Succeed by Making the Done List

Has January felt like 31 Mondays in a row? Congratulations—you reached the end!

You may be looking at your Goals List and wondering where the love has gone only 30 days later. It’s ok if your optimism is flagging a little because second-guessing old ways of working may have a silver lining.

That’s because the traditional way to set goals relied on wishing and willpower. But you don’t have to use that model anymore, where you select an outrageous goal, make a splashy announcement, and then hope for the best. In its place, you can create sustainable success by combining big ideas with qualities like vision, connection, and communication—all soft skills.

So, if the only goal you’ve completed in January is taking a fresh approach, you’re already successful. Pat yourself on the back!

Dr. Samantha Boardman posted several unconventional intentions. Let me tell you how she’s flipping the script on goal setting.

Get that Done List Done!

Dr. Samantha Boardman created a welcome to 2023 thread on Twitter that included funny and practical advice. On the lighter side, she reminded everyone, “You are not a bear. Go outside. More time spent in outdoor light was associated with better mood outcomes, better quality sleep, and ease of wakening, according to a study of over 400,000 people.”

But I especially liked her final tweet because it addressed the anxiety everyone has around stretch goals. Rather than pushing yourself for a microwave miracle, Dr. Boardman suggests, “Write a “Done List” of things you have already accomplished. We are so good at beating ourselves up about things left undone. A “Done List” will remind you of all that you actually do.”

Did You Remember to Set How Intentions?

Are you on board with counter-balancing your To Do List with a Done List? Me, too! A Done list instantly lifts your mood but let me give you one last suggestion before you put your goal list to bed. Do the unexpected and set a stretch intention that makes you a little uncomfortable. (Don’t groan yet!)

Here’s what I mean: Some people’s stretch intentions are limited to more steps or green smoothies. There may be benefits to those goals, but intentions that truly move the needle are How intentions, and that’s where soft skills come in. Put simply, all the green smoothies and step counts in the world won’t help much if you have trouble collaborating, communicating, or managing your emotions.

Here are five stretch intentions on my evergreen List. Consider adding one or all of them to your 2023 goals, or make up your own:

* Dig into the details

* Examine your assumptions

* Listen, then listen again

* Keep at it

* Watch your wake

Conquering one or all these intentions will light up any other goals you’ve set.

How to Take Your Goals from Aspirational to Attainable

Soft skills aren’t tricky or complicated—they’re as easy as 1, 2, 3! Here’s a recap of the goal-setting personalities we’ve discussed in the January series, Three Ways to Shift Goals from Aspirational to Attainable. You can use these archetypes to power all kinds of intentions:

1. Way #1 to succeed is by Becoming the Practical Visionary: Having a big vision is only step one. Bring that vision to life by taking practical actions.
2. Way #2 to succeed is by Becoming the Wise Collaborator: Reframe the idea that soft skills make you soft or weak. In its place, create shrewd collaborations by putting qualities like insight, emotional intelligence, and compassion to work.
3. Way #3 is to succeed by Becoming The Precision Storyteller: Persuade others to support you by improving your storytelling skills. Shift presentations from the old-school, dense “show your homework” style and design them as agile and precise.

If you’re setting goals you can knock out in less than 30 days, you may be aiming too low. So, take charge like the creative, wise CEO of your life—a Soul Boss—and set stretch goals that make you feel empowered, confident, and take your intentions from aspirational to attainable.