For Later Reference

This was an assignment given to me by my Applied Leadership course and I thought it would be helpful to put into my blog for personal reference. I'll definitely forget it if I just leave it in it's place on Canvas.

Initial Goal #1:

Develop an effective personal budget and stick to it.

1. Specific (What do you want to accomplish? Who needs to be included? When do you want to do this? Why is this a goal?) 

I want to be able to build my savings each month without taking away from it and stop living close to a "paycheck to paycheck" lifestyle. My fiance will be directly involved in achieving this goal. I want to do this because I want to eventually sell our home and save enough to where we could buy a larger home with more land. I would also like to be able to trade in my car soon for an SUV a little larger and more eco-friendly. This goal is important to me because this is a skill I need to achieve not just for my two short-term goals but for life-long advancement and success in my personal life. 

2. Measurable (How can you measure progress and know if you’ve successfully met your goal?):

I have recently downloaded a budgeting app called Truebill and it is a huge insight to what I spend money on monthly ranking their priorities. It configures a budget according to my bi-weekly paycheck and puts my spending in buckets such as "Grocery" "Shopping" "Eating-Out" and "Gas Station." This makes this goal extremely measure-able and takes out the hard work of rifling through my bank statements and sorting this out myself.

3. Achievable (Do you have the skills required to achieve the goal? If not, can you obtain them? What is the motivation for this goal? Is the amount of effort required on par with what the goal will achieve?):

I believe I have all of the skills required to achieve this goal. Mitchell and I certainly have enough money with each paycheck combined to save and then some. The motivation for this goal is that we are able to develop a nest egg and better resources for our daughter. The amount of effort required is on par with what this goal will achieve. It will take plenty of personal effort (I'm the big frivolous spender of our household) but I believe it will not only reap financial benefits but personal development benefits as well. 

4. Relevant (Why am I setting this goal now? Is it aligned with overall objectives?): 

This goal is relevant because lately I've been appalled at my spending even though we are quarantined at home and we don't even go anywhere.. It seems like I have taken online shopping as the new "going out for dinner and a couple of drinks." It's completely aligned with my overall objective which is personal development and the betterment of my family.

5. Time-bound (What’s the deadline and is it realistic?): 

I would like to have saved $1,000 by April- so that six months from now. I believe that is totally doable and realistically if I stay focused we will exceed this goal.

S.M.A.R.T. Goal (Review what you have written, and craft a new goal statement based on what the answers to the questions above have revealed): 

I want to save $1,000 by April 2021 and in doing so learn how to budget more effectively. I want to be more conscious of my spending for the betterment of myself and my family.

 

Initial Goal (Write the goal you have in mind): 

I would like to become more fit, focused on health (this includes eating clean) and get back to running five miles a day like I used to.

1. Specific (What do you want to accomplish? Who needs to be included? When do you want to do this? Why is this a goal?) 

I want to have the same athletic endurance I once did (pre-baby). I also want to focus on nurturing my body with clean foods and focus more on eating at home and meal-prepping for myself and my family. My family needs to be included, Mitchell and my daughter Stella. Mitchell needs to be included so he allows me time alone so I can go on runs or exercise for at least 30 minutes a day (something that we already have in place aside from the occasional diaper blow-out or bath time). Also I would like for him to begin eating healthier as well and I would like for Stella to enjoy the same healthy food as we do. Right now she is the healthiest eater in our house- I want to put the same care into my diet as I do hers. 

2. Measurable (How can you measure progress and know if you’ve successfully met your goal?):

This is easy because (as they say) "they have an app for that." While weight-loss is not my primary goal Myfitnesspal is an app I have used in the past for tracking calories. But now I would like to use it for it's nutrient features- you enter the foods you've eaten that day and when you're done for the day they present a pie chart of what you've consumed that day which includes carbohydrates, fat, sodium, and protein. I will also use my Fitbit in order to track my heart rate and fitness progress. I hope to lower my resting heart rate through this process as well!

3. Achievable (Do you have the skills required to achieve the goal? If not, can you obtain them? What is the motivation for this goal? Is the amount of effort required on par with what the goal will achieve?):

While I am a mother of a 1.5 year-old who works 40+ hours a week I honestly believe this is achievable considering what I've accomplished in the past and my current fitness level. I work out mostly every day but not at the level of pushing my own personal boundaries that I'd like to. The motivation for this goal is focusing on my own personal health and the fact that I want to live a long life with my daughter and Mitchell. The amount of effort is absolutely on par with the achievements involved with this goal. Health is priceless.

4. Relevant (Why am I setting this goal now? Is it aligned with overall objectives?): 

I have recently given up drinking alcohol (for budgeting reasons mainly as well as health benefits) and I feel driven to be the best I can possibly be right now! I feel inspired to not only accomplish one goal but to accomplish an over-all health goal including fitness and diet.

5. Time-bound (What’s the deadline and is it realistic?):

I would like to be able to run five miles straight by May 2021 and I would also like to have developed healthy cooking skills by that time as well so I do not have to constantly Google "healthy family recipes" or "easy crockpot meals" and so I can easily be able to cook something healthy for myself and my family to enjoy without doubting myself or feeling insecure about my cooking skills. 

S.M.A.R.T. Goal (Review what you have written, and craft a new goal statement based on what the answers to the questions above have revealed): 

By May 2021 I would like to have the endurance to run five miles straight without stopping and also be confident enough in my cooking skills to prepare healthy meals for my family to eat throughout the week without doubting myself. I would like to be in over-all better fitness and health and to have lowered my RHR by at least 10 BPM.