It takes time to undo a lifetime of bad choices or get moving if you’re a victim of habits like procrastination. But, you’d be surprised by how much you can accomplish in six months if you’re committed and take consistent action to change your life.
You can make a huge change in your life in just half a year. This is enough time to make good progress without being overwhelmed by some huge goal like, “I want to be worth 50 million in five years.” Six months is manageable to make strides on your long-term goals.
Use these strategies to change your life in six months
1. Set goals
Set a goal in at least three of the following areas: Financial, Health, Career/Business, Relationships, Personal Growth, Spirituality. Most of us could use a boost in these areas. Focusing on 3 at a time will move you forwards faster than if you tried to work on them all at the same time.
- Financial: You might want to set a goal for your bank account balance, earnings, pay off debt, purchase your own home, or own a piece of land.
- Health. Need to lose a few kilos? Follow a healthy diet for six months? Reduce your blood sugar levels and/or BP? Also, think of health as maintenance and improvement not just about getting rid of weight or overcoming an illness or condition.
- Career/Business: Perhaps you want a promotion, to change companies, or to change fields. For business, are there new opportunities you want to venture into or create new products?
- Relationships: Think of your romantic, nuclear family, extended family, friends, colleagues, place of worship, neighbourhood and such. Is there something you want to improve in one of these areas over the next 6 months?
- Personal: This includes your personal development, learning, self-care, and anything else that you want to improve at a personal level. You can also set goals such as travelling, mastering a musical instrument, learn a language, or buy a new car. The possibilities are endless.
- Spirituality: I’m not talking about religion here. This is about your personal connection with the Higher Power you believe in. Your religion is just one aspect of this connection.
A good goal is something that you believe is possible but would be challenging. It should also be something that makes you excited when you think about achieving it.
2. Measure your current situation
Understand where you’re starting. For example, if you want to increase your savings account, you need to know your current balance. The same goes for your weight if you’re trying to lose weight. If you want to run a 10-kilometre marathon, how fast can you run a mile right now?
3. Create a plan
Based on where you are, and where you want to go, what is a logical plan to get there? Remember that you have six months so plan accordingly. You can start by creating your 12-month plan and narrowing it down to 6 months.
4. Determine the habits you need to ensure success
Your habits have a tremendous impact on the results you achieve in life. Good habits yield good results. Here are some examples:
- If you want to lose weight, your exercise and diet habits are important.
- Savings and spending habits are often important for financial goals.
- Sending a certain number of resumes might be important for certain career goals.
- Contacting a certain number of prospects will help get your business clients.
What habits have you put in place to ensure success?
5. Set short-term goals
It’s hard to stay focused on a goal for six months. It’s also easy to procrastinate and lose focus. Set short-term goals that lead to your long-term goals.
Set monthly (30-day) and quarterly (120-days) sub-goals for each of your 6-month goals.
6. Take action
Even with the best plans in the world, nothing happens until you take action to reach your goals. At the same time, your actions have to be correct and consistent. Otherwise, you can spend a lot of time, energy, and money and get very busy with the wrong actions.
7. Keep a journal
Journaling is a powerful habit to form. Record your feelings, plans, ideas, results, and observations on a daily basis. You’ll get a kick out of looking back on your journals someday. The journals will also provide a space for thinking and storing your thoughts, ideas, and experiences.
8. Measure your progress
Regularly measure your progress. It’s important to know how you’re doing, so you can make adjustments at the right time. How will you know if your plans are working if you never keep track of your progress?
9. Be flexible in your approach
You’re probably not going to create the perfect plan right out of the gate. There will be a lot of fine-tuning along the way. Stick to your goals but be willing to change how you accomplish them. Remember: The goals don’t change, but the plans and actions can change to suit the situation on the ground.
10. Cross the finish line
Giving up is the only way to fail. Keep going, even when you feel like quitting. It doesn’t matter whether you achieve your goals and change your life in six months or not. What matters is that you don’t give up. Persistence pays. As long as you’re moving, you will eventually achieve the results you seek.
Over to you
What can you accomplish in six months? Take a guess and see if you’re right! You can do a lot in six months. In fact, you can probably accomplish more in the next six months than you have in the last five years.
It’s easy to fall into a routine that does little more than maintain your life. You can do much better! Set a few goals and work hard for just six months. You’ll be pleased with the results.
(Image credit: Pexels)
