Tomorrow is Independence Day here in the USA. We will celebrate all of the freedoms we enjoy. Pause amid the fireworks and hot dogs to really look into one another’s eyes. You’ll likely see some angst. Worry. Stress. Why? Goals. Goals, goals and more goals. I, myself, am addicted to goals. As it turns out I have company. Americans are generally a fast-paced, goal-oriented bunch. In fact, a YouTube search for goal setting slaps over 100,000 videos in my lap. What if, just for a day, you free yourself from the burden of goals with For Now?
Goals, Burnout and For Now
Goals push us, yes. They lead to burnout, too. Whether it’s at work or at home, our ongoing reach for success through endless goal setting is making us sick. Literally. According to the World Health Organization, Burnout is now an official medical diagnosis. What monkey is on your back? Weight loss? Work productivity? Mastering the mindfulness that eludes you? If we’re honest with ourselves, we all have insecurities. We strive to improve upon them by setting goals. Sometimes we fail. Sometimes we succeed, too. This constant dance of stretch goal setting and falling short leads to burnout and a self-confidence that is volatile at best. It’s a subtle consequence. Counterintuitive, even. Next time you set a lofty goal try this hack instead. For Now, I’m the size and shape I want to be. For Now, I’ll win this work day. For Now, I meditate twice a day. Give yourself a reprieve from long-winded goals that deflate your sense of self. Center within this 24-hour period alone.
Overcoming Goal Addiction
The For Now hack lassos the power of micro-goals. If you’re addicted to goal setting and this new concept leaves you wondering what you’ll do with all your time, I can relate. I’ve been addicted to chronic goal setting for over 20 years. Now, some of these goals got me where I am in my career. Others I still have not met since 2001. I recently became so frustrated in a moment of self-sabotage that I blurted out “For now, I run 5 miles a day.” Then I took off and ran those miles. It was such a sense of relief to focus on that one moment of a goal. Today, For Now is my new normal.
9 Easy Ways to Use For Now…Well, Now.
This July 4th embrace goal freedom by repeating these phrases.
At Work
1. For Now, I am the leader of this sales team.
2. For Now, my boss values my opinions.
3. For Now, I turn in all my administrative work on time.
At Home
1. For Now, I have a fulfilling relationship with my partner.
2. For Now, I have complete control of my home tasks.
3. For Now, my children love spending time with me.
In Self-Care
1. For Now, I am able to have one drink and be satisfied.
2. For Now, I make healthy choices in food.
3. For Now, I think before I speak.
Here’s the beauty of it: For Now lets you off the hook for succeeding in this goal tomorrow and the next day. But odds are in your favor that you will because you are acting as if you are successful in this goal already.