A few years ago I started the tradition of beginning each year creating a list of one hundred goals I want to achieve before the end of that calendar year. It is very similar to a “bucket list” but instead of being things I want to do before I die, it is a list of things I want to do before the clock strikes midnight and it becomes the next year.
Have I ever actually done everything on my list? Not yet, but one of these years I know I will. I create some very extreme goals for myself including trips around the world, buying a new car or house, and making an excessive amount of money. Of course, I also have those not so lofty goals that include things like running a 5k, visiting family, to go camping, join a gym, etc.
The first year I created my one hundred
This practice of creating a list has not only helped me with my goal setting but gives me clarity and focus on the things I want. There have been plenty of studies regarding the power of writing down goals. Study after study shows that those who write down their goals regularly are more likely to achieve their dreams and goals. In one study, those who wrote down their goals were 42% likely to achieve those goals. That isn’t anything to turn your nose up at.
One of my biggest reasons for doing this practice….it makes me happy! I always feel amazing when I review the goals I have achieved and the simple act of writing them down is where it all begins.
I encourage you to give this practice a try. You don’t have to come up with a one hundred list and you don’t have to do it all in one sitting. It takes me weeks to create my list. Stop wishing and waiting for things to happen, write down your goals and watch your dreams become reality.
