At 50+, many of us are primed for reinventing ourselves, setting new goals, and realizing that when is now! Our entrenched habits may be crippling our surge forward. And, although our intention is stellar, staying motivated can be difficult. Embrace your new, lucky number…20! Here’s how:
Set aside 20 days to begin working on a life goal:
It takes at least twenty days to establish a new habit. So a good place to begin is on the first of the month and set aside the first 20 days to take action on a life goal. At the end of the 20 days, you can bask in the glory of your accomplishment. You can even take the next week off and emerge rested and rejuvenated at the beginning of the month, ready to take the next step towards living your dream life!
Borrow a friend for 20 minutes a week:
One of the best ways to hold yourself accountable is to have a buddy to check in with. All you need is 20 minutes total time per week. Set up a phone call, on a specific day and time, with a buddy who also has an important goal. The call is simple: take turns asking each other what was accomplished for the week, what the current week's challenge is and how you can support each other.
Brainstorm at least 20 ideas:
While you are on that buddy call, brainstorm at least 20 different problem-solving ideas. Focus on ideas that will help you get started on a life goal or to overcome a current challenge in implementing a life goal you have started working on. Better yet, get a few friends together and brainstorm a variety of creative new solutions.
Remember the 80/20 rule:
20% of your effort typically yields 80% of your results. And, you get the most bang for your buck with the least amount of effort. So prioritize. Of your 20 new ideas from the brainstorming, choose the top 20 percent (4 ideas), and go ahead and begin implementing them this week.
Implement in 20-minute action spurts a day:
One of the most efficient ways to get into action on your life goals is to take small steps every day.Set a timer and work on a goal for 20 minutes a day and watch your goals realized almost effortlessly.
Take 20 minutes a week to celebrate your accomplishments:
Most people don't take the time to congratulate themselves for being in action.
At the end of every week:
Look at what you have accomplished that week and how you feel about it. It can be very motivating to record your journey and realize just how much you are getting done. You may even want to set yourself up with a reward for completing this week's life goal tasks.
Make a list of 20-minute activities that you really love and choose one delicious treat a week. Enjoy!!
