality types.

Each type is represented by a number and includes: 1 the Reformer (that’s me!), 2 the Helper, 3 the Achiever, 4 the Individualist, 5 the Investigator, 6 the Loyalist, 7 the Enthusiast, 8 the Challenger, and 9 the Peacemaker. For me, the enneagram has provided a lot of insight into realizing I’m a perfectionist and how strong my inner critic can be. Sure, I may have known that before but diving in deeper has helped me give myself more grace when I trip up or things don’t go perfectly. Which has been very helpful when it comes to checking-in on goals and adjusting my plans when needed. There are several different versions of the enneagram test that you can take, but below I have linked one that I’ve used that’s free.

Myers–Briggs Type Indicator

Another very popular personality test especially for the workplace is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Essentially it is a questionnaire that focuses on identifying your psychological preference. The test breaks you into 4 main categories: Analysts, Diplomats, Sentinels, and Explorers, which are then broken down into 4 options under each. Each type in each category is represented by a letter so your full type has 4 letters, hence there being 16 different personality types. This website does a good job breaking things down.

I fall into the Advocate category and am right on the border of being an ENFJ-T and an INFJ-T — depending on if I’m feeling more extraverted or introverted. Which, on another note, there’s a name for people who have both introverted and extroverted tendencies — ambivert. I thought that was pretty cool when I found that out. Back to the personality test though, since there are 16 types, this test can get really specific on traits specific to you. A few of my takeaways from my type that I found were that sometimes I’m a little too optimistic about situations or what I can accomplish in one day and that I often put others needs before mine. From this, when I make plans, I try to stick to 3 main things each day for my business and 3 on the personal side so that I really have to prioritize things. I also started giving myself a day to myself each month specifically devoted to recharging and setting aside others’ expectations or needs.

I’ve had SO many amazing takeaways from these tests when it comes to my goals and I really hope they help you as well! Even if you’ve taken them before, I highly recommend going back and reading more about your types and really taking the time to do a personal audit. The time you spend learning more about yourself and on self-awareness will only help you build smarter and more effective plans when it comes to your goal action plans.

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Could you use a little support with this process? I created a intentional goal planning worksheet to walk you through it step-by-step!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY

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When it comes to planning goals, it’s not just important that you have them, but that you’re also intentional with the planning of them. What does that mean? Well, there’s no better way to set yourself up for success so that you actually make progress on your goals than really thinking things through during the planning stage. Over the years, I’ve tried a lot of different methods to do so and today I’m breaking down the Get Your Goals 6 Step Framework that has really helped me.

Goal

The first step is the most obvious, identifying what your goal actually is. What is it that you want to accomplish or work on? Do you want to work on saving more money so you can buy a house? Do you want to start a side hustle or a new business? Do you want to write a book? Whatever it is you want to do, start by writing out your goal and being as specific as possible — this will help you through the next steps.

Motivation

Once you’ve identified what you want to do now I want you to think about why. This is one of the most important parts of goal planning because your why statement is going to be what keeps you going through the good and tough parts of your journey.

Timeline

Next up, let’s chat about when you want to accomplish this goal. This one is important and one of the things that people skimp on. Deciding on a timeline is key because it’s going to be the deciding factor to build out your actual action plan. Is this a long-term goal like in the next 3 years? Is this something you want to accomplish by the end of the year? Or is this something you want to accomplish within the next few months? Write it down so you can make a plan!

Action Plan

Down to one of the most important parts — actually creating a plan. In this section you need to breakdown all of the things you’ll need to do to accomplish that goal. If you want to start a podcast, but don’t know anything about podcasting then you’ll likely need to learn how to create one, buy any necessary equipment, plan your recording schedule, outline your episodes, etc.! The key here is to break down everything you will need to do to accomplish your goal. If it’s a longer-term goal, it can also be very effective to actually break tasks down by time periods too.

Accountability

The other most important part is deciding on how you are going to stay accountable and track your progress. This is why it’s important how you write your goal in that first section too! For example, if you want to read more this year, instead of having your goal be “reading more” you might want to consider adding a quantity to it like “this year I want to read 12 books”. Every goal will be a little different but figuring out some element of it that can be tracked will really help you.

Once you’ve done that, now it’s time to decide how you are going to keep yourself accountable and how often you’ll check in on your success. Which is why it’s so important you have something you can track otherwise the accountability portion is going to be a little tricky! Will you check in weekly or monthly? Or maybe a little of both? Building out your systems is up to you but I highly recommend trying to build out a schedule and add reminders to your schedule so you keep up with them. That’s one of the biggest reasons people give up on things… not because they’re not passionate about their goals but because they write them down, put them in a drawer and life happens and they get away from them.

Success

Last, but definitely not least, is deciding on what success will look like for your goal. If you’ve already identified measurable quantities then it will be much easier. Then based on what success will look like for you, can you identify any milestones? For example, if you’re trying to save an extra $10k to your savings and you’re starting out with $2k, then maybe a milestone is going to be when you hit 3k, 5k, and 7k. This part is up to you but I’ve found that having milestones is a great way to keep your momentum because you get to celebrate each step of your progress along the way. This section can also be a great place to identify how you will celebrate your wins or milestones. Celebrating small wins along the way can really help build your confidence in sticking with things (especially if it’s been tough to stick to things in the past) so I highly recommend doing that too!

I recommend repeating this structure for each goal you have too. Yes, it’s a little more time-consuming but I whole heartedly believe that taking a little extra time to think things through is a gamechanger in helping you succeed!

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Could you use a little support with this process? I created an intentional goal planning worksheet to walk you through it step-by-step!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR COPY

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