I’ve known of Michael Hyatt’s books and courses for a while, but this was the first of his books that I’d picked up. Mainly because it was on the book sharing bookshelf at a former employer (no worries, I’m making sure it’s returned to the sharing shelf). The title sounded interesting, although I was skeptical I’d learn anything new about setting goals.
Learn More
Michael Hyatt – https://michaelhyatt.com/
Your Best Year Ever (book) – Amazon (affiliate link)
Your Best Year Ever (course) – https://bestyearever.me
I mean, I’m pretty much a goal setting expert. Or so I thought. SMART was second nature, written down was a given. But like so many others, by middle of February the goals were either discarded or changed.
Cue the frustration.
So when I picked up this book I seriously questioned what new goal related tidbits I could glean. And glean I did.
I’m not going to spoil the book by recapping it blow by blow, but here are some highlights…
#1. Start by getting in the right mindset.
Maybe this is where I’ve been lacking all these years. I’ll be honest, I’m not all that great in the area of abundance mentality (I’m working on it this year!), and so I most likely killed my goal before I even set it. I love that Hyatt starts here because I think it’s a step we skip often.
#2. Know your why.
Wow, this one hit me hard. I can’t tell you how many times I wrote down a goal thinking it’s what I was “supposed” to do or felt like it was the right thing to do. Yet I was completely disconnected from the goal and didn’t really feel like achieving it would impact my life.
Hyatt quotes his wife, Gail, as saying “People lose their way when they lose their why.” Yes. So much YES!! Can you tell this one was huge for me?
#3. Break it up.
We’ve all probably heard the saying “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” The same applies to goals.
If you can’t break your goal up into smaller action items, then your goal isn’t big enough. Dream bigger. Reach farther. Go deeper. Don’t be afraid to position your goal somewhere between dream and delusion!
Once the dream is big enough, start working backwards… what do I have to do, step-by-step, to get there, until you have something you can do today to start your journey. And that’s what it’s all about is taking one step at a time to reach your goal.
MY GOALS FOR 2019
Alright, so here’s where the rubber meets the road. My goals for 2019. These categories are based on the ones Hyatt spells out in the book and in his LifeScore quiz (https://assessments.michaelhyatt.com/lifescore).
PHYSICAL
Run one 5k, before May 31, in less than 60 minutes.
This means I have to run it, not walk!
SPIRITUAL
Visit a new church each week until we find one that we connect with and has a ministry or small group for couples like us.
Basically we want to find a home church in our new city, but we want it to be a place we can develop relationships with similar couples (i.e. 40-somethings who don’t have young kids).
INTELLECTUAL
Read at least one non-fiction book per month, with an annual goal of reading 15 non-fiction books.
Some months I’ll probably be able to do more than one… like the week of our cruise in June! Follow my reading list on Goodreads or in the sidebar to the right.
SOCIAL
Find at least two Meetup groups to join and attend activities at least once a month.
Just like with finding a church, we don’t really know people here and with all the moving and life stuff over the past few years I’ve been craving connection with other people. It’s hard to make new friends when you don’t have kids in the same activities, so that means I’ve got to make even more of an effort.
AVOCATIONAL
Volunteer with at least two different charitable organizations on a quarterly basis.
I’m looking at some opportunities in our city which will also fill the social gap potentially. There are so many opportunities, I just need to find a couple that connect with my “why.” Most likely one will be animal related.
VOCATIONAL
Launch side hustle and build income to at least $XX per month by December 31.
I’m still trying to figure out exactly what and how I want to offer to the world. This is kind of a reboot in a way, but I need to do it in a sustainable way that doesn’t damage other areas of my life. And yes, the XX is an actual number. SMART goals have to be specific!
FINANCIAL
Pay off at least $XX in credit card debt and add no new debt in 2019.
This one is really hard to put out there. I’ve made some bad choices when it comes to debt, even when I knew better. But I’m forgiving myself and drawing a line in the sand. One of the action steps for this one is going to be attending Financial Peace University again.
MARITAL
Go out on a dress up date at least twice a month and leave our phones in the car.
Date night is a common goal, I think. And we regularly go out to dinner together. But we want to make this a special occasion. Without technology!
EMOTIONAL
Adopt an abundance mindset by repeating daily affirmations and writing at least once a week in a gratitude journal.
I keep reading that changing your life starts with your mindset. So I know this one is very important. I’ve got to do the work to think more positively and be ready for great things to happen in my life. This goal is an important one and I can’t wait to share more as I start implementing it and making a habit.
Now it’s your turn… what are your goals for this year? What new habits are you going to start? I can’t wait to hear about it and support each other throughout 2019!