Girlfriend’s Guide to Goals, Advice from Guru Arlett R. Hartie | The New Girlfriendology | Be a Better Friend | Inspiration, Girlfriends, Friendship, Girlfriend Gifts

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. C. S. Lewis

I am definitely going to start today. No, really today. Ok, tomorrow, but definitely tomorrow. What? Tomorrow is yesterday already? OK. Next Monday. Really.

Have you ever had this dialog with yourself? Setting goals is a wonderful thing, but it’s even better when we set them so we can follow through. Girlfriend Guru ARLETT R HARTIE shares some great advice about how to set goals so that we can really reach our objectives. Starting today. Really.

One great thing about being a Girlfriend Guru here on Girlfriendology.com is that it has encouraged me to pay more attention to how friendships impact my life. I’m realizing how much they influence and inspire me. For example this post was inspired by a really great friend who has been one of the biggest supporters of my blog, Chasing Joy.

A few weeks ago I was at this girlfriend’s house. We were talking about work and how her boss had asked her where she wanted to be in five years. So naturally I started thinking about how I would answer this question if it were directed to me. Where do I see myself in five years?

This post is not about my goals for the next five years but more about how to set them. Lawrence J. Peter says, “If you don’t know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else.” Accomplishing a goal can be a major source of pride and Joy. So setting goals is a pretty important task. Here is my advice on how to set goals.

Goals should be specific. My blog is Chasing Joy, so obviously Happiness/Joy is my priority. However it is not a goal. It is too vague. Joy is different for everyone. Figure out what a happy life looks like to you and then set goals from there. You might decide that a Joyful life looks like family, health, financial stability, faith, rewarding work, etc. Then you set specific goals that will get you to or help you maintain that happy joyful Life.
Goals should have a due date. Due dates help you to focus on your goals and discourages procrastination. Someday is not on the calendar.
Goals should be flexible. Life changes and so should our goals. All kinds of things happen that force us to reprioritize. Some goals may need to be moved back or even off the to-do list while others need to move up.
Goals should be written down. Write them on your fridge, in your phone, on your white board, or in your journal. Just get them down somewhere where you can see them. Writing them down makes them more tangible and more real. It brings them to your attention and helps you remain cognizant of them.
Goals should be shared. Some goals can remain private. However, the vast majority of goals that we will want to accomplish can and should be shared. Sharing your goals provides a great opportunity for your girlfriends, family, and loved ones to step up and support you. Also you may be surprised by who has similar goals as you. Sharing your goals also helps with accountability. Accountability is not always fun. However, knowing that people are aware of your goals can provide huge encouragement to stick with them.
Goals should be realistic. It is completely useless and a waste of time to set Goals that can never be accomplished. You are setting yourself up for failure. I believe when we set goals that are unrealistic it is because we don’t really believe in ourselves. We set ourselves up with a self fulfilling prophesy of failure. Don’t do that. Set goals that you can realistically accomplish.
Goals should be as big or as small as you want. Your goals are all yours. No one else’s. If there is something you want to accomplish set a goal and get ’er done! It can be as small as putting away your laundry later that day or as big as owning your own Laundromat in five years.

So tell me Girlfriends, how do you go about setting your goals? Do you write them down and share them? What would you add to this Girlfriends Guide to Goals?

ARLETT R HARTIE is the author of the blog Chasing Joy. Arlette’s writing focuses on her efforts to find happiness after a rough time in her life, and hold on to it through all of life’s ups and downs. She writes about all things related to joy, positivity, and gratitude. She is a daughter, sister, auntie, and Girlfriend.

THANKS ARLETT for sharing your great girlfriend wisdom. Check out Arlette’s previous guest blogs:

By the way, we LOVE guest blogs here at Girlfriendology. Have a great girlfriend story to tell? Want to celebrate your fabulous female friends? SHARE! (And, we also have Girlfriend Gurus – check that out to be featured on Girlfriendology!)