Three steps left going into 11

January 2016 has come and gone. Did anyone else think that went by very quickly? Time is a matter of perception but to me, the month flew by! There are only 11 months left.

When I set my goals for 2016, most were pretty lofty. Today, I took some time to review them and see what kind of progress I have made and what behaviors lead to that success. I also identified what behaviors were counterproductive or slowed my progression. Rather than detail exactly where I stand with each of my goals, I want to help you see what process you can do for your goals.
Here are three key steps I have for making the most of the remaining 11 months in 2016.

Three steps to identify successful behaviors

I am loving my Passion Planner for this year. It really forces me to do more than the usual "I'll just think about my goals" and writing them down. As I flipped through the past few weeks, there was one thing I noticed. When I succeed at a task or priority, I placed a checkmark next to it. There were quite a few left without checkmarks. This drives me crazy. However, this is the first step to identifying successful behaviors.

1. Review performance excellence and performance gaps.

I flipped through the pages of my planner and looked at the notes, goals and actions. What went well? What did not? Where did I perform with excellence? Where were the gaps? By reviewing those areas, I can start to see where progress needs to come from for next month.

For example, I had set a goal to build an outline for my new website by selecting colors, fonts, marketing strategies and themes. Have I done that yet? No. What did I end up doing? I just moved that item to the next week... I kept pushing the deadline backwards. The commonality of the items I pushed back were that they were

1) more challenging goals in my mind
2) more time consuming and
3) I was just procrastinating.

Now that I know where my performance excellence and gaps were, how can I start improving and performing more successfully in February?

2. Determine the little things.

One question my manager always asks me is, "What is the difference between good and great?" The answer, "Not much". The little things can be of the upmost importance to separate the ordinary and the extraordinary. The little things lead to ultimate success. Now that I identified I was lacking in follow through with some larger tasks, what were the little steps I took that made other goals or tasks successful?

I was proud of my dedication to increasing my bible study habits in January. I also did a good job of taking frequent time each week to research coupons and money saving tips. What did I do for both of these tasks that made me reach my goal? I created alerts on apps, reminders on my calendars and allotted time each day or week to get these done.

If that is an example of what "good" looks like, how do I incorporate more of that into February?

3. Implement successful action steps into long-term behaviors.

Habits take time. Positive, repetitious behaviors create success. I know that the things I have the most success with to date are habits I have built over time. There are certain things in my job I take time to do each day and I just function that way. Just like with my lifestyle and health changes, I am used to eating 5-6 smaller meals each day, rather than 3 large ones.

To form these habits, create action steps in your planner, phone, etc. and see to it you hit each little goal. Celebrate the little wins. As said in step 2, the "little things" make the most difference!

Are you prepared and ready for the 11 months remaining to accomplish your goals for 2016? What other tips do you have for making the most of it and creating successful behaviors?