At the beginning of the year, most people think about their goals for the year. However, this year, some people have decided not to set goals or set small ones because they want to avoid being disappointed when they do not accomplish their goals. Lately, I have been reflecting and talking to people about the barriers we face as we work on our goals. When we know what it is standing in the way of us accomplishing our goals, we can address them and be successful.

In this blog post, I will share the top ten reasons why we are not achieving our goals and living the lives we desire. At the end of this year, I want all of us to have accomplished all we planned to.

#1: We don't have a deep reason why we want to accomplish them
When we think about our goals, we should know why we want to accomplish them. Often, we set goals because we either feel that it is what we are expected to achieve or someone else has those goals. If you do not have a deep reason for why certain goals are important to you, it will be hard to work on them. The motivation that you need to accomplish your goals comes from you really wanting to accomplish them.

Questions to consider

• Are you setting a goal because everyone else has accomplished it or because you really want to accomplish it?
• How is your goal tied to your purpose in life?

#2: We set goals and do not plan activities to do every day towards accomplishing those goals
At the beginning of the year, we set these huge goals and then at the end of the year we expect to have accomplished them. We will be more successful if we plan activities and make time to work on them. Breaking down your goals into small tasks that you work on every day will help you accomplish your big goals.

Questions to consider

• What activities are necessary to accomplish your goals?
• What activities are you going to work on each day to make progress?

#3: We lack a good planning and review process
If you set goals at the beginning of the year and then abandon them, you will most likely not accomplish anything. It is crucial to have a plan for how you will work towards your goals. In addition, as you go through the year you want to make time to review your goals, reflect on the progress you have made and plan your next activities.

Questions to consider

• How often are you going to review your goals and the progress you are making?
• What are three things that you will do during your reviews?

#4: We take on too much and do not prioritize
Knowing the number and size of goals you can work on without feeling too overwhelmed and quitting is essential. While it is good to stretch yourself and try new things, there are some limits that you need to be aware of. Check in with yourself when you set goals to avoid doing too much at once. Setting good priorities is a great way to filter your list of goals and make time for the most important ones.

Questions to consider

• Do you have the time, energy, and resources to work on the goals you set?
• Are you working on the most important ones first?

#5: We do not celebrate our wins (including the small ones)
Working on goals throughout the year can be an exhausting process. Especially when you are working on big goals, it is particularly important to celebrate your wins. Being intentional about measuring your progress and celebrating your successes will give you the energy you need to accomplish your goals. I keep an accomplishments log that I can go to when I start feeling discouraged. Seeing how far I have come gives me hope for the future and keeps me going.

Questions to consider

• Do you write down your accomplishments?
• How will you celebrate your accomplishments this year?

#6: We have not equipped ourselves with the right tools
Thankfully, we live in a time when some great tools and resources can help us work on our goals. Personally, I ensure that I identify the tools that I need to be successful when I set my goals. One of the tools I use the most is my calendar. Now that I know how important seeing progress is for me, I make sure that I use the tools at my disposal.

Questions to consider

• What tools do you need to accomplish your goals?
• Do you have the needed tools at your disposal, or do you need to acquire them?

#7: We try to do it all on our own
Especially if you are working on big goals, it can feel isolating. Think about the people in your life who help you thrive. Over the past years, I have come to value my support community a lot. The support of women I trust to give me feedback and celebrate my progress has been pivotal. Surrounding yourself with people you can talk to about your goals and hold you accountable for taking action will help you accomplish more

Questions to consider

• Who is part of your support network?
• How will you get support from your community?

#8: We do not set goals for important parts of our lives
As humans, there are many facets and areas of our lives. To achieve balance in life, you need to set goals in all areas of your life where you want to make progress. I started feeling more accomplished when I set goals in all aspects of my life such as family, professional, finances, learning, and others.

Questions to consider

• Do you set goals in all important aspects of your life?
• What new area will you set a goal in for the year?

#9: We let setbacks stop us from trying new things
It is hard to continue doing something when you feel like you are repeatedly failing at it. Personally, I believe that when things do not go as planned, there is a message for me. It either teaches me some valuable lessons or is a signal for a change that I need to make. It is crucial to understand exactly what a setback means, pick yourself back up and continue working towards your goals.

Questions to consider

• What lesson did you learn from the last setback you experienced?
• How did you get back up and move on?

#10: We set small goals and limit ourselves
If you want to accomplish big things in your life, you need to start setting bold goals. Thinking about those goals might seem scary. However, when you write them down and start taking small steps, you will start to believe that you can accomplish them. I have made more progress on big goals when I commit to taking small actions one step at a time.

Questions to consider

• What big goals do you want to accomplish in 2021?
• How will you motivate yourself?

Great Resources
I really enjoy sharing knowledge about setting and accomplishing your goals. Check out some of my other blog posts that provide tips and tricks to help you thrive this year:

• Do you dare to do something great?
• How to do a Mid-year Goals Review
• Manage procrastination and achieve more
• Build your support community
• How to start celebrating your accomplishments

Time to reflect
Which two mistakes have you been making with regards to your goals?
What are you committing to do differently this year to set yourself up for success?

2021 is well underway, and we are already seven weeks into the year. Now is an excellent time to remind ourselves of what we are excited about and looking forward to experiencing. Having a positive outlook and plan will make great things happen in your life.
 
In this blog post, I will share five things that I am looking forward to this year.
 
Starting point: how I came up with my list
As I reflected on 2020 and prepared for 2021, I asked myself what would make me happy this year. At the end of 2021, I want to feel fulfilled and accomplished. Thinking about where I want to be will serve as a guiding light throughout the year. Some of the things that I am excited about include the following.
 
#1: Doing things that I did not do much of in 2020
With how unexpected things were in 2020, I noticed that I stopped doing some things that I love and help me make progress. It was important to me to restart some of those things. On my list so far, I want to do more of the following: listen to podcasts, read books, host mastermind groups, attend events virtually, coach, and connect with other women. I am looking forward to being energized again.
 
#2: Celebrating huge milestones
One of the things that I am looking to do more of in 2021 is celebrating my accomplishments. This year, I have many opportunities to reflect on my journey so far and appreciate how far I have come. In 2021, I will be celebrating two significant milestones. Firstly, 20 years of living abroad in 4 countries, 6 cities and a lot of learnings. Secondly, it will be three years of following my dream to launch my blog and two years of my YouTube channel. I have so much to be thankful for.
 
#3: Embarking on a New Journey
The birth of my son marked the start of a new journey for me. I am looking forward to exploring Motherhood and learning a lot. We all go through some significant life changes, and this is one of those changes for me. Watching my son grow and blossom will definitely bring me joy this year. I plan to enjoy all the moments with my family.
 
#4: Growing things that I built
Building a community of women who support one another has always been my dream. In 2020, with everything going on globally, I had to put many of the plans I had on hold. This year, I am committed to continue what I started and make new connections. I want to find new ways to bring together amazing women and celebrate their greatness. I am looking forward to helping women build the lives they desire.
 
#5: Doing new things that I have been afraid to do
When I set goals, I intend to set big ones. However, I find myself setting "safe goals" that I think I can achieve to avoid disappointment. This year I want to work on big goals that I have been too scared to commit to. I know that a lot of my growth this year will come from stretching myself and exploring things that I have not done before. I will be pushing myself to tell new parts of my story, offer new services in my business, work on new projects, and make bolder financial moves. At the end of the year, I want to say that I accomplished big things.
 
Final Thoughts
We have the opportunity to accomplish great things every new day or year that we are alive. As you go through the year, find those moments that give you hope and enjoy them.
As you accompany me on my journey this year, I would also like to be your companion on yours. Please share your plans and experiences with me.
 
Time for Reflection

• What are you looking forward to in 2021?
• What did you stop doing that you plan to restart in 2021?
• What are you planning to do differently in 2021?
• What new things are you going to start doing in 2021?
• How will you celebrate your accomplishments in 2021?

2020 was a year that we will all remember forever. At the beginning of 2020, I had no idea how the year will be for me personally and could not have imagined the changes in our world. A lot of people talk about wanting to forget everything about last year. Before we file the year away, I would like to take a short moment to reflect and highlight the learnings that I will be leveraging in 2021.

In this blog post, I will be sharing the top five lessons that I learned in 2020.

2020 in summary
Let me start with some things that happened in my life in 2020 - Global Pandemic, pregnancy, becoming a mother, US election, and advancing at work.
If you asked me to summarize 2020 in three phrases, I would say - unexpected experiences, great gifts, and constant change.

Lesson #1: About plans - they are essential even during chaotic times
Having a positive attitude when your plans change is crucial. I always thought that I did not like change. Something that I learned about myself is that I actually like change when I have a plan. Let me explain what I mean by that. If I have a plan and it changes, I can adapt quicker. However, if I do not have a plan, adapting to change amid chaos is extremely difficult. Now that I know that about myself, I adjust my plan and continue making progress when things change in my life. 2020 was filled with plan changes starting from canceling planned time with family, working from home, being pregnant, and living through a pandemic.

Lesson #2: About relationships - value them and make an effort to stay connected
Especially with everything going on last year, the people in my life became even more important. I reconnected with people and made more effort to connect virtually with them. My family and friends helped me thrive and navigate being pregnant and having a baby in a pandemic. 2020 highlighted the importance of my support community. We navigated the uncertainty together, talked about our concerns, and encouraged each other.

Lesson #3: About my mindset and outlook on life - being positive is hard work, but it is worth it
Having a positive outlook on life kept me in a good place mentally over the past year. Being optimistic provides the fuel you need to keep going when you are faced with uncertainty and adversity. As I observed everything going on in the world, I needed to remind myself of how fortunate I was. I focused more on the good things that were happening in my life. This helped me enjoy life despite all the unexpected changes in the world.

Lesson #4: About my inner strength- there is deep resilience that I did not know I had
The hardships that I faced in different phases of my life prepared me for an unexpected year like 2020. I leveraged a lot of what I had learned through those experiences. Being able to pivot and try new things when things do not work out is a skill that I learned, especially when I just moved to Germany. The plans that I had for my life changed a lot, and many things were out of my control. With everything that happened in 2020, I recovered quickly and was strong when I had to do a lot on my own.

Lesson #5: About gratitude- we have a lot to be grateful for
With everything that happened in 2020, I came out feeling very thankful. Amid the chaos in the world, great things happened in my life. I have a baby boy, a loving relationship with my husband, a job where I can continue working at home, I am healthy, and my family is doing well. Sometimes it is really hard to see all the good that is happening around us because the bad things are clouding our sight. I am now very intentional about counting my blessings and celebrating the good in my life.

Final Thoughts
As I wrapped up 2020, I compared what I had planned versus what really happened. Somethings that I planned came true, and others did not. This reflection exercise helped me see the progress that I made and realize what I wanted to focus on in 2021.

• Personal Life: my family grew
• Career: I got a promotion that I had been working on for a long time
• Finances: I did not grow my money or create new revenue streams
• Business: I did not grow our community of women as I planned
• Family: we did not get to spend time with our extended family

In my next blog post, I will be sharing what I'm looking forward to in 2021.

Time for reflection
What did you learn in 2020?
What do you want to do differently in 2021?
What are you excited about in 2021?

Welcome to 2020! Congratulations, we made it to a new year and a new century.
 
Thanks for checking out my first blog post of the year. I am glad to be back online after a few weeks off. I spent some time catching up on life, doing things I have not done in a while, resting and bonding with family. Taking some time during the last weeks of the year for myself is a tradition that I really value and would not trade for anything.
 
In this blog post, we will be discussing some things that will help us start this year right and have the best year we have ever had. Let's explore how to define our theme for the year, things we won't be doing , and other things we will be doing this year.
 
What is the theme for your year?
Last year, I started a new tradition of defining a theme for the year. The inspiration came from the Happier Podcasts - One Word Theme for the Year.  I adjusted this a little for myself and decided to define a phrase or sentence as my theme instead of just one word.
Some of the things I keep in mind when I define my theme for the year are the following:

• What would be great motivation for my year?
• What new mindset will help me achieve my goals and thrive in the new year?
• How do I want to do this year that will push me out of my comfort zone?

 
What will we stop doing in 2020?
A new year provides us with an opportunity for a fresh start. I like the idea of being intentional about what we want to stop doing in the new year. Think of the things that held you back last year that you want to do differently this year.

• Letting self-doubt win or underestimating your skills and talents
• Letting your fear and insecurities stop you from taking bold steps
• Not speaking out and using your voice
• Neglecting your needs and continually putting others first
• Not knowing your worth and asking for what you deserve

 
What are some things to do in 2020?
To make the most of this new year, we can start or continue doing the following in 2020:

• Dreaming big and working towards your goals: Working towards your dreams and goals with everything you have
• Being confident: celebrating who you are, your skills and talents
• Seizing opportunities: Saying yes to things that scare you and keeping an eye out for the new opportunities
• Using our unique voice: Sharing your message with the world around you and speaking up for causes
• Celebrating your accomplishments: Appreciating and talking about your achievements more
• Prioritizing things you care about: Making time to do things that will improve your life
• Building and maintaining our community: Surrounding yourself with people who contribute positively to your life
• Building wealth: making smart financial decisions and growing your finances
• Thriving in your Career and Business: finding joy in the things you do professionally and in your business.
• Giving back: helping others around you grow and thrive

 
MC's Journey
I am really excited about this new year. There is something special about the year 2020. Growing up, I remember big companies and countries having their 2020 Agenda. This year is going to be amazing for me.
 
Where was I ten years ago?
As we start a new decade, I've been reflecting on all that has happened in my life over the past ten years. I was graduating from University in 2010 and my life was about to take me in many unexpected directions. The past ten years brought new jobs, relationships, realized dreams, personal growth and discovering myself. I can't wait to see what the next decade will bring.
 
My 2020 Theme: Putting myself out there
As I have been reflecting on my journey, I realized that I have been holding myself back. It's time for me to be very intentional about using my voice and being open to taking on new opportunities.
 
My mindset for 2020
As I prepare for this year, I will have the following attitude:

• Hopeful for the future
• Appreciating the great opportunities
• Learning from the past
• Being open to the unknown
  
• Celebrating opportunities to give back

 
Final Thoughts
We are all alive and have the opportunity to make this year what we want it to be.
 
Call to Action
What have you been wanting to do but haven't done yet? This year is the perfect year for you to do those things.