Your Goal-Setting Support System

Like many of you, I have big plans for 2012. I’ve started thinking, what would I want to accomplish if this was the last year in my life? The excitement of possibilities has carried me along for the first three weeks of the year, and then I ran into the reality: I am the one that actually has to make this stuff happen! Do you ever feel that way? You’re out on your own with just you and your dreams?

Shifting our lives can be fun and energizing but also scary and lonely. Often, support from others can help, if you get support in the right way.

• Don’t share your dreams and goals with everyone. Some dear friends and family will discourage you and even put you down for committing to make positive changes in your life. Even people we to whom we are closest can sometimes be negative. An example from my own life: when I was in my mid-twenties, I decided to start my own graphic design business. When I told my mother my career plans, she replied, “That’s your funeral.” I’m glad that I already had my plans in place before I shared my news!
• Do share your goals with a few close allies. After I sent out my last newsletter, I heard from a friend named Deb whom I met at the Author 101 conference more than a year ago. We set up a virtual coffee date and she asked me what I was working on for 2012. I shared what I call my wild-ass goals with her. And when I was done, she said, I think you can do all of these things, and she shared some ideas on ways to make them happen. Wow! Did I feel great after that call.
• Do mastermind with like-minded people. A mastermind group will not only provide you with inspiration as you share your dreams with one another, the group can also hold you accountable for having something to report back the next time you meet. It’s also inspiring to see the transformation in the lives of the mastermind members. Questions to ask in a mastermind: 1) What are you working on? 2) What has been working for you? 3) In what ways do you need help?