Here’s some sage advice from Have a New You By Friday that I thought might encourage some of you in your goal-setting (or just with life in general):
5 Ways to Guarantee Success at Anything
1. Set a goal.
2. Keep your goal reasonable (Don’t bite off more than you can chew.)
3. Don’t second guess yourself.
4. Don’t listen to the naysayers.
5. As Winston Churchill said during a time of war, “Never give up.”
-from Have a New You By Friday, Kevin Leman, page 202
It’s simple, but profound advice. Now what are you waiting for? Go set some goals and start chipping away at them!
Here’s last week’s goal list:
Mothering Goals
1. Finish reading Davy Crockett: Young Rifleman aloud to the children. {With the garage sale last week, we didn’t do any extra reading outside of the assigned school reading. I aim to remedy that this week as we missed our leisurely afternoon read-aloud time!}
Personal Goals
2. Run 12 miles (total).
3. Go to bed by 10:00 p.m. or before every night.
4. Get up by 6:00 a.m. every morning.
5. Finish reading What Women Fear and When I Lay My Isaac Down. {Still working on All the Money in the World.}
Home Management Goals
6. Make Homemade Oxy-Clean.
7. Go through our house from top to bottom for our garage sale on Thursday.
8. Finish knitting the dishcloth I’m working on.
9. Start working on a rag quilt.
Business Goals
10. Shoot video for 31 Weeks to a Better Grocery Budget series. {Hopefully this will happen this week!}
My finished dishcloth (Experienced knitters: you have my permission to laugh, I’m still working on learning to follow a pattern correctly and not twist my stitches! However, I’m just happy that I actually finished a knitting project. Usually I start them with great intentions and then get frustrated when I mess up, take a bunch of stitches out, and never actually finish it. So the fact that I actually finished this is a big accomplishment for me. Now I just need to work on perfecting the basic stitches! :))
And here are my goals for this week:
Mothering Goals
1. Finish reading Sarah: Plain and Tall aloud to the children.
2. Take children on a field trip.
Personal Goals
3. Run 12 miles (total).
4. Finish reading All the Money in the World and Tribes.
5. Finish embroidering quilt block for my sister’s baby quilt.
6. Work on Rag Quilt.
Home Management Goals
7. Spend 10 minutes picking up/cleaning our bedroom/bathroom every day (I’ve really been working with the children on keeping their room/bathroom cleaned and I realized that I’ve not been setting the best example for them!).
Business Goals
8. Shoot video for 31 Weeks to a Better Grocery Budget series.
9. Finish putting together talk for a speaking engagement next week.
10. Put together a list of speaking topics and speaking page.
How did you do on last week’s goals? What are your goals for this week? If you feel comfortable doing so, I’d love to have you share your progress on last week’s goals and your goals for this coming week in the comments. Let’s cheer each other on to live purposeful and productive lives!
You can download a free customizable weekly goal-planning sheet here.
Laura says
Crystal,
How is your rag quilt coming! I started making these 8 years ago when DD was taking a sewing class to sew clothes for her American Girl Doll. I have made probably hundreds. I love making them and have addiction to flannel remnants! Here is a post I did on it: http://laurmelashouse.blogspot.com/2011/04/anatomy-of-rag-quilt.html
I am making some now with scraps for ‘Threads of Love’, a great organization that makes blankets for preemies.
Good Luck on yours, love to see pics!
Laura
Crystal says
Thanks so much for sharing! I’m really enjoying making the quilt and am surprised at how easy it is!
Kristen says
I met almost none of my goals last week, but I am hopeful for this week. I love your goals posts. Makes me realize it can be done.
Ann B says
I’m still trying to make this goal setting thing a habit.
Collect things around the house for garage sell next week.
Tidy up basement for new carpet next week.
Stay caught up on all work documentation.
Yell less.
Exercise 3 times.
put things away when I am done using them.
Also: DH and I just made it a financial goal to pay off our mortgage in 5 years. After discussing it and doing the math, it definately seems reachable.
Ami says
I just wanted to let you know that your goals post is my favorite feature on your site right now. Shortly before you started it, I was thinking on how good your example is of setting a goal and actually doing it! Thanks for sharing this weekly!
Crystal says
You are so welcome. Thank you for your kind encouragement!
allison says
Crystal –
Great job with the knitting! Keep at it!
I’ve been knitting for 20+ years and still things go “wrong” – but remember it’s not wrong – it’s “the way it’s supposed to look”! Who’s to say it isn’t?
You’ll get better and better – I know you will.
Btw – do you have a pattern?
Allison
Carol@simple_catholic says
I’m a a bit behind posting my goals, but here goes:
Mothering:
Play with son at least 10 minutes a day (ongoing).
Personal:
Continue reading one chapter a day from the bible.
Exercise at least 10 minutes a day (ongoing, but didn’t do it at all last week.)
Get up by 6am. My main goal is 5:30, but so far I’m lucky if I get myself going by 6:30 or 7am, so I’ll start with 6am.
Home management:
Tidy up my work/office area.
Create to-do list for Christmas Prep and start shopping. (Goal is to be finished by the time Advent starts.)
Biz goals:
Finish VA series
Fix broken links
Ministry goals:
Create and send out 2 spiritual bouquet card for two people having birthdays next week.
Karen says
Great job on the washcloth! I love the pattern! Where did you get it? I am looking for a new pattern for Christmas gifts and am tired of my old one. 🙂
Carrie Bergherm says
Has another week gone by already? It shouldn’t have because I didn’t get everything done yet!
Ah well… here’s a new list.
http://berghermlife.blogspot.com/2011/09/to-do-list-again.html
Carrie Bergherm says
And two more notes:
Knitting scares me! I love to crochet, but for some reason, I just can’t get into knitting. Good job on your washcloth!
Secondly, I’m looking for just a few more ideas for my 31 Days of free homeschool resources. If any of you homeschoolers out there have a website that you love to use that has free printables or games or videos or crafts, and would be willing to pass the info along. I’d appreciate it. I’d also be glad to link up to your blog in my post for your suggestions. Thanks!
Carol@simple_catholic says
Carrie, I’m the opposite. I am learning to knit and I love it; but, when I was trying to learn to crochet, I found it difficult and couldn’t get into it. 🙂
Carrie Bergherm says
It’s amazing that these two crafts, so similar in what is made, each take a completely different way of thinking! Hand positions and motions are so different… Before I knew much about either crocheting or knitting, I always thought there wasn’t much difference. Boy was I wrong! 🙂
Carol@simple_catholic says
That’s so true. The stitches for crochet always seemed so complicated compared to the knitting stitches – except for the chain stitch. 🙂
Becky says
That’s not a bad first knitting project!
Here is the pattern for the first dishcloth I made:
http://www.groupepp.com/dishbout/kpatterns/grfavorite.html
I don’t know if you’ve heard of Ravelry, but it’s a great community of knitters and crocheters with free patterns and great tips. Feel free to add me if you join – I’m tromie.
I’m so impressed with all you are able to do!!!
Susie B says
Thanks for sharing your goals with us–its very encouraging to see you being so intentional with making the most of the time you’ve been given–especially at this stage of your life when you have your hands so full with kids/homeschooling/blogging etc. Aside from saying that, I also wanted to ask if I missed your post for the dishcloth pattern. I’ve been wanting to make one of those for a while now too, so if you are able to share that pattern with us, that would be awesome.
Michele says
My girls and I “read” Sarah Plain and Tall a couple of summers ago via books on tape that we borrowed from the library. It was a great book to listen to in the car as we were driving around a lot that summer. We ended up listening to the second and third books as well. I highly recommend listening to the series if you want to try something different.
Willa@ArmstrongFamilyFare says
I think your washcloth looks great! You’ll continue to improve with each project you do! I just picked up my crochet needle again, and wondered why I hadn’t been doing it for so long. It is so relaxing, I love it! I’m like you though, I don’t feel very advanced. However, I just discovered youtube videos demonstrating all different projects. It’s great and I’ve already made three hats!
I love your goals of reading aloud to your children. At what age did you start that? My children are a boy, 2 next month, and a 4 month old little girl. Do you have any book suggestions for a little boy with a fairly short attention span? He loves reading from picture books or Golden Books, but I haven’t tried many chapter books yet.
Deborah says
Your knitting looks great. You should be proud. I love knitting. I keep trying new stitches and projects to learn more. I’ve tried crochet and I just can’t do it and can’t read the patterns.
Willa@ArmstrongFamilyFare says
Deborah – I love to crochet, but I have a really hard time following the patterns as well. I just recently found youtube videos that will walk you through a project (so far I’ve done a hat and a flower to put on it). It makes it so much easier since you see exactly what they’re doing!
Heidi says
Sarah Plain and Tall is my favorite book. I recommend watching the movie, as well. It follows the book very closely, imo.
Anna says
September 12-18
Good manners
1. Eat dinner at table to practice manners. DONE
Support each other
1. Message family each week. DONE
Family spending plan
1. Apply first class Financial Peace lesson to spending plan. DONE
2. Apple second lesson to spending plan. IN PROGRESS
Eat healthy
1.Eat 2 fruits and 2 vegetables servings/day. DONE AND IN PROGRESS
Exercise
1. Walk each day to strengthen back. DONE
2. Stretch back 2x/day. DONE AND IN PROGRESS
3. Ice heels 3x/day. IN PROGRESS
Spirituality
1. Pray for my brother each day. DONE
Clean house
1. Create a clutter free plan for living room. IN PROGRESS
Relax
1. Plan a crafts activity this week to do with kids. NOT DONE
Organize
1. Complete project list for home binder. NOT DONE
Take care of belongings
1. Take car for to get oil changed. NOT DONE
2. Get brake light replaced this week. NOT DONE
Self care
1. Get a haircut. NOT DONE
2. Go to bed by 10 pm 5 nights out of 7. DONE
September 19-25
Good manners
1. Eat dinner at table to practice manners.
2. Write aunt & uncle thank you note
Support each other
1. Message family each week.
Family spending plan
1. Apply second class Financial Peace lesson to spending plan.
2. Apple third lesson to spending plan.
3. Look at bills for the month.
Eat healthy
1.Eat 2 fruits and 2 vegetables servings/day.
2. Keep a food diary.
Exercise
1. Walk each day to strengthen back.
2. Stretch back 2x/day.
3. Ice heels 3x/day.
Spirituality
1. Pray for my brother each day.
Clean house
1.Do daily chores listed in planner.
Relax
1. Plan a crafts activity.
Organize
1.Follow weekly planner for work & home.
Take care of belongings
1. Take car to get oil changed.
2. Get brake light replaced this week.
Self care
1. Get a haircut.
2. Go to bed by 10 pm 5 nights out of 7.
Gabriela says
Well, let’s see… my husband and I moved to this new town four years ago and I still have not made any close friends. I miss my old friends sooo much. I have been struggling with this problem even though I couldn’t say I am very shy. This website makes me believe I could make some friends online. Who knows? Some of them may live in my area. So, this is my goal. :))
Amber says
I’m sure you will, Garbriela. Sending you a virtual hug! 🙂
Emily says
My husband and I moved to a new state 2 1/2 years ago from a town we lived in for 7 years, and before that we moved to that town from the town I grew up in. So I know what you mean. I miss my old friends from our former town, and I really miss my life-long friends from my hometown. And we really really miss our families, who we hung out with quite a lot when we lived 20 minutes from them. We’ve made friends with several of the neighbors, and I have some great co-workers, but one of my goals this year is to make some new friends outside of home and work, since it is soooo good for us to have close friendships. To do that, I’m starting with joining the PTO at my daughter’s school (which is a win win, since I’m also very interested in her education), and I also thought about joining a MOPS group or something in my area. Could you join a women’s club or a mom’s group or something in your new area to meet new people?
Gabriela says
Thank you for the encouragement ladies. I actually never thought about joining a women’s club, I don’t know if they have one in my area but, I will look into it. I am going to take a yoga for beginners class, that should help. I have great co-workers as well, unfortunatelly they are mostly men. 🙁
Brandi @ Savvy Student Shopper says
I think your dish cloth looks great! They might be my next project, because I have enough scarves by now!
Johnlyn says
I just joined ThinkTraffic’s million dollar blog project where you have to keep a public accountability journal.
I created a new blog for this where I can write weekly goals for my blog. I am on blogger and it was easy to create a new blog.
I discovered the best part of having this online is having the ability to link to different blogs and/or websites. So one goal I have this week is to create my personal goals blog.
After working through the steps from Amy’s Tell Your Time ebook I wrote down all of my priorities and routines. I want to put that on the blog as well as be able to link up to any recipes I want to try or parenting/marriage suggestions I want to do.
I think having all of this information in one place would help me keep things a little more organized and help me focus on the priorities in my life.
Lizzie~A Dusty Frame says
Crystal:) Good job on the cloth:) I LOVE knitting!
Jen @ Master the Art of Saving says
I didn’t do as well with my goals as I’d planned. The new goals are hopefully structured better so that I can achieve more, if not all, of them this time. Here are the new goals I made: http://www.mastertheartofsaving.com/2011/09/05/my-goals-4-september-2011/
Julie says
I think your knitting is great! I just learned how this summer and I wouldn’t be brave enough to show my first project all over the internet – it was really bad. My 2 year old loves anything and everything around his neck so I practiced my stitches by making him a scarf. He doesn’t care that there really isn’t a pattern and some of it is messed up, he is just happy to have a new scarf. After finishing that project, I felt much better about my knitting skills and have since moved on to other projects.
Alicia@ eco friendly homemaking says
Wow what a great post!! This sounds like an awesome book that I should check out. I think your dishcloth looks great!!
Kacie says
How did you like When I Lay My Isaac down? It is something I’ve been thinking about putting on my reading list and I’d be interested if you thought it was a worthwhile read
Crystal says
I read it all in one evening because I couldn’t put it down. Very thought-provoking and well-written.
Making My Own Luck says
How fun for your sister to get an embroidered baby blanket!
I’m interested to hear how the OxiClean works out.
Here’s my goals and last week’s results:
http://cookingluck.blogspot.com/2011/09/saving-money-this-week-goals-for-next.html
BethB says
I think your dishcloth is awesome! When I first started knitting I did tons of those and gave them to my Mom and Mother-in-law. It was a great way to learn new stitches and techniques. These days it takes me so long to finish a project I’ve been thinking I need to go back to dishclothes. Or at least some smaller projects like felted cozies or what have you.
I would recommend a Booga Bag as a good project for you. 🙂 It’s not that hard, you don’t have to use Noro, and since it’s felted it doesn’t matter if you mess up (To a certain extent). Yay, knitting!
Crystal says
Thanks for your encouragement! Have a link to a Booga Bag tutorial? I’m intrigued!
BethB says
Here’s the pattern:
http://www.blacksheepbags.com/booga_bag.html
It looks more complicated than it is. You knit a rectangle, pick up stitches all around with a circular needle, then just knit to the specifications. The i-cord is easy too.
Suzy says
Where is the recess and playtime? You work really hard, there should be great fun involved with life as well :). I have added this to my list of chores so I don’t forget the basics.
Crystal says
Reading and knitting are two of my “downtime” things–I really enjoy them and find them so relaxing! Plus, so much of what I do (homeschooling, blogging, cooking, etc.) I really and truly *enjoy* so it doesn’t feel like work at all–well, most of the time that is. 🙂
But don’t worry, we do lots of things in our week outside of what is listed on the goals I post publicly. 🙂 We aim to work hard and play hard, because both are so much more enjoyable when you have a balance of each in life! We don’t always strike a perfect balance, but that’s what we aim for.
Suzy says
That is wonderful because cooking and knitting would be a chore for me. 😉
Tiffany says
Crystal –
Great job on the knitting. 🙂 I commend you because I gave up and decided crocheting is much easier…have you given it a try? I too, actually – finally – completed a project (very few stitches ripped out!). It was crochet though.
Diana says
I think your dishcloth looks great! They are the perfect practice item because they’re small and you can finish without too much effort. And plus, even if it’s not perfect, it doesn’t affect how well it works 🙂
I don’t know if your husband watches much football, but I like to work on my knitting during games. That way I can be with my husband but still feel like I’m accomplishing something 🙂
Brit @MomAnswersWithBrit.com says
I love the idea of actually writing down your goals, and I have actually been thinking about it a lot lately. I have a lot to do this week (we just adopted a little girl and we are dedicating her this weekend and hosting lots of family for 3 days). I also have personal goals, so this week I actually happened to write them down! 🙂
Goals for Monday-Thursday:
1) Go to bootcamp at 5:30 a.m. and get back and take a shower by 7:30 a.m.
2) Do 120 push-ups throughout the day
3) Make 5 meals and 2 desserts for a crowd in advance for the fridge/freezer (I have the list of these meals on the fridge and I’ll cross them off once they are made).
4) clean all 3 bathrooms, keep house tidy and control which rooms the kids are in.
5) Read and fill out questions for the next “resolution for women” chapter before Wednesday night church.
This might not seem like a lot to accomplish, but with two 1 year-olds I’m stretching my time. I’m taking full advantage of nap time! 🙂
Nicole says
Brit, that’s great!! Love your goals. It doesn’t seem like too little, in fact it sounds wonderfully ambitious!
Congratulations on adopting your little girl!!
Ebony says
120 pushups/day?! Stop the presses, you ladies are making me exhausted just reading these athletic goals! I’m slacking in that area as a I run behind my 3 boys (10, 4, and 3).
I do have my own list, though, so here goes:
1. Finish all of my 9 to 5 list without having to work past 5p any day this week.
2. Design a catchy promo for our baby items for holiday giving ideas.
3. Find a sitter for a date night with my DH in October.
4. Create my son’s AB Honor Roll grid to help him see that he’s really staying on task!
5. Create a simple mock-up centerpiece for an upcoming mini church banquet.
6. Knock out all of our baby orders 1 day ahead of schedule.
7. Cook only 3 times this week from the stash purchased from my HT triples heist from last week. 1 meal down…2 to go!
Sheena says
I love your goals! It must be nice setting your own work hours! 😉
Sheena says
Awesome, Brit! Congrats on the adoption!
Susan says
I was wondering the same thing as Nicole. How do you come up with your reading list? Your selections all look so good.
Quick funny that your post reminded me of … recently we saw a blurb on the news about Sarah Palin, and it caught my daughter’s attention. She asked me a few questions about Sarah Palin, which I attempted to answer, but she kept arguing with me. “No mom, she is not like that!” Finally, she asked me how tall Sarah Palin was. DD was puzzled: “She is very tall, but she does not look all that tall on TV. I told her that I really did not know how tall she is. DD, insistently: “She IS very tall mom! I read her book at school.”
Sarah Palin does have a book out, but I wondered why on earth they’d be reading it at her elementary school. “You did?” I asked. DD: “Yes! Sarah Palin and Tall!”
Kayla says
That is so cute!
Heather says
I didn’t hit many of my goals last week, but I knew it would be a tough week (son’s 2nd week of school). Here are my goals for this week;
1. Finish PJ bottoms for my son.
2. Read 2 of my endless stack of magazines.
3. Finish making chalk board dinosaurs.
4. Clean the upstairs bathroom (total floor to ceiling cleaning).
5. Work 20 hours at my 2 jobs.
Mindy says
Your dishcloth doesn’t look that hideous. It takes practice to get the tention right and the twisted stitches…well…I would have to see what exactly you were doing when it happened. If you make another, it will be better. You should be proud of yourself.
peever says
You should try this dishcloth pattern…
http://www.groupepp.com/dishbout/kpatterns/grfavorite.html
That’s the one I always use. It’s an easy pattern and I like the look of it. I am just learning to knit so no laughing here! I took a break from knitting over the summer, but I need to take it up again. I have a half finished dish cloth calling my name.
holly says
Did the oxiclean work as well as that purchased in store?
Jessica says
Here’s my goals this week 🙂
http://jandjnewleaf.blogspot.com/2011/09/life-style-goals-for-this-week_18.html
Denise C. says
Great goals! My big goals for this week are:
1. Run as much as possible (I have a 10 miler race on Sunday and want to make a certain time).
2. Continue strength training. (I workout to Jillian Michaels. She kicks my butt!) 🙂
3. Stay away from Target, I’ve given myself a goal, no more than 4 trips there per pay period, only exception will be the pharmacy if someone is ill.
4. No more than 4 trips to the grocery store. I stocked my pantry/fridge/freezer. There is so much food here, I told my family there should be no complaints that there is “nothing to eat.”
5. Clean bathrooms. Not my favorite chore which is why I slack on it so much.
Happy Monday (and week to you!) 😉
Nony (A Slob Comes Clean) says
I’m in the second week of my new schedule for this school year. Last week, I made it through, but was completely overwhelmed. For me, it’s working in the have-to tasks with the want-to ones.
My goal for this week is to again work in the have-tos, and start to feel their rhythm. I’m all about rhythm.
Nicole says
Crystal, how do you decide which books to read next? I love your book choices, and am wondering how you make your selections?
Is there a webpage you visit, is it through friends’ recommendations, or do you have a book list you follow?
Anne @ Modern Mrs Darcy says
What? How did I miss that Kevin Leman had a new book out? I love his birth order books and Have a New Kid By Friday. I didn’t know about Have a New YOU by Friday–thanks!
Denise C. says
I looked it up too and sent a sample to my Kindle!