Whether
large or small, we all consciously or subconsciously set a variety of goals in our lives. This can be as small as getting ready in time to make a special event, to setting a weight loss goal that may take you several years to accomplish. The sheer size and length of time to reach your goal is not a predictor as to how to best reach your goal. I believe you still have to follow a few steps.
As most of you know, this is day #30 of the 30-Day Blogging Challenge I began on the 1st of August. This challenge was my goal. It was something I wanted to do and that I wanted to accomplish. It has been quite awhile since I really stretched myself out to reach something that is important to me. And so, with that said, I want to share with you what I learned in the last 30 days.
6 Steps to Reach Your Goal
- Write down your goal.
Be very specific. Write down exactly what it is that you wish to accomplish. Then, start breaking down your goal into fairly easy obtainable steps. It is important that you have some sort of plan to follow. Then, break down those steps even more. Break them down by months, weeks, days or even hours.
- For me, I knew I was embarking on a journey to encompass 30 days. So, I wrote that down. Then, I began a list of 30 topics I could write about. This allowed me to break my goal down even further. Remember, you want to strive for easily obtainable steps.
- Involve other people.
- Make a list of folks who you know for certain will encourage and support you as you strive to reach your goal. This list could include a support group, mentor, teacher, church leader, family member or best friend. The key is to have several people who will support you and cheer for you in a healthy manner.
- During this past 30 days, my greatest support team and fan base came from the 30-Day Blogging Challenge facebook group members. Not only was I enriched and educated from their individual posts, but I, in turn, benefited from their comments, suggestions, and comradery.
- Make a list of folks who you know for certain will encourage and support you as you strive to reach your goal. This list could include a support group, mentor, teacher, church leader, family member or best friend. The key is to have several people who will support you and cheer for you in a healthy manner.
- Be positive.
- Remember this is your own personal goal/challenge. Make this something you
are doing for yourself. Stay upbeat about what you are doing. There is always progress being made, even if it may be smaller than what you want to achieve. It’s still something to be happy about. Achievement of any kind is still an achievement.
- As I began my 30-day challenge, I put too much pressure on myself to try and write perfectly, sound perfect and be perfect. That’s crazy talk! Every day I am able to publish another post is a day to celebrate and feel good about myself.
- Remember this is your own personal goal/challenge. Make this something you
- Pace Yourself.
- Do only what you are capable of doing, refer back to the very first step listed above. Trying to do too much or accomplish too much all at once is going to leave you feeling frustrated and burnt out. Take breaks when you need to. Give yourself permission to take some time off when you need it.
- For me, I strive to have my daily muses posted by noon each day. However, this doesn’t always happen. So if I can get it posted by midnight then I give myself permission to do so.
- Do only what you are capable of doing, refer back to the very first step listed above. Trying to do too much or accomplish too much all at once is going to leave you feeling frustrated and burnt out. Take breaks when you need to. Give yourself permission to take some time off when you need it.
- Don’t compare yourself to others.
Do not get yourself entwined in the comparison trap! It’s no different than a mouse trap. There is no one better at being you than you (see my previous post about this subject here). Do what YOU know you are capable of doing. Celebrate YOUR very own accomplishments, regardless of what others did or think.
- Yesterday’s post (see here), I listed my top 5 five posts of the last 30 days. I acknowledged the fact that there are many bloggers who have seen at least 1,000 times more results than I have. However, in no way did that take away from my own achievement!
- Celebrate!
- Take time to celebrate along the way and at the conclusion of your journey. There is a saying that states, “Don’t wait until you reach your goal to be proud of yourself. Be proud of each step you take toward reaching that goal.” Reward yourself along your journey. Every step is progress, no matter how big or small.
- My reward came at the end of each day when I had successfully published another post. But then at the conclusion of each block of 7 days, I received a weekly “badge” from the Administrator of the facebook group recognizing and honoring my progress.
- Take time to celebrate along the way and at the conclusion of your journey. There is a saying that states, “Don’t wait until you reach your goal to be proud of yourself. Be proud of each step you take toward reaching that goal.” Reward yourself along your journey. Every step is progress, no matter how big or small.
Please share how you accomplish/meet your goals and feel free to share your accomplishments!
I want to honor those from the facebook group who started with me and have followed me along my journey. They have been striving to reach the same goal as myself. We have encouraged each other and pushed each other for the last 30 days. Please visit their website as they are all truly wonderful writers and individuals (these are in no specific order!).
Sark eMedia #Follow the Arrows by Kevin & Sarah Arrow
Smart Photography by Anna Smart
Julia’s Place – Musings of a retired but not retiring woman by Julia Skinner
Shona Easton Design Studio by Shona Easton
No More Pencils by David Bennett
The Time Doctor by Mike Gardner
At Home With Melinda by Melinda Warren
ArtReneKoh by Rene Dancez
Cossins Musical School by Melanie Cossins
K. Lee Banks, Inspired Freelance and Consultant Services by K’Lee Banks
Freelance Writing and Blogging Mentor by Alexandria Gunn
Fit 4 Success by MC Simon
Biveros Effect by Susann Avanen
Transform Yourself, Transform Your Business by Rosemary Cunningham
The Business Launchpad by Gillian Pritchett
Petra Omoregie Caroline by Caroline
Anthea’s Project Life by Anthea Oneill
Are You Living Your Perfect Life? by Sarah Buchanan-Smith
Professional Development for Mental Health Providers by Sarah Leitschuh
©Julie Corbett
Thoughts by Ajae 
Well done to you Julie! I enjoyed your writing during this challenge and I’m finding this one even more inspiring! I hope you will keep at it and look forward to reading more from you! Thank you for all the support you show other bloggers it is truly appreciated when you share feedback and comments!
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Anthea, thank you so much for your kind words. The challenge was so much fun. I am really glad I met you. Keep blogging and we’ll stay in touch!
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Julie, it is so motivating to read this post now that I am on my second day of the Challenge. It gives me a huge push to go ahead and the practical tips are very helpful. Congratulations on reaching your goal and I am looking forward to reading more posts from you.
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I am so glad you found the tips helpful. Thank you for the nice comments as well.
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It must be very satisfying to have reached your goal. Well done
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Honey, no words to describe! It is a fantastic feeling. Thank you!
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Congratulations on reaching your goal. I’m so proud of you and thank you so much for linking to my site. These are some really great tips and I’d like to share one more: don’t get down if you struggle to meet your goals. Sometimes they don’t work out and we don’t always have control. Rather than getting down, we should focus on the lessons we can learn to move forward with challenges and goals in the future.
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Alexandria, thank you for your wonderful comments. I completely agree with your suggestion. I may go back and revise this post to add your suggestion! I have enjoyed following along with your posts as well. Sharing your link is the least I can do!
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Yay, let’s celebrate! This was a great way to summarise the challenge. Your positive attitude is so great and thank you for all the cheering☺
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Wonderful! Congratulations Julie 🙂
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Orsi, thank you so much! I am looking forward to reading and following you this month! 😉
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I love your 6 steps!
YOU DID IT!!!! CONGRATULATIONS, JULIE! ❤
(thanks a lot for mentioning our website, too 🙂 )
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MC, thank you for your wonderful comments! I was so thrilled to have made it without skipping a single day! The mention, well, much deserved! ❤
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an inspiration! bookmarking this post.
congratulations!
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Thank you so much for your kind words and the bookmark! I have been through so much in my life…many challenges and obstacles. I have learned a lot and my wish is to share with others! ❤
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You made it! What a fabulous celebration of your accomplishment Julie. Glad you have achieved that goal. Thank you so much for all the support & mentions! 😀😀😀
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Julia, thank you for all the support and encouragement you have offered. You have been faithful at commenting and I can’t begin to tell you how much that means to me. I am following you and so if you don’t embark on the next 30-day challenge, I’ll still be in touch! Oh, the mentions….you earned them my friend!
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OMG Julie this is such a great blog and congratulations on your accomplishment! It took me a year plus to complete mine! Well done!
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Thank you so much Gen! I am truly honored by your compliment! Remember, it doesn’t matter how long it takes you. What’s important is to not give up! You’re doing great. I have been following you!
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Fabulously done, Julie and great tips too xx
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Thank you so much Anna! I appreciate the positive feedback!
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Congratulations on completing the challenge, you have some great posts on your blog. Next time I do the challenge I’m going to follow the advice you’ve given here. I love that you came up with 30 topics, when I started I just dropped myself in the deep end I didn’t think about what I was going to post at all. I assumed it would just come to me each day lol. I think your advice will definitely make it easier for me next time and thank you so much for including a link to my blog you are an amazing person, thank you 🙂
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Aw shucks! I’m blushing! Thank you for your very nice words. One of the emails we received this month talked about having a calendar and filling it with what you would write about each day. I tweaked that idea a bit to fit myself. I found that writing topics would come to mind at random times and I would make sure to write them down. If I didn’t have time to list more specifics about it, then I would go back and look at it later. I have kept a small notebook next to my computer/couch area and when something pops into my head, I write it down in my notebook. I know there are days I’m not going to feel like writing and other days I’m not going to want to write about whatever I scheduled for that day’s post. So, I didn’t schedule my ideas for a specific day. I just kept writing them down. I found that after I did this for a couple of weeks, I started having blogging ideas all of the time. I would just quickly write them down. Sometimes, like Sept. 1st post, it’s something that came to me while I was out and about in my vehicle. You’re doing great! Keep up the good work!
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Thanks Julie and I appreciate the tips. Going to start a little notebook just for blogging ideas 🙂
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“Don’t wait until you reach your goal to be proud of yourself. Be proud of each step you take toward reaching that goal.” – I especially love this because I really think so too. 😀
Such an amazing feat right? It’s empowering when you set a goal and achieve it.
YEAH!!!! *Happy dance for you and me* 🙂
I look forward to reading more from you!
You go, girl!
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You have been so wonderful! I look forward to reading your posts each day as you introduce me to a new little monster (and a bit of yourself). It has been years since I’ve accomplished such a goal as this. It’s an absolutely terrific idea and so uplifting! Good for the soul! Keep up your blogging because you give me a good smile and laugh everyday!
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What a great post! I’m proud of you for reaching this goal!! I’ve done the challenge twice before and am contemplating a third go round. I love your 6 steps! As a blogger, I think the toughest thing is not comparing ourselves. We see success of other bloggers and want the same, but we must remain true to who we are. There’s great tips here and I love how you then made it personal.with your story!! Well done!
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(this is me blushing) Thank you so much for your compliments and kind words. They mean a lot to me. This challenge has been wonderful in allowing me to flex my writing muscle. With feedback such as yours, it has given me so much helpful feedback as to what viewers want to read about. Thank you again.
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Well done Julie! And such great content too.
I look forward to staying in touch. I’m on day 30 today and it’s taken around 40 days but for me that’s a big achievement, especially in a busy month.
Can’t believe you’re starting again tomorrow!
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Thank you Rosemary. There were definitely days I wanted to quit, but I persevered. Being accountable helped me a lot. I found that once I got into the groove, it got easier.
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I respect how positive you are about the challenge and your goals. Well said and well done.
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Thank you David. Just as I shared in this post, I think it is important to be positive to see positive results.
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