Having the right mindset is important before you start on your journal to set yourself up for success. Have high expectations. Expect the impossible. Be open to opportunities and trust you can do whatever you set out to do.
Set & Achieve Your Goals with the Self Journal
Commit To & Believe In Yourself
Define your 13-week outcome goal(s): The BIG picture
Studies have shown that the simple act of writing down a goal increases your chances of reaching it. However, writing it down is only the first step. The most important part is defining the milestones and creating the path that will get you there. Here’s how…
Define your S.M.A.R.T. outcome goal
Your S.M.A.R.T goal should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based. Also indicate which life area(s) this goal will improve and why you want to achieve it (your “motivations”).
Outline your progress milestones
These are clear, trackable objectives, which can be measured so you can celebrate your advancement. Track your progress by checking them off as you achieve them.
Determine your critical drivers
Outline the actions you need to take to close the gap on your progress milestones and outcome goal.
Hold yourself accountable
Accountability is key for success. What will you do to hold yourself accountable?
Plan for the week ahead
Start your weekly journey each week by filling out the Weekly Planning pages. This exercise is key to framing your week. If you jump into your week without a plan, it’s easy to become unfocused or stuck on the things that aren’t important. So let’s jump into the different sections of the weekly planning page...
Define your weekly objectives
What are the three big objectives that if completed would make this week a win? Use your milestones you identified with your outcome goal(s) to help you focus on what will move the needle. Give them time estimates and check them off as you complete them. It’s also helpful to document the actual time you spent on them.
Outline key activities for the week
These could be events, deadlines, important meetings, birthdays, errands, etc. Anything that you’d like to have a birds eye view of for the week.
Now, let’s get into planning your day!
The key to a kick-butt day is to leave ZERO (or as little as possible) white space on your planner. Remember, unallocated time is more likely to be squandered. You can plan for your day the morning of, or take some time the night prior to map it out. Whatever works for you!
Start each day with some simple morning practices
Write down what you are grateful for to start your day with positivity; Outline your goal for the day or this could be a reminder of a weekly, monthly or 13-week goal; In today’s targets, jot down what would be your 3 biggest wins for the day.
Plan your day leaving no time unaccounted for
Start by entering any meetings/appointments you have. Then time block your today’s targets first and then plan secondary tasks/activities in any remaining blank space, both personal and professional. Remember, what gets planned gets done!
Utilize the freedom page
The freedom space is yours to use any way you'd like - from notes, to gratitude, quotes, doodles, ideas, anything goes!
Rate your day
So, how’d your day go? Give yourself a “Plan to reality” score, where you rate out of 10 how close to reality your daily plan was. Did you fill out your habit tracker? How was your mood? Rate your “WIn The Day Score” indicating how well you feel the day went as a whole.
Reflect on your week
In addition to planning your week ahead of time, it’s important to check in on your progress at the end of each week to ensure the needle is moving and the wheels aren’t just spinning.
If you keep your eye on the ball, you can get back on track more quickly if you go off course. Weekly reflections can provide clarity and perspective that helps keep you motivated. You’ve got this!
Summarize your week
Transfer your “Win The Day” and “Plan to Reality” scores from your daily pages to get a sense of how your week went. Reflect on why your week went the way it did. Also, jot down any Bucket List items you may have completed.
Reflect on your week
Reflections give you the opportunity to celebrate your wins, capture lessons, and remember what you accomplished with your time. This essential practice helps you stop the things that hold you back and do more of the things that move you in the right direction.
So, ready to get started?
As the saying goes, there’s no better time than the present!
Self Journal + You = More Goals Achieved