HOW TO STAY ON TRACK (EVEN WHEN PLANS GO SIDEWAYS)

Life isn’t perfect—people aren’t perfect. Sometimes in life, we envision goals and make plans but then the unexpected happens: there’s an obstacle in the way, or the plans get delayed. Maybe you fell short of a deadline that you set for yourself, or you failed to save a certain amount of money this month to save up for a trip. When this happens, a lot of emotions run through our brain: anxiety, fear, and panic. But, there are ways to stay on track when things don’t go as planned.

FOCUS ON YOUR MINDSET

When plans go awry, it can feel like the world is ending. Changing your mindset from negative to positive is the first and most important tip on this list. Your mindset impacts your mood, your actions, and how you carry yourself. If you’re down in the dumps, you’re most likely not going to be motivated to move forward. Try affirmations, meditating, or self-care to help detox the negative mindset.    

Let’s say you plan to exercise 4 times a week. But then, you realize that you haven’t worked out in the last week. Learn to rest, not quit. You can always start over. Thinking positively about your mistakes will leave room for a better mindset and will encourage you to keep going.

REVISIT THE ORIGINAL PLAN

Obstacles will occur in plans. Retracing your steps will remind you of your goal and help dissect the obstacle. This process will help expose the steps that were taken and can show why the obstacle is there. Evaluate the plan. Remember that plans aren’t perfect and they will have flaws. 

Now that there’s an obstacle, try to see it from a different perspective. Is it a temporary or long-term obstacle? What is the obstacle preventing you from achieving? Is this obstacle big or small? Asking questions about the obstacle will make it less scary to figure out. Sometimes, obstacles can shift the direction of how you will reach your goal. Maybe your previous plan wasn’t the right path. Achieving goals are meant to challenge and test you. It’s not always going to be easy. 

So you realized that you didn’t work out last week because you were tied up with work, hanging out with friends, and there was one day when nothing seemed to go right. Look at the days you scheduled to exercise and what times. Did you schedule it in the morning or at night? Did you schedule it in between different events in your day? Is there a timeframe or activity that it can replace or swap with? 

BRAINSTORM AND ADAPT

After understanding what the obstacle is and its origin, now is the time to brainstorm a plan to get through the obstacle. Reflect on what was discovered and think of ways to adapt to the obstacle. Can you have a temporary solution until you make it back on track? Is there a Plan B, C, etc? Are there any distractions? Are your habits helping you or hurting you to reach this goal? Listing out the different ways to adapt from the obstacle can change the original plan into a newer, better plan.

Use resourceful tools to help gain new information and new ideas to brainstorm. Try things like a decorative visual tracker, set reminders on your phone, read books on habits and achieving goals, make an inspirational Pinterest board, or place Post-It note reminders in your living space. Create a new plan to help continue your goal and learn what works for you.

You found that it would be best for you to work out in the mornings because you found an early morning Zumba class you enjoyed a few weeks back and really enjoyed the class. Rewrite your plan with the Zumba class into your plan and address any and all changes to your plan that come after. For example, on Mondays-Thursdays at 6 a.m., you plan to attend the Zumba class. Now you’ve not only fixed a minor flaw in your plan but you’ve also scheduled something that is exciting and brings you joy. 

START FROM THE NEW PLAN

This part is the easiest. Once you’ve mapped out the new plan, start executing it. Executing the new plan might feel like you’re not getting on track, but the more you continue, the closer you’ll get. It takes time and consistency to achieve a goal. Also, be self-aware of your habits and plan to help keep yourself focused. 

After you’ve kept yourself continuing on with the plan, evaluate it after a week or two. See what works and what doesn’t. Does this new plan actually help you achieve your goal? Have you made progress in a positive or negative way? Are there any changes you want to make? Plans can also change and adapt over time. Remember your why and keep going. 

It’s week two of participating in the 6 a.m. Zumba classes and you are in love with your new plan. After some trial and error, you might have missed a class or two, but you made it to most of the classes. You have not only adapted to this new plan but you have also stuck with it consistently to make you reach your goal. Way to go, you!

You owe it to yourself to accomplish a goal that you started. The timeline of goals can change, but that shouldn’t prohibit you from reaching the goal. There’s a reason why you started your goal in the first place, don’t let anything stop you.