Setting Achievable Goals and Creating Action Plans with Heidi Bee
Goal setting. Action plans. Motivation. It can all feel overwhelming! That’s why we called in the experts.
Each week within The Confident Woman Impact Accelerator we’re joined by experts to talk us through a new aspect of unveiling our dream life.
In our second week of the program, we are joined by Certified Life Coach, Planning Expert & Founder of Your Divorce Planer, Heidi Bee, to share her thoughts on Setting Achievable Goals and Creating Action Plans.
Here are her thoughts:
What is the importance of setting SMART goals that align with your vision and mission, and how can we create effective goals?
Knowing the PRACTICAL side of SMART goals is very important. Checking the boxes of everything the brain needs to “calculate” a strategic level of success will allow you to see results. SMART goals provide clarity for your ideas, focus your efforts, and ensure that you use your time & resources productively to achieve what you want in work and life. Starting with the “Practical approach” to SMART goals is necessary.
However, I want to invite you to take your SMART goals and process a layer deeper and integrate what I call the “Purposeful approach” to SMART goals. In our live session, I’ll be sharing the advanced SMART System that I use to ensure my goals are truly on point and have a purpose. Join us in the live session for the extended SMART goals segment. It’s been a game-changer for my business!
How can women develop action plans to achieve their goals, and what are some key components of a successful action plan?
I like to start with the OUTCOME and work my way backward. What’s the outcome I want to achieve and then break it down into smaller sections by month.
Once I have the months in place I break it down into weekly tasks. Each week I know what I need to stay on course based on my desired outcome.
Every Friday before “shutting down” I time block my weekly calendar to make sure there is enough space for what I need that week and adjust anything that may have fallen ahead or moved ahead of schedule. I do this on large Post-it notes so I can see the big vision. I also find it helpful to use sticky notes to move things around in the beginning until everything lines up the way I desire.
I also find it very valuable to be a part of accountability groups. I have several networking groups that meet on a consistent basis to talk about our goals and progression. These are great spaces to also toss new ideas or move through areas where I might be stuck. I highly recommend finding a group that fits your needs and committing to showing up on a consistent basis. Two of my networking groups even have co-working times for entrepreneurs to focus on a task and check in once “time is up”.
What are some common obstacles that women face when pursuing their goals, and how can they overcome them?
- Fear & Limiting Beliefs. We typically feel fear around newness and change. And many times when pursuing our goals we feel resistance because it’s new and requires change to see life in a new light. As soon as our brains feel fearful we have to learn how to self-regulate using our bodies or the brain will go into survival mode “overdrive” and start making up stories and limiting beliefs so that we stop making adjustments. We have to learn to regulate the body, recognize the stories & BS beliefs so we can shift them, and reframe our relationship to fear.
- Self-Sabotage / Avoidance & Distraction. This is a subcategory of fear & limiting beliefs. And it’s the sneakiest one of all because typically it’s done subconsciously. We don’t realize it’s happening as a result of our fear & limiting beliefs. Have you ever found yourself doing chores around the house or running errands (the ones you don’t even enjoy) when you are in the middle of a big deadline or task? It’s a way for our subconscious to convince us that we’re still being “productive” when really we are just being avoidant. The solution for this comes back to managing our relationship with fear & limiting beliefs.
- Playing the “when then game”. “WHEN I have ‘this’ THEN I’ll do/get ‘that’. This is the waiting game that will hold you back from everything you desire. This is one of the most paralyzing limiting beliefs we can have.
- Misunderstanding of confidence (or how to BECOME confident). Confidence is not a state of being, it is a skill that has to be developed. It becomes stronger and more embodied as we take courageous action and move through the resistance that once held us back.
- Lack of Clarity. This is why the “S” in SMART goals is crucial to success. If you don’t know where you are going, you won’t know when you arrive, or what tasks to take to get there. Keep asking yourself curious questions, or work with a mentor/coach or networking group to speak it out loud.
How can women celebrate their achievements and stay committed to their goals, even after achieving them?
- Choose your celebration in advance. “When I achieve this, I’m going to celebrate by…”. You can even create a ritual around this. Purchase something in advance. Maybe it’s a special bottle of champagne, a special pair of shoes, or a gift certificate to a fancy restaurant you’ve been dreaming about dining at! Something that really lights you up! Label that item, “In celebration of______.” When you achieve your goal, savor the moments of strutting your stuff in those shoes, or the flavor of the most delicious meal or bottle of champagne and the company that surrounds you. Make it a memorable moment. Take photos of it, and share your joy, let people see your enthusiasm and pride for all you’ve accomplished.
- Adopt a “Reflection Practice” as part of your evening routine. Every night before bed take a moment to look in the mirror and celebrate yourself for the actions you took to get one step closer to where you want to go. Enjoy the build-up and momentum you’re gathering to continue moving forward. Self-encouragement is one of the most powerful influencers in sticking with it. I also have a 1-page worksheet that I use with myself and clients at the end of every month as a reflective practice. To remind us of how far we’ve come, and why we want to keep going and growing.
Craving more? Join us in the challenge here!
The Confident Woman Impact Accelerator is a program dedicated to empowering women to reach their full potential and make a positive impact on others. Through a virtual membership featuring live, weekly masterminds with industry thought leaders and weekly prompts with a guided workbook, you will emerge from the 8-week program and become the confident woman you were created to be.
Heidi Bee is a Certified Life Coach, Planning Expert & Founder of Your Divorce Planer, a service that specializes in coordinating your comeback after divorce. Her 4-month program gives women the exact process to heal the heartbreak & move forward faster!
Did you know it takes the average person 16-MONTHS, (over a YEAR) just to consider starting the process of moving on after divorce? At Your Divorce Planner, we partner with women to coordinate their comeback in just 16-WEEKS!
Heidi believes when you have a powerful plan & partnership in place, it’s easier to take your next best step & create your new normal.
Tune into Heidi’s Podcast, Your Divorce Planner, every Tuesday for transformational tools & candid conversations to help navigate the next steps of your divorce journey.
We are always seeking soulful supporters to join our Divorced Women’s Network and help women move forward faster after divorce. If you’d like to contribute or collaborate please contact us at yourdivorceplannercares@gmail.com.