Aims: Creating a Vision for 2019!
WHAT IS AN AIM?
An AIM is an intention that stems from a curious investigation about your life. It requires turning your attention inward not outward, when you are trying to achieve something.
It is not like setting a goal, which tends to be based on the ego or the future. A true AIM is directed toward truth, no matter what that truth is. The target you’re AIMING at is NOW, in the present moment.
To set your intention, you must be committed to being present and curious during the investigation.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN AIM AND A GOAL?
The practice of setting goals often comes from a stiff rigidity of judgement and in turn, we tend to beat ourselves up if we don’t get to where we ‘think’ we should be. Further, a goal tends to be ego-driven and is a way for us to seek out more happiness, love, and so forth.
With goal-setting, we tend to go to our heads or mental place - attempting to will ourselves to achieve the goal. Whereas with aim-setting, we set an intent to become curious and investigate with our whole bodies (not just our head, cognitive level) in the process.
SETTING YOUR AIMS FOR THE YEAR
What are your AIMS for 2019? In other words, what do you want to feel differently about in your life this upcoming year?
To help you set your AIMS, as well as action steps to help you get there, here is a step by step process:
STEP 1: DO YOU HAVE A BALANCED LIFE?
Allocate a percentage to each of the following 5 categories based on time spent, either on a weekly, monthly, or yearly basis.
Family / Relationships
Inner Life / Spirituality
Work / Professional Life
Fun / Play
Health / Wellness
STEP 2: DETERMINING AIMS & ACTION STEPS
Come up with an AIM and at least one follow-up action step for each of the following categories:
Family / Relationships
Inner Life / Spirituality
Work / Professional Life
Fun / Play
Health / Wellness
THE KEY FOR ACTION STEPS
The more specific, the better.
Start small and work your way up to bigger AIMS as you become more confident with the process.
Set your intention to have a curious inquiry. Even if you cannot follow-through with your action steps, be curious as to why you can’t fulfill your promise(s) to yourself.
Start a journal about your inquiries so you can check every month to evaluate your effort, progress, and hold yourself accountable.
Find an accountability buddy or hire a coach.
Have a growth mindset. It will take judgment out of the equation.
SETTING YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS: DAILY RITUALS
Setting yourself up for success is about having rituals that you implement into your daily life. I feel a daily practice is the key to living a life with purpose.
Here are some rituals you can integrate into your daily habit routine.
Breathing
Be silent as you practice your breathing.
Benefits:
Strengthens productivity
Proven to help with health and wellness
Helps ground you into the present moment
Tools:
Time Block
Block off 50 minutes each day to focus on only one thing. After you cross the finish line, reward yourself with a ‘brain break.’ Optional: add mandatory 10 minute breaks where no work is allowed.
Benefits:
The method is backed by research, which shows that time blocks are effective time management tools.
Tools:
Schedule these recurring 50 minute blocks on your phone and set reminders in your automated calendar.
Movement
Start small and build exercise and movement into your routine. For example, I'm doing 4 minutes of aerobic exercise 4 times per day. Doing these 4 minute blocks of time is achievable! Remember to be consistent.
Benefits:
Good for your brain as it reduces the cortisol (i.e. stress hormone) levels in your system.
Tools:
Article: Hearts Get 'Younger,' Even At Middle Age, With Exercise
Check in with yourself before and after each daily practice. Can you feel the difference in your body and nervous system?
Gratitude
A good daily morning ritual is to keep a gratitude journal or to say thank you to one person each day.
Benefits:
Feel more optimistic!
Research shows that giving thanks can make you happier (Harvard).
Limits
Define limits on things that keep you from achieving your AIMS. For two weeks, track how you actually spend your time. You might be shocked to view your time management habits on a daily basis. Now, try to replace those time blocks with more productive activities that help you move toward the life you want to create. For daily tasks, like email and social media management, set aside 2-3 blocks of 10 minutes each to check them.
Tools:
Check the iPhone Screen Time application to see how much time you spend on your mobile phone each day and set limits.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Add new success rituals (i.e. habits) one at a time so they stick!
We spend more time planning our vacations than we do our day-to-day lives. What do you want your average day to look like?
Begin with the end in mind
We use a road map/GPS device to find our destination when we do not know where we are going. Why do we think we can meander through life and live a life on purpose? We need to focus, set our intention and take action!
Attach a new habit to something you already do to make it easier.