This is the third post in my series on developing a wellness vision. In the first, I discussed brainstorming to uncover core behaviors to assure your wellness and finding areas of focus in those behaviors. In the next post, I covered refining the areas of focus into a wellness vision and creating goals to support it.

Today’s post offers my top ten tips on keeping your wellness vision on track. Your wellness vision can only be realized if it’s more than a file on your laptop. It needs to make the leap off the page and come to life by working your goals throughout the year. Here are ten points to keep in mind to make achieving these goals easier.

Tom’s Ten to Keep You on Track

1. Track your progress often.
   For me this is a weekly reminder in my email task list that displays my goals. An alternative would be to write “Track Goals” on every Friday of your calendar.
2. Make your goals visible.
   Print a copy of your wellness vision and goals and post them on your office wall, fridge, or anywhere that you look at often. Mine are on my cubicle wall next to my monitor.
3. Reevaluate your goals at a reasonable interval.
   Don’t wait until the end of the year to check your progress. Chose a time period to revisit the goals. Allow yourself to alter them to fit your current needs, life realities and changes. I am reevaluating my goals on a quarterly basis.
4. It’s good to take baby steps.
   Are you having a problem achieving one of your goals? Break it into several simpler, easier to achieve goals with more frequent deliverables. You will find yourself on your way to reaching the larger goal sooner and with greater success.
5. Ask for help. Consider finding a support buddy.
   You may just need a friendly encouraging ear. Nothing makes a goal easier to achieve than fining a friend who is on the same journey or has achieved the goal. They can inspire you to achieve your goal.
6. Celebrate the good times!
   When a goal is achieved, don’t just let it slide by. Celebrate the event and reward yourself.
7. Look at your goals with a new eye.
   If you haven’t made progress on a goal, it’s time to refocus your energies on getting it moving. Ask yourself what the obstacles are? What can you do to motivate yourself to achieve it?
8. Challenge yourself to be an overachiever.
   It’s good to meet a goal sooner than expected. Take this opportunity to take another step forward and commit to a new goal.
9. Admit to yourself when it just isn’t the right goal.
   Sometimes your strengths and resources are not enough. You realize that it isn’t going to happen. Just admit to that fact and move forward. Look to salvage it with a similar goal that does rely on your strengths.
10. Look for flexibility.
    How is that problem goal structured? Can you adapt it to meet it in other way? Take a critical look and you might find a better approach.

The ball’s in your court. You can now create that wellness vision and goals. Today’s post gave you some of my best hints on how to keep that vision on track. Just like weight loss, this is a full time job that requires you to work hard to realize the benefits. I’ll be checking in on your progress with you now and then and giving you some updates on my progress. Best of luck on living your life to the fullest!