By Ene, Faustina and Ghozye
Did you know? Valentine’s Day count down has begun but the greatest love you could gift yourself is the ability to stay true and committed to the goals you wrote down at the start of the year.
So…how have you fared so far? You can quickly skirt over to the comment section and reply as we take you on a journey through the eyes of some of Safaya’s best. This month’s monthly column explores goal setting, commitment and discipline.
One Small Step for a Girl, One Giant Leap for Her Goals – Ghozye Nelson
First of January is like the “Monday” of the year—that one day everyone is constantly waiting for before they get around to doing what they have always wanted to do. That was the case of Deola, she was fed up with all the disappointments she had encountered in 2018 and she moved to do something about it.
In the last week of 2018, Deola wrote down her goals for 2019 and envisioned herself grinding hard to get them done. So 2019 finally came and in the first week of the year (which is usually the most exciting and productive), she planned how to work towards each goal like this:
What to do in the first quarter
How to go about it every day
Set Goals
Deola decided she was going to read six books between January and March write the business plan for the business idea stuck in her head and raise funds from family and friends. She also decided she would put a stop to the dodo she kept having every day and work on her weight as her doctor had advised. Deola also took a step towards financial freedom by saving 5% of her salary for the first 3 months of the year and after that increase it to 10%. Check our 12 recommended reads for 2019
Review Goals
It’s the last day of January; Deola looked at her list, and satisfaction welled up within her. Instead of 5% she had saved 8% of her salary. She had lost 2kg in four weeks and she could now climb to her office on the 3rd floor of the building without gasping for breath. She just finished reading the second book on her way back from work and the business plan is almost complete.
Deola had also managed to convince her sister’s friend to be her business partner, two uncles have each pledged to donate 10% of the required startup capital and she is on her way to becoming a CEO.
Be Like Deola
Deola made a move to change her fate; she took life by the balls and disciplined herself. Now she is happy, ready to go for February. You may be wondering what to do to become like Deola…courage, hard work, discipline, perseverance; those are the 4 words you need this year.
Are Your Goals Still Fresh at Heart? – Faustina
31 days in, 334 more to go and many other hurdles to cross. With all the obstacles and possibilities that come with each day, there is always something new to achieve, grounds to conquer and heights to attain. So are your goals still fresh at heart? Learn goals you must set here
Keeping track of goals is the best way to have a fulfilled year. Having a reason to tick your checklist of goals is a sign that sufficient progress is being made in the right direction as achieving a successful feat births the zeal to become even more successful.
As the curtains of the month of January draw to a close and the veils of the month of February opens for us to peep through, it’s wise to take a close look at what we have achieved in the last month as we plan for the months ahead.
As you ask yourself the question “What have I done?” take into consideration the lessons, failures and obstacles even if your goals for the month have not been accomplished. Lessons learned, hurdles crossed and obstacles overcome all on the path to success should also be celebrated.
2019 is just begun but what you have done so far is not enough to take you where you want to be. However, you are still on the right path to having your checklist completely ticked…and from my heart to yours, here is a big encouragement: score some more goals in February! Click here to enter February!
Pain Can Pay You – Ene Elizabeth Adeka
I am brave, I am bruised but I am who I’m meant to be…this is me – Greatest Showman (This Is Me)
What does not kill you can make your content go viral…pain can break you, hurt you, disfigure your body, soul and mind but if it hasn’t killed you, smile my friend and pick yourself from the ground. This round’s over and you walk away defeated by 31 giants…for now
February you come back like the lone wolf in the pack
Like the lion in the African jungle about to bite down hard on the jugulars of your goals
Like the shark in the untamed waters of the ocean…
January had the last laugh in this round but you have eleven more rounds to prove yourself and bring home the title. So clean up your bloodied, depressed and sorrowful self. There is yet another fight and it starts tomorrow.
You must not be ashamed of the scars of failure you carry into February, now you know how short 24 beautiful hours can be, you know how deceptive the minutes that go by can appear and most importantly, you know you cannot afford to let February have the last laugh.
So get up!
Pick up your resolve one more time, make no apologies, steady those staggering legs of yours, look tomorrow in the face and say:
I am not a stranger to defeat but not in February.
You see pain can pay you my friend but not when you wear it like a garment of shame. Go from feeling defeated and pained in January to feeling happy and getting paid in February.
You can start by downloading our free goal setting template here
