Crush your goals in 2018

Crush your goals in 2018

ย 

As we approach the end of 2017, you may find yourself reflecting on all that you have achieved in the past year. If you set them at all, are you able to recall your resolutions? Did you achieve any? If so, amazing! Give yourself a round of applause! If not, youโ€™re not alone. According toย U.S. News & World Report 80% of new yearโ€™s resolutions fail by February[i]. What exactly goes wrong in this process?

Are we fueled by superficial intentions?

Do we lack motivation and inspiration?

Are we rushed to set a handful of glib goals?

Does our track record cause us to lose hope?

โ€ฆ or perhaps the idea of personal growth is a broad, vague, and intimidating concept.

Over the years I have tried many methods of goal-setting and to help you prepare for a prosperous new year I happily share my favorite method with you, mind mapping.

Whatโ€™s a mind map?

Simply put, a mind mapย ย helps you brainstorm. Even though brainstorming has existed for centuries, the foundation for mind mapping began with Roger Sperryโ€™s[ii]ย eye-opening brain research which promoted linking the left and right hemispheres of the brain with words, images, colors, and direct association. The left side pertains to sequences, analysis, lists, words, and logic whereas the right side pertains to imagination, emotion, color, and shapes.[iii]ย Inspired by Sperry, Tony Buzan[iv]ย coined the term โ€œmind mappingโ€ and popularized the process which activates both hemispheres and causes an increase of productivity and memory retention in the brainstorming process. In the decades since, mind mapping has gained attention for its utility in several aspects such as comprehension, creative thinking, connecting details, collecting data, and exchanging information[v], all processes that are helpful for goal-setting.

So letโ€™s go ahead and jump into that!

ย ย 

How to make a mind map for goal-setting

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย Place the title in the middle of the paper.

oย ย ย Examples: 2018, New Yearโ€™s Resolutions, #GOALLLSSSS

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย Use lines to branch from the center. Consider these to be the topic areas for your general goals.

oย ย ย Examples: Family, Work, Health, College

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย For each domain use branches to list general goals that youโ€™d like to achieve within a year.

oย ย ย Examples: Maintain a 4.0, Find a new job

ยทย ย ย ย ย ย For each goal, consider the mini-goals that need to be in place to achieve the noted goal.

oย ย ย Examples: Create a study group for biochemistry, join a local networking group

Reflect, set, achieve!

Mind mapping is a helpful way for you to connect to your values, hopes, and dreams. In order to do so, you need to create some safe to reflect prior to beginning the process. Set your intentions in whatever way works for you. Maybe that means you need to make a playlist of your favorite jams, or begin with a guided meditation, or use candles and/or aromatherapy to establish a purposeful ambiance.

Go beyond words. Utilize colors, drawings, symbols, and pictures. This helps you to connect both hemispheres of the brain and allows you to customize the mind map to your liking.

Grab a sheet of paper and whatever craft materials you would like. It might be helpful to begin with colored pens, pencils, crayons and/or markers. Feel free to use any craft items you preferโ€ฆon the spirit of New Years, gold glitter seems appropriate.

Allow your individuality to take the lead as you customize your mind map. Personally, I have found that I have been more likely to revisit the mind maps that I find be aesthetically pleasing, and trust me, Iโ€™m no artist.

When considering the domains for your goals consider what is important toย you. What areas are essential to put energy towards? Itโ€™s common to set physical goals and you may hear your family and friendsโ€™ aspirations, but turn up the volume on your inner voice. If it isnโ€™t an area of importance to you, consider leaving space for goals that will bring you happiness.

Allow your mind to do its thing.ย ย Instead of pressuring yourself to focus on one domain at a time, if you set your intentions your seemingly distracting thoughts may be your mind pulling you to recognize another goal.

When considering mini-goals it is helpful to think about what you need to accomplish to get to your general goals. Sometimes these may be necessary stepping stones to use to achieve the final goal.

Try to be intentional with your timing. If you already have dates (e.g., graduation) go ahead and add them. If not, no need to, technically you have an entire year. However, setting aspirational dates may help to keep you motivated and focused.

ย 

ย 

ย Crush your goals in 2018


[i]ย https://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/articles/2015-12-29/why-80-percent-of-new-years-resolutions-fail

[ii]ย Sperry, R.S. (1968). Hemispheric deconnection and the unity in conscious awareness.ย Scientific American, 23, 723-735.

[iii]ย Tucker, J. M., Armstrong, G. R., & Massad, V. J. (2010). Profiling a Mind Map User: A Descriptive Appraisal.ย Journal of Instructional Pedagogies,ย 1-13.

[iv]ย Buzan T. (1976).ย Use Both Sides of Your Brain.ย E.P. Dutton & Co, New York

[v]ย Buran, A., & Filyukov, A. (2015). Mind Mapping Technique in Language Learning.ย Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences,ย 206(XVth International Conference “Linguistic and Cultural Studies: Traditions and Innovations”), 215-218. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.10.010

 

— Share —

— About the Author —

Leave a Reply

— Follow Us —

Up Next

My Rendezvous With Life

My Rendezvous With Life

The treacherous waters of existence hail in their stride,As the beauty of sailing against the winds uproars in its ride.Benevolence in its yonder stirs the mirth of the true,Navigating the turbulent waves, death and I had a rendezvous.

I sought the beauty of the light that was unseen,In the depths of my muse, I found my world within.Life in its flair, trudged me into the emblems of the dark,The dreams that perspired in the seed embraced their death,As it was time for a new quest to embark.

Quaint whispers that echoed in their gallant stance,The jeers that surmounted the uncertainty galloped in their dance.Silencing the wind, bestriding the fall,I plunged into the entirety of my endeavours that call

For I chose to befriend the walk that marked the

Up Next

The Power of Understanding Your Love Language

The Power of Understanding Your Love Language

Love is the purest emotion one feels towards themselves and another individual. While the expression of love can vary in its entirety from one person to another, the care we hold for the ones we love shares an undeniable impact on how we forge our perceptions of interpersonal relationships. The way we communicate our feelings to someone also says a lot about how we are wired, the method of conveying our affection to our beloved ones is called a love language. You may express affection to the one you love regularly, but do you take the time to ensure that you are communicating it in the way that the other person prefers? Even love can become lost in translation when two individuals speak different love languages.

What are the five love languages?

Up Next

The Beauty Of Gratitude In A World Full Of Cynicism

The Beauty Of Gratitude In A World Full Of Cynicism

Ever acquainted with the phrase that the world that you exist in, the life that you embody dwells in the perception of the stance you hold for yourself. The beauty and the tragedy of life is that it is as beautiful as the optimistic lens of perception and as ugly as the pessimistic view of your being.

The strive of our endeavours and the constant effort to achieve the next massive milestone often drive us to the edges of insanity, to be in the consistent light of greatness we lose sight of the great strings of joy that bind our existence together. To be the best we have ever been we must be mindful of the best we are. Coinciding in the traps of negativity and yet claiming to be the best version of yourself is a blinding truth that lies to only

Up Next

I Breathe In The Sauntering Air That Collapses My Being

I Breathe In The Sauntering Air That Collapses My Being

I breathe in the sauntering air that collapses my being,I breathe through the crevices of my existence unseen.Uncertainty in its yonder strikes in bolt on the scars that nobody sees,Redemption that loves, redemption that is free, find me in the depths of my poetry.

Tales of lust ridden in smeared touches that belie,Entreated with envy, the visions of victory lie.To be or not to be in a question that yet lies,For I yearn for a world where fond passion never dies.

Enclasped in the cage of the deemed duty,Bounded in her vows, she forgot she was a thing of beauty.In a realm we live, where amour in its truth fails to stand tall,She, tired of her existence, submerges herself into the beauty that her dreams enthrall.

Chaos in its uproar hails in its darkness

Up Next

The Impact of Conflict on Workplace Productivity and Morale

The Impact of Conflict on Workplace Productivity and Morale

Conflict is a natural element of any dynamic whether it is personal or professional and knowing how to deal with it becomes an essential in any aspect of life. Conflicts in the workplace can arise for matters as trivial as difference in personal beliefs to matters such as project completions, working styles, deadlines, project goals and different outlooks towards work. For the sake of development and productivity, these disputes must be settled quickly and professionally. Understanding how conflicts arise and how to resolve them can help managers advance in their careers. We’ll go over what conflicts are, their different kinds, and the typical reasons why team members argue in this edition of The Wellness Digest.

What does conflict mean in the job?

Up Next

Identify The Wounds Of Your Childhood

Identify The Wounds Of Your Childhood

Being aware of the wounds of your childhood allows you to gain an understanding of yourself, including your emotions, behaviours, and thought patterns. Awareness is the first step towards healing, and acknowledging past wounds empowers you to address and work through emotional pain.

1. Wound of rejection

Childhood Impact: As a child, I felt like no one accepted me for who I was.

Adult Protection Strategy: Now, if someone or something makes me feel rejected, I tend to run away. I hide, isolate myself, and avoid everyone, even those who care about me. It’s like I believe everyone rejects me, and I don’t fit in.

2. Abandonment

Up Next

The Art of Self-Transformation: Tips for Personal Growth and Development

The Art of Self-Transformation

The journey of life often strikes us with a monotonous tone of finding chaos and distress in the mundanity of our daily lives. Not achieving what we set our mind to and being stuck in a downward spiral of self-doubt and self-pity is often a sign that something in our life is not going the right way. We need to take a step back and reevaluate the present situation we are in. Here are some concrete steps that you can follow to embrace change and become a better version of yourself.

1) Swot analysis –

One of the most important steps to understanding yourself is to assess your present situation and draw out the areas of your strengths,