I have to admit I was a little shocked (but in a good way!) about how quickly the 7 Secrets to Sticking to Your Goals webinar filled up last week. Within 18 minutes of sending the initial email, the event was oversubscribed by literally hundreds of people. More than a few folks who tried to dial in at 9pm couldn’t get in because the event was “full” by 9:02pm.

Two Additional Webinar Dates

If you were one of the folks who really wanted to attend but couldn’t for one reason or another, we are going to have an additional LIVE webinar this coming week. As with all live calls, I do spend as much time on live Q&A at the end as-needed.

Wed, Apr 24, 2013 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM EDT

Here’s what I’ll cover on the call:
• Detailed, step-by-step training on the essential components of a goal that set you up for success
• Discover the #1 technique for bouncing back instantly when life throws a curve ball (This one will surprise you!)
• How to decide which goal(s) to focus on and which ones to drop
• 3 little-known steps 99% of goal makers skip but that will make all the difference (Hint: a big-picture goal is just the tip of the iceberg)

Here’s what attendees said about the webinar last week:

This was AWESOME!!! I appreciate everything you said and have learned more from you than I have learned from any help book or other training!

Thank you Sarah. That was great! You are awesome! I did the KickStart camp in January–it was wonderful and it helped me so much. It’s still helping me!

Loved it. Thanks Sarah!

Thank you so much for a wonderful webinar. I look forward to reviewing it again and signing up for one of the bootcamps. Thank you for all your time and effort. Very much appreciated

Join In!

Register for a session now by clicking a date below:
Wed, Apr 24, 2013 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM EDT

What are some of your goals that you really want to stick to this year?

When you try something new, whether it’s a weekly strategy planning session, or just getting yourself into a new routine – of exercising, cooking dinner, or even just keeping your environment organized – the really crucial (and REALLY difficult) part comes just after your initial burst of enthusiasm wears off.

Mastering a new skill and/or instilling new habit loop takes serious commitment.

Key Reasons We Give Up

• We think we lack the ability. If you’ve ever told yourself, “I suck at _____.” or “I don’t have the organizational gene,” you’re doing yourself a disservice. As Heidi Grant Halvorson, a motivational psychologist and author of Nine Things Successful People Do Differently says, “Many people implicitly believe that if you have to work hard at something, it means you lack ability. This is rubbish.” What you’re really lacking is commitment.

• You try to go it alone. Enlisting outside help can make all the difference. Why reinvent a wheel that someone else has already figured out how to build? Look around to see not only who you can lean on for support but also who you can learn from.

• You’re trying to go from zero to hero in one step. Change is a process, not a snap-your-fingers and it’s done kind of thing. It comes in fits and starts – by taking baby steps. It’s normal to feel frustrated because of what’s not working — but that is actually a sign that you are making progress! You’re learning what’s not working, which, if you reflect on it & learn from it, brings you one step closer to what will work.

Four Strategies for Sticking With It

It’s important to actively cultivate persistence. Here are four ways to reinforce yours:

Get reconnected with your reason why

Take a few minutes to write down in your notebook WHY making this change is so important to you. List all of the benefits you’ll get from seeing it through. List all of the things you’ll miss out on if you don’t stick with it. If you’re visually oriented, create a mood board or a vision booklet that you can keep handy & refer back to. Here’s a great tutorial at inkybites. {image via inkybites too}

Find a Community & Mentors

Participate in a structured program with others who also want to make a similar change, such as Weight Watchers or a Boot Camp. That way you will be learning from the best and have a supportive community to lean on when you’re feeling weak or frustrated.

Break It Down

Choose one or two skills to focus on at a time, and break that skill down into manageable goals. For example, if you’re trying to become more organized, you might focus on making your bed each morning or by pushing yourself to hang up your coats & bags the minute you walk in the door rather than dropping everything right on the floor.

Learn to Get Excited by Frustration

When you’re feeling like something isn’t working, rather than taking that as a cue to give up/that you lack the skills necessary — take it as a cue that you’ve just learned something/gotten smarter about the process. Take a moment to reflect on what you’ve just learned and ask yourself what tweaks you can make to your change program going forward because of that. For example, if you’re establishing the new habit of planning out your week and you’re frustrated that you can’t seem to get everything on your list done – what does that tell you? Are you trying to cram too much into one day? Are you confusing to-do’s with projects? Are you frittering away time and if so, where do you have a tendency to do that during the week/day and how might you stop doing it? Scientists really get this right: failure is never the end — it’s knowledge. Apply it!

What’s got you frustrated and feeling like giving up? I’d love to hear & will offer thoughts on recalibrating!

Technically, every day is a once-in-a-lifetime day. But it is always fun when the numbers align like they do today to make it feel extra unique.

This morning, because my facebook and email were lighting up with 12-12-12 notices and celebrations, and because quite a few of them gave a head nod to the impending end-of-the-world predicted by the Mayans, I took a moment to reflect on the miracle of this day.

And by this day, I mean in a global sense. For each one is a singular event.

I don’t know about you, but I find I lose sight of that in the all-out sprint that is most days for me.

Rather than start each day with the question, “How will I make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime day?” 99.999% of the time I start with the question, “What do I need to get done today?”

While many days and weeks I am confident that my to-do list is in sync with my big picture and how I want to use the time I have been allotted, I would be lying if if failed to admit that there are still many days where I feel the pinch of misalignment.

Deep down I know that doing or achieving specific things is not a magic recipe for making the most of my time. In fact, many of the most beautiful moments of my life thus far probably would appear pretty mundane to outside observers.

A bed time snuggle with my boys
A moment of jumping in puddles after running a 5k in the pouring rain with my mom one Mother’s Day
Pulling out four loaves of freshly baked bread from of the oven
Rolling up my sleeves and volunteering
Taking my first hot shower after Hurricane Sandy
Greeting my ailing step-dad with a kiss on the forehead and a hot cup of coffee when he needed some TLC
Catching up with a great friend over coffee
Eating a piece of toast slathered with raspberry jam
Responding to buttoned up challengers and boot campers as they check-in with me
Creating something new and useful for Buttoned Up – whether it’s a blog post or a boot camp or a new product
Wiggling my toes in the sand
Helping someone by just being a sounding board
Cracking a tough problem
Planning my week
Sharing an inside joke with my siblings
Sending Christmas cards
Holding hands with Gar on a road trip
Analyzing data (nerd alert!)
Getting a flash of insight about something business-related

I could go on and on. I have amassed millions of these big/little moments in my life. I feel lucky for each one. And I know that as long as I continue to cultivate my awareness of (and ability to enjoy) the present moment, I will make the most of my once-in-a-lifetime days.

The greatest thief of the present moment, in my experience, is disorganization.

That’s why I am so passionate about about the topic.

Let this day be the day you begin to review your life and take steps to getting organized. Make today an extra-special day in your life.

What are you doing today to mark this date?

New Year’s Resolutions – in June?

As we ushered in the month of June, Alicia and I thought it was the perfect time to check in with each other about just how we were doing on our New Year’s Resolutions. It’s one thing to make grand proclamations about what you’ll accomplish when you’re wielding a glass of champagne and quite another to actually do the hard work to achieve your goals. While neither of us had given up on our resolutions, we both agreed we could use a kick-in-the-pants to make sure we either got back on track or made better progress.

Have you been eating more vegetables, calling your mother more than once a week, and/or cleaning out the basement? If you’re not, it’s ok. You still have half of the year left to reboot and recharge. Here are some quick tips to help you get back on track.

#1: Establish a Sunday Night Power (Half) Hour

You can set yourself up to succeed by simply setting aside a half-hour to an hour on Sunday evenings and, rather than vegging out in front of the tube, use that time to map out the key steps you need to take to achieve your goals in the coming week. There are three basic steps to this ritual. The first is to remind yourself of your key goals and, more importantly, why attaining them is so important to you. Write that down once on an index card and then refer to it in the weeks to come. Step two is to look back on your previous week and pat yourself on the back for any progress you made towards your goal (big or small). Recognizing your small successes is incredibly important because it keeps you motivated to continue on your path. Finally, step three is look ahead at the week to come and map out what you need to do and when. If your goal is to lose weight, schedule in your workouts and even think ahead to what kind of workouts you want to do. If your goal is to save money, make sure your meal plan is in place for the week.

#2: Inspire Yourself with a Pinboard

Sometimes there is nothing like a little visual cue or two to get or keep you inspired. It’s not very hard to put your own together quickly. Use a small 5 x 7” paper photo album to display the images you’ve selected, I love the Kolo line’s Vineyard one. Use one per goal, or one goal per page, whatever works for you. Alternatively, keep a virtual board. Change the wallpaper on your computer to an image that inspires you to stick with it, or create your very own pinboard (or three) on Pinterest.com so that you have drool-worthy images related to your goal to turn to in moments of weakness. The service is still so new, it’s in Beta and you need an invitation. Friend Buttoned Up on Facebook at Facebook.com/getbuttonedup and then post “Invite me to Pinterest!” on our wall and we’ll get you squared away.

#3: Create Some If-Then Statements

Researchers on the cutting edge of psychology have discovered that the simple act of creating a few if-then statements make a dramatic difference in your ability to stick to a plan and make lasting changes. That makes sense to us as we have long touted the benefits of planning for failure because, well, nobody’s perfect! Developing a set of actions that will help you stave off the siren calls is just good planning. A sample if-then statement might look like this: “If I go out to eat Thursday, then I will order the Asian salad.” Repeat that to yourself frequently, and when you end up staring at a menu in a restaurant Thursday night, you’ll reflexively order the low calorie salad you really wanted to and stave off the temptation to order the cheesy nachos.

#4: Focus on One at a Time

A lot of people get ambitious on December 31st and come up with a laundry list of things they’d like to change. That’s all well and good, but your chances of success will go up if you focus on one at a time. Especially given the hectic pace of life today, there is only so much mental and physical bandwidth to go around. So if you have more than one on your list, choose one to focus on this month, another to focus on next month, and so on.

#5: Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

You might just be amazed at the motivating power of putting cold, hard cash on the line. Behavioral economists have studied human behavior and know that we will work harder to keep from losing something than we will to gain something. In that spirit, two economists started a company called StickK.com, which lets you take a contract out on yourself. You pony up real money in a wager you’ll accomplish x,y, or z. If you don’t your money will be donated, get this, to a charity or organization you HATE. Trust us, you’ll work hard to ensure your hard-earned cash doesn’t fall into the hands of “bad guys.”

Get Organized for the New School Year: Time to Make New Resolutions

January gets all of the glory when it comes to New Year’s resolutions. It’s always the talk of the holiday parties and then once January rolls around and you’re back to work or in the carpool line, everyone always seems to ask what you’ve resolved to change this year. If you ask us, January is a terrible time to start anew. Sure, it’s technically the beginning of a new year, but with cold, dreary weather and holiday hangovers, it hardly seems inspiring. Instead, there’s something about September that inspires the resolution maker in us. Maybe it’s the new pencils and shiny new shoes we always got at the end of August, but September seems like a great time of the year to start fresh. The laid-back summer months gave you some time to recharge, so why not be like a kid again and start your year off in September?

Sarah on “half-year check-up”

“I’ll admit that I love the New Year’s tradition, so I’m never going to stop making my resolutions on December 31st, but I do look at September and the start of school as a great time to check in with myself to see how I’m doing. Last year’s resolution was to add more exercise into my routine and when I checked back in September, I realized I wasn’t doing enough of it. I had to recommit, so it was kind of like starting over in September, but I’ve been going strong ever since.”

Alicia on “regaining control after the summer”

“I love the summer. I love the warm weather, the laid-back attitude, and the fact that I can spend more time with my family. At the same time, I relish routine and summer is all about not having a routine, so I definitely look forward to September when I can get back to the normal schedule. My daughter is back in school, my husband is back full-force at the office, and I can refocus my attention. For me, September is all about figuring out what I need to do at work and in my personal life and getting back on track.”

Three Ways to Get Yourself Back on Track this September:

1. Rethink your To Do List.

Maybe you’ve played all summer and are a little overwhelmed with your to do list come September 1. Take a good, hard look at what makes it on to your list. Do you really need to bake cupcakes or could you just buy them at the bakery? Will saying yes to that committee make you feel accomplished or will it add more chaos to your life? Clear off your list of things that don’t have to be done and you’ll be able to accomplish the important things that do need completing.

2. Do One Thing Well.

Most jugglers eventually drop the balls, so remember that you don’t need to get everything done all at once. Want to try yoga, learn a new language, and cook your way through Julia Child? Kudos to you, but don’t kill yourself doing it all at once. Pick one goal for the month and chip away at that.

3. Break it Down.

Ask anyone what they want to accomplish and you’ll hear things like “lose weight,” “do more with my kids,” etc. Most people fail at their resolutions because they pick lofty goals with no plan in sight. Instead of disappointing yourself, get organized and break your goals down into tasks and then schedule the tasks in your calendar. If you want to lose weight, schedule tasks like grocery shopping, prepping meals, and packing healthy lunches (instead of hitting the local fast food joint) into your calendar.

Stick to your goals this year with this FREE printable Master Goals form.

This form is designed to help you:

1. Write down your goals for the year
2. Learn to map out each goal on the calendar at the top of the form
3. Plan ahead for the inevitable slip-ups so they don’t cause you to throw up your hands in defeat
4. Reward yourself for each goal you accomplish!

Download here. (also, this form works great with our individual Goal List form)


]]> http://getbuttonedup.com/2010/01/20/tool-free-printable-master-goals-form/feed/ 11 http://getbuttonedup.com/2009/12/30/tool-free-printable-goal-list-form/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tool-free-printable-goal-list-form http://getbuttonedup.com/2009/12/30/tool-free-printable-goal-list-form/#comments Wed, 30 Dec 2009 14:00:31 +0000 Hollie http://www.getbuttonedup.com/?p=6089

Sticking to the goals we set for ourselves is hard to do.

This can be especially true for New Year’s resolutions. This form is designed to help you articulate your goal clearly, create an easy to follow roadmap by breaking it down into a series of mini tasks, and most importantly, help you plan ahead for the inevitable slip-ups so they don’t cause you to throw up your hands in defeat. Before you know it, you’ll have arrived at your destination.

Print out as many of these as you like!

Download here.


]]> http://getbuttonedup.com/2009/12/30/tool-free-printable-goal-list-form/feed/ 33 http://getbuttonedup.com/2009/10/12/unleash-your-inner-rocky-get-organized-to-achieve-your-goals/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=unleash-your-inner-rocky-get-organized-to-achieve-your-goals http://getbuttonedup.com/2009/10/12/unleash-your-inner-rocky-get-organized-to-achieve-your-goals/#comments Mon, 12 Oct 2009 14:00:46 +0000 Sarah http://www.getbuttonedup.com/?p=3450

As the leaves turn to golden hues, the temperature drops a degree or two, and you get settled back into regular routines, it is the perfect time to revisit some of those goals you set back in January.

Have you gotten caught up in the daily grind and let them fall by the wayside? If so, don’t beat yourself up. We all have good intentions, and we know as well as anybody else that sticking to the goals we set for ourselves is hard to do. Happily there’s no time like the present for getting back on track. In that spirit, grab a pen, your journal and your calendar. This column is all about organizing your top goals, creating an easy to follow roadmap for follow-through, and most importantly, helping you plan ahead for the inevitable slip-ups so they don’t cause you to throw up your hands in defeat.

Sarah on “Finding Your Focus”

“What is it that you really want to achieve by the end of 2009? Shed a few pounds? Spend more quality time with your spouse? Finish a degree program? Get your house totally organized from top to bottom? Organize your photos? Win a competition? The fact of the matter is, while you may want to do it all, to succeed you will have to focus your efforts on a few things that really matter. Let go of all of the things that aren’t so important and really focus your attention and energy on reaching one thing by the end of the year. Choosing your goal priorities might be an easy, off the top-of-the-head, no-brainer for you, or it might require a more formal process, like ranking all the items on your goal list in the order of their importance. Whatever works for you, grab your notebook and pen, take a few minutes and focus on which one truly matters and which ones can be let go. If you’re struggling to choose, you might want to consider imbalances in your life. Is there one area of your life that is most in need of attention? Perhaps focusing on goals in the troublespots will have a more meaningful impact on your overall state of well-being.”

Alicia on “The Importance of Specificity”

“The more specific you can be about the end goal, the more likely you are to get there. Try to define your goal in measurable terms so that you can easily track your progress. If you’ve got a fuzzy goal statement, such as, “start saving” or “get in shape,” take a moment now to get more specific about the end point. Do you want to start saving to get to a particular amount or for a particular purchase? What does “in shape” really mean?”

Here are a few more tips for unleashing your inner Rocky:

1. Break It Down
Big changes are accomplished by taking consistent steps in the right direction. Break down your bigger goals, like “lose 25 pounds,” into a series of mini goals. For example, lose 4 pounds by October 20, and another 1.5 pounds by October 25. Smaller, specific goals are easier to reach. Once you have the thrill of reaching one, you’ll want to reach for another, and another. Before you know it, you’ll have arrived at your destination.

2. Plan for Imperfection
Nobody is perfect. Recognizing that fact and planning ahead for the inevitable slip-up will almost certainly increase your chances of keeping your resolutions over the long-term. Just because you had a moment of weakness doesn’t mean that you should throw in the towel on your goal. Instead, reaffirm your commitment to actually crossing the finish line. List one or two small actions you can take immediately to get yourself back on track to attaining your goal. Once you do this, you’ll know exactly where to turn and what to do when you’re less than perfect.

3. Enlist a Buddy
Whether it’s a friend from the real world, or someone you’ve met in a virtual world, having someone who can support you on your journey can spell the difference between success and failure. Identify someone who can support you and enlist their help this week. Ideally it will be someone who shares your goal. Agree to be there 100% for each other along the way with encouragement to get back on track when you inevitably slip up – whether it’s by phone, email, instant message or text message.

]]> http://getbuttonedup.com/2009/10/12/unleash-your-inner-rocky-get-organized-to-achieve-your-goals/feed/ 0 http://getbuttonedup.com/2009/06/29/americas-founding-fathers-believed-in-organization/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=americas-founding-fathers-believed-in-organization http://getbuttonedup.com/2009/06/29/americas-founding-fathers-believed-in-organization/#comments Mon, 29 Jun 2009 07:00:36 +0000 Sarah http://getbuttonedup.com/blog/?p=417

When you hear the word “organize,” what is the first thing that comes to mind? Closets? Filing cabinets? Toys? Bills?

How about these United States? It might seem far-fetched at first, but this great nation is the direct result of organizational prowess. Our forefathers — from George Washington to John Adams and Thomas Jefferson — saw the potential in a motley group of states and their very independent-minded constituents. They were determined to form a whole from the disparate parts, a whole that was bigger and better than the sum of the individual elements.

And they succeeded because they knew how to organize. They created clear declarations of their intent. They devised a system that would keep power dispersed and out of the hands of tyrants. They set up clear road maps, such as the Bill of Rights, so those independent-minded citizens would know how to navigate the new system with ease.

This Fourth of July, take a few moments to remember their incredible handiwork — and to reflect on the power of organization. If it was capable of altering the course of our country’s history, just think of what a little organization could do for you.

Alicia and Sarah on “Getting Started”:

For most of us mere mortals, the real problem isn’t figuring out the benefits we’d gain from getting organized but figuring out when, where and how to get started. If you’re disorganized, you are likely to stay that way unless you can get momentum working in your favor.

The trick: Do one small thing that you can cross off your list. A series of small steps add up to real progress. Our forefathers weren’t paralyzed by the enormity of the organizational task at hand. They successfully got the power of momentum working for them. They did something, like write an opinion piece, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Here are a few guiding principles for unleashing your own organizational prowess.

#1. Organize to your goals
Being organized is not about being perfect or doing what someone else says you should. It’s about identifying what you really want to accomplish and then putting in place flexible frameworks and systems so that you can handle the inevitable twists and turns with confidence and sanity intact.

#2. Define your priorities
Think about where this country would be today if the Founding Fathers hadn’t put a top priority on achieving independence and organizing a new system of government.

At first glance, it may seem as though everything on your to-do list is an absolute priority. But only a few things really matter in the long run. Set aside five to 10 minutes at the start of the week to review your list and at least mentally identify the four or five tasks that are most important.

#3. Ask for help
This country was not built by a few; everybody played a role. If you have big goals in your own life, chances are you will need others to help you along the way. Learn to ask for help.

Delegating effectively can be a challenge, but it is worth overcoming. Enlisting the help of your “team” — spouse, children, roommates — will make all of you more efficient and happier. Doing everything by yourself demoralizes others because it robs them of the opportunity to add value with their own creative approaches to getting work done.

]]> http://getbuttonedup.com/2009/06/29/americas-founding-fathers-believed-in-organization/feed/ 1 http://getbuttonedup.com/2009/02/11/an-end-and-a-beginning/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=an-end-and-a-beginning http://getbuttonedup.com/2009/02/11/an-end-and-a-beginning/#comments Wed, 11 Feb 2009 17:10:27 +0000 Sarah http://buttoned-up.f-a-l-s-e.com/wordpress/?p=602

The New Year is always a time of closure and new beginnings.

It is the time of year we reflect on what we accomplished over the past 365 days and articulate what we hope to do in the coming 365 days. This year as you craft your resolutions with high hopes, we’ve got some tips that will help you stick to them throughout the year. With years and years of abandoned lists to learn from, we’ve realized it’s time to come up with a new strategy. So this year, we’re advising that you kick it up a bit.

Alicia on ‘Completion’

‘One of the best ways to gain momentum as you head into the New Year is to tie up those loose ends and generally finish what you’ve already started. Take a look around and see what needs to be completed around you. Any papers need to be filed? The simple act of completing an organizational task, no matter how small, gets the magic of momentum working for you, not against you! Even though you’ve heard it a million times before — it’s true that a series of small steps add up to real progress.’

Sarah on ‘A Shift in Thinking’

‘It’s amazing how a simple shift in thinking can make something that was difficult, like weight control, less of a struggle. A few years ago I stopped defining my ‘ideal weight’ as a single number, a static goal, and instead defined it first as a positive state of mind (being happily fit vs. weight control) and then as an acceptable range of numbers (no, I’m not telling). That simple reframing of the issue has helped me tremendously. Sometimes my figure is more outwardly perfect, and sometimes it’s a little more round. But I never feel like I’m failing. And that’s what keeps me on track.’

To kick start your 2008, here are a few simple tips.

#1. Visualize Your Goals
Go out and get a bunch of magazines with imagery that is likely to help you visualize your goals in a number of different areas: home, vacations, career, parenting, spirituality, health. From now until the end of the year – cut out images that represent your goals for the year (and really the next 3-5 years). Then, the last week in December – that one week when there’s somewhat of a lull- put together a small photo album for yourself that brings to life each area. That way, you’ll have physical reminders of what you want to be that you can look at during the course of the year when it’s all too easy to lose sight of the big picture. If you’re married and/or have a significant other, be sure to do it together.

#2 Schedule Your Resolutions
From years of experience, we can report that those general resolutions are the least successful. ‘Lose weight.’ ‘Get in shape.’ ‘Learn to speak Spanish’ (That one’s been on our list for years!) This year, don’t just get specific with your goals, schedule them. Say you want to lose weight. Before the New Year, buy yourself a 2008 calendar, and start scheduling days you’ll go to the gym. Mark on the calendar ‘weigh in’ days, along with your target weight. Do this for the first few months of the year so you’ll have not only specific goals to reach, but by the time it reaches March or April, you’ll have established a pattern that will carry you through the rest of the year. You’ll be lighter (or in our case, muy fluent) in no time.

#3 Make a ‘Fall off the Wagon’ Plan
We know it might come as a shock, but nobody is perfect! The problem is we all tend to lose sight of that when it comes to sticking to our resolutions and once we don’t ‘perfectly’ adhere to our plan, we often throw up our hands and give up. This year, plan ahead for those moments of imperfection! For each goal, write down one or two actions you can take to get yourself back on track if you find you have fallen off the wagon.

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