We are officially halfway through 2019. How has your year been so far? What goals have you accomplished, what else do you need to cross off of your to-do list? I always feel like the bulk of my mom/wife life always happens in the second half of the year. Mother’s Day and my oldest son’s birthday are in May, but everything else – second son’s birthday, my birthday, husband’s birthday, wedding anniversary, homecoming, holidays, etc. fall into the second half of the year and it always seems to move in a blur. I have goals/target areas that I would like to hit and I honestly feel like I’m on track. I know that a lot of people make vision boards at the beginning of the year, but when was the last time you took a look back at it (tee hee) to see what has manifested? The mid-year mark is also a good time to revise and revamp the board to reflect any new goals that you want to add to the list. Below are some tips from Essence to keep the focus on your goals. The marathon continues!
Declare Your Dreams First things first: List your intentions and desires. “When we set goals that promise rewards, the brain releases dopamine,” says John Assaraf, author of Innercise: The New Science to Unlock Your Brain’s Hidden Power. Assaraf emphasizes that the very promise of a reward releases dopamine, just as the actual experience does. “Dopamine then travels to your frontal lobe, where it gives you the motivation and ability to plan and develop strategies and then to act,” he adds. “Think of dopamine as the brain fuel in your motivational tank.” I learned the importance of setting goals the hard way. I’d never made it an objective to meet Oprah Winfrey, so when I was in the same room with her in 2016, it didn’t occur to me to make it happen. I was determined to not repeat that mistake, so when I sat down to write goals for the following year, I included these simple words: Meet Oprah.
Define Your Why and How
Once you’ve identified what you want, take a few moments to clarify why it matters and how you will get there. “Thinking about why we’re doing something activates a different part of the brain from the region that is activated when we think about how to do something,” Assaraf explains. By activating both regions of the brain, he says, “you shift from the realm of imagination to beliefs, actions and productive habits.” Your why can be connected to the long-term impact of a goal and what it means to your life and others, including our ancestors. For inspiration on your how, I recommend an activity I call the Crazy 8 in which you list a big dream and eight ways it could come true. My Crazy 8 for meeting Oprah ranged from randomly bumping into her to being a guest on SuperSoul. When I got clear on my why and how to connect with Ms. Winfrey, I started working on what I would say.
Celebrate Small Wins
As you make a plan, break actions into bite-size tasks—and celebrate wins along the way. “Some parts of your brain are designed to set goals for the future, while others lean to immediate gratification,” Assaraf says. So before you release those extra pounds, take a bow for that reorganized kitchen and that gallon of water you drank every day for a week straight. “Long-term goals require ongoing motivation, which can be supported by regular dopamine infusions,” Assaraf says. “When you check something off your to-do list, it gives you a piece of satisfaction.”
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